Diff/Axle Q's.....WHAT IS NORMAL????

[RedGTStang95]

Okay, I was putting my new tires on at work, Discount Tire, and I was checking out an annoying sqweaking noise which I thought what a brake issue. Come to find out my right rear axle assembly moves 1/2 to 1". It feels like just the caliper is holding it on. So I took off the rear diff cover and this is what I've found so far (BTW-Comepletely stock rearend):

Rearend fluid was DARK and smelled like crap
C Clips look good, hardly any wear
S Spring still in good condition
Axle bearings have no side/side or up/down play
Axle is straight and end has no wear
spider gears have a bit of wear
Ring gear is a lil moveable
Pinion gears have wear
Pinion shaft looks good too

What else should I be looking at?
How much play should the axles have in/out of the diff?
I've done my research, but it doesn't look like this is something normal that would cause this.

Thanks,
Bill N.

 

[final5-0]

That doesn't sound right!

Does your left one have that much play?

Grady

 

[RedGTStang95]

no not as much 1/2in or less just guesstimating.
I put the car into drive on the lift and let em turn and it was "clunking" from that right one, that's when i decided to tear everything apart.

What else could I be looking to do?
I got 105K miles, rear is stock, , stock brakes also, running 17x9.5 Cobra R's and 285's out back...

Even my dad, EE and ME with many tech certs, was like I know something is wrong but i don't see anything BROKEN/WORN to hell...

 

[RedGTStang95]

no one has anything?

 

[RedGTStang95]

I can't believe no one has had this happen....

ttt

 

[RedGTStang95]

ttt

 

[Eagle11401]

You may want to pull out the wheel seal and see if the bearing is any good. Are you leaking any fluid on that side? Everything else you described seems normal.

 

[94-302-vert]

When the tires was clunking on the lift was it only sound or was the tire moving compared to the axle (either up/down or in/out)?

I wonder if you have a worn axleshaft bearing surface on the end of the axle. If not that I would say it could jsut be from the spider and pinion gears being worn.

I would say check both axles. then if both check out OK get some gears, a rearend rebuild kit (all 6 bearings & seals) and a trac loc rebuild kit and go to town. Gears are always a great upgrade...

 

[Killercanary]

So the C clips are good??? Since you say they are what do you see in there when you have someone move the axle in and out? There are only two things that hold that axle from moving in and out. The center pin keeps it from going "in" and the C clip stops it from coming "out." If both are there and not broken there is no other place I can think of that would cause you to see what you are seeing.

I don't even think this is physically possible but its not the axle tube itself moving is it? (possible in that it moves in and out with no other adverse problems like a forward and backward movement)

Are they the stock axles?