As a spanner thwirler for a year or 2 there can be no harm in axle first and pumpkin nut last and seems a reasonable way of doing things.
The bit that gets me is how you can totally get rid of any signs of lube and get a lovely big mess of rust. Just because you may have a dodgy O ring or "misalignment" holding the O ring from sealing does not explain the amount of damage done in relatively short periods of time in some of the pic's that have been posted.
Hot hubs going into deep water can draw in water (boat trailer bearings are classics for this) but a rain storm while riding barely cuts it, centrifugal force comes into play and throws water away from the seals.
No stirring, just an observation.
I run a Pirelli P4 on the rear (205-65-16) and the last one lasted 60 K miles. I pulled the final drive for lube at 15-30-45 K miles. The drive splines and the pinion /drive shaft splines were perfect. At the 60 K check, the drive splines were still perfect, but the drive shaft/pinion splines were damn near gone, almost just a knife edge left of the splines. There was still adequate lube, and evidence that final drive lube was circulating as the two access holes were clear and unobstructed......so I am absolutely puzzled as to what went on and caused the self destruct.
