This is a continuation of the work I began with this thread: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...questions.html

...but since these questions are not directly related to the axle shaft, I'm starting a new thread.

I have cleaned out my axle shaft tubes (what exactly do you call them, as they are not directly referenced in the parts manual) of metal shavings sludge using a self-made plastic scraper and lots and lots of Scott Rags in a Box soaked in brake parts cleaner and taped to the end of a rod. Also cleaned using break parts cleaner is the area around the axle shaft tube opening.

My questions are regarding how pristine the areas need to be where the wheel bearing and the axle shaft seal sit?
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BEARING

Concern #1

As stated, I have used brake parts cleaner, here with the addition of some fingernail power, to clean up the area where the bearing will reside. Here is a pic showing a couple of spots where there appears to be some rust:


Axle shaft tube area where bearing sits. Spots that look like rust circled with orange.


Questions
1. In order for the bearing to sit properly, do I need to get rid of those spots?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Concern #2

Here is a pic showing some pitting/scrapes/small "gashes" where the tube diameter narrows:


Axle shaft tube opening. Marred areas where tube tapers to its narrowest circled with blue.

Questions
2. My gut is telling me this appears to be fully behind where the bearing sits and thus should not cause any issues and can be ignored. Can it, or do I need to address those marks?==================================================

SEAL

Concern

There is some "gunk" that did not come off in the cleaning. This "gunk' is on the outer edge of the axle shaft tube where (I think) the lip of seal tightly rests. Here is a pic showing some of the spots:


Outermost edge of axle shaft tube opening with areas of "gunk" circled with yellow.

Questions
1. In order for the seal to sit properly, do I need to get rid of those spots?

 

The bearing just sorta sits in there, so various marf marks aren't really a problem. Bearing shouldn't be turning there in any event.

Gunk doesn't really matter either, as the edge of the seal sits against that. Not a sealing surface. Could try some steel wool to clean it up some more, if it really bothers you.

 

Those areas are pristine by shop standards. No shop on the planet who's working for an hourly wage is gonna get them any cleaner than that.

Put it back together and take a nap

 

Thanks again, y'all.

This is my first time, and I'd like for it to be my last (at least on this vehicle), so I didn't want to take any chances.

The former I will go out and (try to) do shortly; unfortunately I have too much to do (not just on the truck) to do the latter.