Is this 7 1/4 shot?

[Keystone]

I haven't actually had this car on the road yet, just finishing stuff up and checking things over. I had the drums off to check the rear brakes and noticed when I turned either axle, I'd heard a clunking noise in the differential housing. I removed the cover and while the fluid level was good and there weren't any shavings in the bottom, I really don't think this sounds very healthy.

I put us a short video on youtube where I have the drum and wheels off and I'm turning one of the axles by hand. I didn't video turning the driveshaft by hand, but it is at least quiet that way:

The car is a 73 Swinger with a Slant and a 904. I'm not really sure what I should be looking for inside of the housing. Are there some bearings that can be easily replaced, or is this one ready for the scrap yard?

 

[TrailBeast]

Sounds pretty normal for dry gears to me.
How much play does the pin that goes through the spider gears and housing have?
Those gears that are making that noise (spider and side gears)only really turn when cornering or doing a one legged burn out.

 

[dukeboy440]

Have you checked your u joint...

 

[jimjimjimmy]

Have you checked your u joint...

the u joint does not turn when the axel is turned so it cant make a noise .

to the op it sounds normal to me fill with gear oil and carry on .

 

[dukeboy440]

the u joint does not turn when the axel is turned so it cant make a noise.....

Uh yeah it does

 

[jimjimjimmy]

Uh yeah it does

lol

 

[RTK_line]

Uh yeah it does

the ring gear didn't move so the drive shaft never moved. I haven't had a peg legger in a while but that is normal. The spider gears didn't look like they wobbled on the shaft either.

 

[Keystone]

I went back out and checked for play in what the FSM is calling the "shaft" and couldn't detect any. I could get a slight rotation in the "pinion" gears, but that seems to be the typical backlash.

I guess I was just paranoid, so thanks for the reassurance. And the point about the diff only operating when taking corners makes perfect sense, so I won't have to hear this going down the highway.

The new cover gasket should be showing up tomorrow so I'll button it back up and refill with new gear oil.

 

[AJ/FormS]

The clunk comes when you stop and rotate in the opposite direction. This is just the spidders dropping down and then climbing back up, it's all normal.

 

[Darter6]

7 1/4's do like to eat spider gears.Take a good look at them before you button it up.You did say the fluid was clean with no metal.I just want you to give it a good look anyway.