Axle issue or not?

[BrianV]

So I was having a couple tires put on the front this morning and while the wheels were off I noticed on the passenger side axle, the dust cap was free spinning and the axle has about a 1/4” of what looks like a move to the outside, which caused the dust cap to be loose. The drivers side was tight and displayed no apparent movement had taken place.
I’ll attach a a pic of what I saw on the passenger vs the drivers.
I have no idea how long it may have been like that and I don’t have issues with noise, or anything. Is this worth immediate repair or presenting a danger?
Pic 1 is the driver side. Pics 2/3 show the slop on passenger side.

 

[Ashim]

That's just a dust shield, 21 years old, nothing to worry about. U-joints look a little rusty, might want to replace those.

 

[noodles93]

Yup the actual seal is way further in. Dust cap just help keeps some stuff out. Mine don’t sit flush anyways

 

[macleanflood]

Or the dust cap might keep things in.

Give the joint a healthy push up and down. Should be very minimal movement.

-Mac

 

[GATORB8]

Looks like someone pushed the dust shield in further on the driver side from the difference in rust: