So I am replacing the shaft with an whole hub and shaft. Took me less 1.5 hours to get the hub/shaft and diff cover off. I am draining the diff and I will use some brake cleaner to completely clean it; there was no mud in there like I had thought there would be, but there is some in the tube. I put a rag on a stick and tried to clean it out, but there is still some in there.
What is the best way to get the mud out of the tube? Is it ok to leave it in there?