It’s a 1979 f150 4x4 with a Ford 9” 31 spline and tapered bearings. I pulled my axle shafts to replace the bearings and seals because the drivers side was leaking. I used the cheaper bearings from NAPA instead of the SKF and may have ruined my drivers side axle shaft trying to press it on. I got the bearing and retainer started with a pipe and an anvil, then went to press it on with a 12 ton press. The passengers side went on easy, but the drivers wouldn’t budge. I ended up taking the axle to a mechanic to have him try and press it on and he said to cut he bearing back off and get another one. I cut off the retainer and bearing with a cut off wheel and found that the axle shaft was all chewed up.

Is my axle shaft ruined? I have filed down the high spots but there are still gouges.

The minimum diameter of your axle is still far less than the gouged up area. The axle should neck down just before the splines and this is where axles usually break. The gouged up area is also not where your new bearing is going to sit. I would clean it up really well, press a new bearing on it and run it.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Got an SKF bearing and did some more filing. Started it on with a pipe and pressed it on the rest of the way. It was definitely still tight but I got it to the bottom.