[john charlton]

In my opinion 1/4" you can live with as no shim or washer can fix this . Three areas wear all inside the axle . The face on the axle shaft, the corresponding face in the diff carrier and the spider gears wearing into the carrier . In my experience it will be the spider gears . When the axle is under load the spider gears are pushed outwards and run in circular lands in the carrier . These lands can wear deeply as the carrier is steel and the spider gears are hardened . Maybe at some time the axle has been short on oil . As long as the carrier and pinion preload are within spec you can do no harm by driving as is . It has most likely been like that for many years . There will be slack in the driveline so avoid hard acceleration and deceleration . I have never ever heard of an axle failing due to the breaking up of a spider gear or an axle gear stripping in normal use . Your only cure is a good carrier and new or good used spider gears . These seem to be easily found in USA . I will check my "stores" to see what I have here in England . To replace the diff carrier etc etc is straightforward . Use the spring spreader and remove the left spring shackle put a floor jack under the diff and drop the axle a bit remove both hubs and unbolt the centre member from the left housing you can then pull the whole axle assembly out . Wash it all out with kerosine and put one axle in the vise and push and pull to see where the slack is . Mark the diff carrier when you take it apart also so the spiders stay on the same shaft and the spider carrier goes in the same way up in the same place etc etc thats assuming re use .

John in West Drayton London England .