Driveline Play Issue Update - Opinions Requested

[t6dpilot]

Some of you may remember, I posted a thread about a month ago asking for help with my driveline play diagnosis for my '71 T. My long description basically said that the car "clunks" under deceleration and acceleration. The clunk occurs as you go from under load (decel) to under load (accel) and vice-versa.

I got the car on a lift recently with my mechanic and with the car in gear he held one wheel while I rotated the other. you could move it about 60 or 70 degrees. We then grabbed both wheels and rotated them together in the same direction forward and backward (still in gear). They moved about about 4 to 5 inches, although I did not take an exact measurement. You could also hear that the clunk sounds like it is coming from the differential.

Any ideas? Some of you had various suggestions like the CV joints being bad and bolts being loose. The CV joints are all good and the axle bolts are tight. One Porsche shop (not necessarily familiar with early cars) said that it sounds like the spider gear. They are familiar with the SC models and later. Does this sound like it might be the culprit? I plan on tearing into it in the next couple of weeks and just wanted to get some opinions before I disassemble it. Thanks a lot.

[911quest]

It sounds like possible damage to the spider gears have you removed the drain plug? Any metal chunks etc.?

[t6dpilot]

I personally did not remove it yet. That is in the next couple of weeks. I am told that the spider gears are not a terribly difficult or $$ repair. Is that true?

[911quest]

installing the gears is isn't hard but you will want to inspect all the coponetents for damage if one of the spider gears came apart