I have a 2000 325 xpedition with a leaking seal in the rear differential. The atv runs and drives great. The right hand seal looks like the ring gear shaft was pushing it’s way out, destroying the seal. After I disassembled everything the ring gear seems to be seized to the axle shaft, I can’t move it at all. The ball bearings in the differential look perfect and so do the gears. Looking at the axle tube on the left side, the sealed bearings were completely destroyed.

Could riding around without sealed bearings in the left axle tube cause the axle to angle enough to where the ring gear shaft destroyed the right hand seal? Or am I missing something?

Just want to be sure before I seal everything back up and add sealed bearings to the axle tube.