4x4 Rear Transfer case seal leak - can't remove drive shaft

I noticed the rear seal on the transfer case to the drive shaft is leaking on my 2005 Taco, 4x4, 4-door, with 285k miles. I tried the procedure on here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-how-to-replace-an-output-shaft-seal.270255/
But that's for a Prerunner. I unbolted the bearing holding the 2 parts of the drive shaft to the chassis, then tried to pull the drive shaft out of the transfer case. NO luck. Pull, pry, tap, swear...nothing works.
Apparently it's a bigger/tougher deal to remove the drive shaft on the 4x4? The seal is $12 from Toyota, but they want $400 to do the job. Is there something I'm missing? I was hoping this would be a <1hr job.
Anyone else done this?
Thanks!

 

your drive shaft might be binding .. get on the bumper and jump up and down a few times and try to pry it off again. I use a screw drive and it comes right off.

 

I was able to grab & crank the shaft back and forth a few degrees, or whatever the play is. When I unbolted the bracket, the drive shaft drops right down. I used a jack to hold the weight. The expansion piece with a boot on the rear part of the shaft stretches out, but the shaft doesn't come out of the transfer case.

 

there are 4 nuts to remove (torque to 65 ft/lbs when reinstalling)

then there is another nut to remove the flange (torque to 87 ft/lbs when reinstalling)