My driver's side bucket at 145k mi was moderately pitted based on the pics I've seen, the passenger side had maybe 1/5-1/6th as much pitting as the driver's side. The previous owner didn't drive the car hard at all. Flipping them smoothed things out under power, but I did pick up some vibration on decel as you'd expect with flipping the wear surfaces. Overall it's bearable compared to what it was, and the decel vibration isn't encountered as commonly, or as violent because it's only engine braking doing it.

I plan to put another 10-20k miles on this config, then put in some axle spacers I have, and try to limit the wear from getting too bad in one spot.

 

This is a common thing. You cant prevent wear and tear but you can deal with it properly after the fact to get the most longevity out of your axles. The best way to do that is when you start feeling vibration, either swap them side to side, or add axle spacers, once one of those methods wear out then do the other. You have 3 different configs to employ before you need to replace anything. Each one of these methods just changes the existing wear path. I went 220k miles on my original axles employing all 3 configs before I had to toss the cups.

 

If going with spacers, I'd go with a two piece spacer, they are easier to install.

 

Absolutely! Much easier and quicker.

 

using a better grease like redline cv grease can prevent it. the oem grease is too thin.

i had zero wear after 100,000 miles on redline cv grease.

 

what grease were you using when you were employing the different methods.

i went 100,000 miles with zero wear, using redline cv grease.

 

Factory sealed until the last stage when I swapped the cups finally at about 170k miles. I got about 100k before I did anything, then did the spacer and got another 70 and then swapped the cups and got to 220. I don't remember what grease I used at 170k, likely just generic CV grease.

 

you have 220,000 miles? how much oil do you consume?

 

More then that.

Not much currently, im on my 5th engine Boost being expensive is an understatement.

 

Swapped mine at ~170k, didn't add any grease. Car was very low from about 50k-170k. Now I'm at 248k and they're still going strong. Seems like the best and cheapest solution to me.