axle length?

I've been chewing this over for a few days,, and GOTTA ask...

I'm going out on a limb here,, and please correct me,, I'm really old school and haven't used "green bearings"..

As I understand it,,.- if you use the green brgs,, you don't need the "thrust button" that sits between the axles to supply nec. preload to the tapered roller brgs...

sooo..

my question is.. that "thrust button" is about (memory, I don't have one at hand), 5/16 in. thick, both sides.. so the axles in question ,, could they not be 28 inches long??? when the "trust button" is removed???

27 11/16 axle + 5/16 button = 28"

Just interested, cuz I gonna be doing this soon . ???

I just realized some diffs don't have the button to remove.. but interested in feed-back..

but then, why remove the button.?.? sheesh