Having gotten the front to rear brake line in, I found I couldn’t connect it to the axle, as it was riding way too low…

Reason it was so low, is that springs and shocks were not in.  Or at least I hope that is the reason.  I recall when I removed the shocks the rear end dropped quite a ways, so assuming the reach of the shocks restrains how far the axle hangs.  So shifted from the front end to the rear.  Luckily I remembered that I had new poly urethane bushings for the shocks.  So I installed those.  Would have been pretty bummed if I found those later in a box, after already installing the shocks.  Anyway, rear end shocks and springs in.  And no, I do not know if it solved the problem on brake line reach, too tired to look.