There's a good chance this is bacterial canker or Eutypa dieback. If there is a dead limb I'd remove it but not now. Wait until the driest part of summer, say August. For further info UC Davis is your best source. Here is a link that might be useful: apricot diseases

Hard to say from the unknown size of the tree how much 1.5" is but going by my 3 year old trees I would say it will be fine on its own. I think even my 3 year old dwarf tree could deal with 1.5". But that would be enough to plan on replacing my 2 year old dwarf grafts. My roommate is good about weed eating trees to death. It's only a whack here and there (except for the new tree that he debarked clear around once), but a little bit every week for 6 months adds up. It took a lot of yelling to get him to stop weed eating the trees at all.

Not shipping damage? what are you talking about? Even the seller agreed those trees were damaged during shipping. What I am talking about is the fact that the second photo shows mending tissue in the split. It didn't begin to heal in transit. I do not understand why some people make some strong statements about something they do not even know... Interesting.... What I find "interesting" is the fact that you say you took pictures to show the damage in your post and chose to upload photos of the "two best trees" for example. What do you expect...viewers to infer that other trees must have been damaged more badly? If they agreed to replace them. then good for you. I agree the shipping method sounds a bit iffy and there "IS" an issue with damage regardless of how it happened.

Konrad it's such a beautiful tree :( It has so many flowers popping out it did the best out of all my trees it's still dormant too in the shade . The bugger chomped it so uneven all around some parts even below the stock some parts 6" above. Was thinking just try one bridge graft if it dies than I let it grow back in. The branches are not dried on the tree yet? How easy is it to graft the stock if I just cut the tree off it? I have never done that before Konrad. I have some nice apricot wood to use I would like to chop the tree right to the stock will that work?