Something else just hit me abuot some of the dodge 4x4's.
i'm not sure if they still do this or not.......but i've had a few axle replacements on them. front axle, normally the passengers side axle. the front diff ends short of the hub assembly, and there's an axle splined into the diff housing, much like a front wheel drive axle. they tend to strip those splines.
in the 2 years i worked at the last shop before i got my place, i think i did at least 3 of them.