axle bearings, need help

The first time I did the green bearings, I did not know this. I installed the axles, without removing the thrust block. I thought everything was OK. Sometime later, I noticed the axle retaining plate had bent. The axle was not fully seated, and when I tightened the bolts the plate bent.

Personally I leave the thrust block in place, and shorten the axles. I will never replace the green bearings with the stock type bearings on axles that have the green bearing, but I might want to use the center section, in a different vehicle with stock axles/bearings. Or borrow a stock type pumpkin to try a different ratio. This way I can use whichever axles, or pumpkin, I want, without haveing to mess with the center section.