Can I eliminate the inner pinion oil slinger and instal a thinner shim?

.006-010 no? he's in spec. but that smear looks like weak contact.
I used a pry bar against the ring gear but I could still turn the yoke by hand.
So I probably just wasn’t using enough force.
I also noticed the ring gear was scribed with .0060
Could that have been the recommended back lash?
 
as far as i recall, the ring gear should be scribed with it's size and another # that matches a scribe on the pinion gear paired with it. those parts are mated to each other and are really not interchangeable with others even of the same ratio's.
the other # on the pinion would have been it's nominal checking distance.

would have liked to see a cleaner pattern............hope it works out.