I have personally done this on an 02 lb7. Differential and steering can stay in place. Theres a small crossmember below the lower oil pan. Pull that and the pan. Pull the flywheel. Pull the turbo oil drain. Drain the coolant. Remove bolts to anything else attached to the rear cover. Oil cooler can stay in place just unbolt the elbow. Remove the studs in the cover from the turbo oil drain. There that inverted torx style. There are a few that go into the botom of the cover though the oil pan I beleive. I never removed the upper oil pan. There are dowel pins in the uper oil pan so go up and out with the cover. Thats the major stuff atleast. Its a royal pita. But if u ever want to do a downpipe or uppipes now is the time.