I have XT brakes on my -057, and so far the performance has been excellent.  This is the first time I've had discs and I was wondering if some of the sounds are normal, or if maybe I didn't wear-in the pads enough.  They make a scrubbing sound on most stops- not super loud, so I usually can't hear it on a hard stop, but it is noticeable if everything else is quiet.  I also get a lot of squeal when they are wet, but this goes away after a couple of good stops.  Do I just need to do some power stops in the parking lot, or does it sound like there is something else going on?

Is that a new saddle?  I've been trying to find more info on the spider web saddles, since I broke a rail on my old saddle.  I got an Origin8 saddle from Amazon since it was cheap and only took 2 days.  Feels OK so far, but it is a bit heavy.

Good to hear the surgery went well, and hope the follow up today was good.

So are you ready to share how you did it?

I've done two sets, and both needed a while to finally seal.  The first pair was with tubeless ready rims and tires- one held air fine even with no sealant, while the other only took a couple of days before it held well.  The second set was with iPlay hookless rims and tubeless ready tires- those took at least a week to hold pressure overnight, and one wheel had a slow leak for even longer, but they eventually formed a good seal and have worked well.  No flats at all, but I did have to pump up the front a bit on the first ride after I skidded it through a corner and burped it. 

What pressure are you getting them up to?  A higher pressure may help to get everything seated, and flatten out any wrinkles.

The Shimano instructions call for one spacer on the drive side, but when I put it together like that on my IP-057 the chainline was horrible.  It worked better with no spacers, but I still get noisy engagement on the big chainring in front if I have it in the largest or second largest gear in the back.  Some pics of the chainline halfway down the first page here http://chinertown.com/index.php?topic=139.0   

Meh, I never have to worry about spinning out in high gear.   

The M780 shifters are 2X-3X convertible as Squishee mentions.  $500 for a mostly XT group is great.

Edit-also, the M786 is a clutch derailer.  I still hear some chain slap with mine on very rough sections if I have the front in the low gear, but it is very minor.  I have not run it with a 1X.

What I really need is an unobstructed, dedicated space in the garage to hang the rack...

I got the Swagman, with 'hoops' that the tires sit in and a hook that snugs down on the top tube.
http://www.amazon.com/Swagman-Cross-Country-4-Bike-2-Inch-Receiver/dp/B000GKN45C/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1416011829&sr=8-16&keywords=4+bike+hitch+rack
Everything is adjustable- you can move the tire mounts side to side to fit any size bike or to make them fit together better.  The hook has a foam cover but it still rubs a bit due to vibration.  I just put a sticker where it contacts the top tube on mine, and dont worry about the kids bikes.