I just pulled my rear axles out and took out the center. I am looking for the cause of a "clunk" that happens whenever I roll over small bumps, like entering a driveway or parking lot. The clunk does not happen when under power, only when freewheeling - which is what led me to the diff center. I'm also getting a very violent vibration that comes for 1-2 seconds at a time and then vanishes at freeway speeds.

I have two centers. On the one I just pulled the inside gears (spider gears?) have TONS of play. Like, I slide the axle in (axle/center are out of the car) and can swing the axle 2-3 inches back and forth at the hub just from the play in the gear. The splines are tight, the play is with the whole gear and spline carrier. The old diff has totally shot pinion and crown gears, but has about half the play in the center gears.

I know crap about diffs.. first time I ever saw one is when I took out the old diff and put this slightly better one in. Started out quiet but has gotten just as loud as the old one now. The wheel bearings are also loose as hell now, all this in only 6 months.

I do have one slightly bent axle, could be causing some of these problems.

When I drained the hypoid the drain plug magnet was covered in metal filings. Something is wrong, and I can't identify anything out of the ordinary besides the play in these gears.

This is not the ring and pinion, those look and feel fine. Maybe .5-1mm play in the input shaft, if even that much. Looking at the way the center works, I can't imagine this play in the center gears is normal. But I also can't tell if the gears ride on bearings or just float, supported by the end of the axle and the splines.

Anyone have info on this? Anyone experienced this weird clunking sound?

thanks

yeah the diffs dead.....usually the spider gears wear from being given a hard time, then it will clunk when changing gears hard

in one of my diffs the spider gears had rather sharp points on them from being worn away

if the 2 centres are the same ratio just change the ring gear from one to the other and slap it in

I had a clunking sound recently ... the small bolts that hold the driveshaft to the differential flange were just slightly loose.

one slightly bent axle -- that is probably why the spiders and bearing wore out so fast...

Also make sure you put the right lube in -- 90W gear oil. You could alternatively use 75W140. The wrong oil will make it wear out very fast

And remember the 1974-up housing use slightly larger diameter wheel bearings than earlier housings. Make sure you have the right bearings.

I bought and installed bearings for the B210 rear thats in the car. The B210 (H150) rear has significantly larger bearings (+40%) then the stock H145. Is the difference you are talking about that profound, or is there another smaller difference? The bearings fit snugly into the housing, so I am pretty sure they were correct for the axle.

The bent axle does explain why that side's bearing went bad so fast, and why the spider gears died. But, the other side's bearing has the same amount of play - not sure what the deal there is. I read the online service manual tonight and finally realized what those super thin spacers between the brake back plate and the axle housing mounting surface were - it is possible that my installation was faulty. Likely actually, because I drove the bearings on with a sturdy plumbing pipe. I also did not measure the protrusion of the bearing and install those spacers to compensate. I am going to get all new components - a new center, new axles, and new bearings. Going to have a shop with a press properly install them. Hopefully when its all done I wont have to worry about it for another 35 years.

As far as I know, all the B210 H150s use the same bearing. The B210 H145 used a larger bearing than B110 H145.

If it were me, I wouldn't mess with bearings and such, I'd just get a used complete axle assembly and swap it in. Really it's not that common for them to go out -- most 200,000 mile B210 diffs are still in good shape. For the wheel bearings, just pack them with grease every couple of years.