The mistake many make is replacing the bearings. If the seal leaks, the bearings will be floating in gear oil and well lubricated. Its when you fix the seal and the oil stops flowing that the bearing fails from being dry. Knowing what I know now, I would have just removed the bearing side cover and washed out the gear oil with brake cleaner, drain out the oil on the outer side of the bearing (drill a 1/8” hole in the dust seal and plug it when drained) and repacked the bearings with lithium grease before reassembling the axle with the reversed inner retainer. The cost would be about $25 a side. New seal, new retainer, lithium grease.

*Cut the old retainer off and heat the new retainer to install.