Several months ago one of my first fix items on my 92 Jetta was a change of the drivers side drive axle (automatic trans). This is the short one. Anyway, the remanufactured shaft came completely greased including plastic clips on the one end to hold it together, and I mean it was greased really really good....completely covered over...
Well, after a successful installation when I was cleaning up the left overs (box, plastic, etc) that the shaft came in, I found something.... a paper type of gasket.... at the time I didn't think too much more as I didn't have time to play with the car at all for the next while... But now, thinking back I'm wondering... given the shaft was so well prepared, did it have a gasket on it too already? would have made some sense if it did given they suggested the clips be cut after the shaft get placed (I believe if I remember right) and how could they expect someone to properly put a gasket on when they covered everything so well in grease, I'd have to seriously clean it up to get a good fit on the gasket...
....so now I'm thinking... if there was no gasket given I'm certain that the gasket just goes into a groove which already has metal the same height on both sides around it (so what value it gives, I don't know)... if there is no gasket there, then would that be a bad thing or not? I think I'd have to take the whole shaft out to check, and yes that does involve work (tire, balljoint, shaft bolts, etc)
What do you guys think?