Half Shaft Woe

broke drivers side half shaft, got diff guts out removed shredded spline.
git diff guts back in, connected propshaft. Passenger side shaft slipped in lovely like a Portsmouth matelot on shore leave. New half shaft on drivers side(the short one) wont go in, sits about 2 inches proud and aint engaging with diff guts.
has anyone the figures for the length of shaft. Worryingly the outfit that sold me the shaft also supplied me with wrong diff gasket!

You havent got a defender one by mistake .....have you ???

defender axles are wider than series and have Different splines 24 spline rather than 10 spline ???

Has it got the right number of splines? There are two types of half shaft easily identified by the outer end - 10 spline with nut or 24 spline with circlip, although I seem to remember the inner ends are the same. Not sure if all the variants or later models have this though.
Could be that the splines on the diff have been damaged and need to be dressed before the half shaft will fit in. Probably worth popping the diff out (especially if it's the wrong gasket) and checking the shafts fit before reassembling.

Easy check - both half shafts should have the same ends!

10 splines on outer end - anyone got one in the shed and could run a tape measure along it,
Ta for helpful replies
TGC

Thanks to all for their replies.
I need to publicly admit I am a f..kwit, schoolboy error of attaching driving member for rear hub on wrong way! Very embarrassing.

Bit of a gray moment, welcome to the club.

Tottot,
Need to start campaign to force Haynes to publish bigger diagrams, I struggle even with me specs
Tom