Typical wear or replace axle?

[Uncle Grumpy]

Question with my first front axle service. My PS inner axle has a wear groove at the axle seal. Is this normal or do I need to replace it? If it's ok mechanically and I reuse it, should I expect more frequent birf soup?

 

[cruiserdan]

The lack of focus makes it impossible to say how bad the notch is.

 

[Kernal]

Got a sharper photo? What type axle seals were being used, a Toyota or Marlin? The lips of the Marlin HD axle seal seem to sit deeper in than the Toyota seal so it may go past the groove?? I used the Marlin seals a year ago and no leaks so far but my axle shafts had less wear than your appears to have. Don't wanna take sides however on which is the better seal, time will tell.

Edit: CDan beat me to it.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Let's try again.

 

[-Spike-]

I'd run it.

 

[cruiserdan]

It is fairly significant but it may hold. I would polish it with fine emery cloth to smooth it up a little.
On the other hand a short-side shaft is not that expensive, 88 bucks for a new one.

 

[OGBeno]

Get a new one. Throw that one in as a spare. You'll need one eventually.

 

[Buckru]

If you decide to go with it, try adjusting the depth of the seal in the axle housing so that it resides on the part of the axle that isn't worn as much.

Buck

 

[Kernal]

I reused my worn shafts after polishing them up with some 3-0 3M pads followed by 4-0 steel wool. I think maybe one reason they aren't leaking yet could be due to lips of the Marlin seal which apparently sit at a different depth than the Toyota seal. In hindsight I maybe should have just put new shafts in.

 

[UWdave]

If this is a daily driver and you really hate re-doing work, I'd replace it.

If (like me) your rig is a weekend toy that gets low mileage and numerous precautionary fluid changes due to possible water intrusion, I'd run it the way it is and just keep an eye on it.

BTW - these are even cheaper used. Still have mine from when I switched to Longfields. There isn't much of a market for them.