Axle Shaft Removal Advice

I had an 8 3/4 like that. Bought the whole axle assembly. It definitely looked a little rough, but I got it pretty cheap. One axle slid out ok, it took more convincing than normal but the slide hammer took care of it. The other was impossible. I bent the flange with the slide hammer, the whole deal. Heat, soaking in oil, more slide hammer, nothing worked. I finally cut the backing plate and hit the back of the axle flange with a 12 lb sledge hammer. Figured the axle was already toast, why not. The axle finally came out, but only because the bearing broke into pieces. Maybe that end was buried in the dirt or something, it was totally fused together.