Where does the slop in my Ford rear end come from?
Slop or excessive slack can occur in any rear differential. Excessive clearance between components is usually a result of wear. As bearings and/or gear wear slack develops. The normal symptom is a loud clunk when shifting in and out of gear. In my experience, many Ford rear differentials seem to have excessive movement in the spider gears. This can be from worn spider gears and shaft or a worn differential carrier case.
