Thanks for posting top, especially when you found remarks from jimmy57 about the issue. He basically says he could only see it caused by a too-short half shaft e.g.cn90 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2024, 14:13 This issue has happened before.
In this thread, it is worth reading @jimmy57's post:
Bearing shift on my 3rd autozone passenger cv axle?
viewtopic.php?t=93189
- wrong part number
- leading to an axle shaft that is too short, splines don't insert all the way into trans
- resulting in a force pushing the axle shaft outward through the carrier bearing
Also by this theory if the problem starts like this, then axle shaft is not fully inserted and the problem will only get worse over time or continue at the very least.
For my car, there is almost no way Glasgow Auto made a mistake on part number when they installed this axle five years ago as they service many, many XC70s. I suppose could be the wrong part got in the box, but the match is pretty darn close to factory sizing in the pic I posted up there. On the other hand maybe the part was just poorly enough made that the shaft is a bit short and did not insert far enough, so it began experiencing enough outward force to at some point start creeping outward.
I suppose one lesson is to deal with aftermarket axles by (also) monitoring placement of the carrier bearing and depth of insertion at the trans (i.e. is there any shiny, seal-contact surface showing?). To be fair this also seems to be a pretty rare problem, so likely most will not encounter it.
Now, if the factory axle I put in there starts creeping out, that's another story!






