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I think I did everything correctly, but the top shaft assembly can slide back and forth about 1mm when everything is bolted up. Is this normal, or did I not press the diff pinion far enough onto the duff tube? It felt like it went in all the way.

https://vine.co/v/hdgwi2HEjQF
I rebuild it, everything seems ok until I tug on the diff shaft. Is this normal?

So, are there a bunch of us that have never put together an original six gear or played with dangerous explosives? Don't be embarrassed! Raise your hook-hand!

I've seen worse, but there is a lot going on with that shaft, if something wasn't assembled correctly it could also "grow". Hard to tell without being there. As long as the diff action is smooth and not slipping then your fine.

put a shim or two behind the e-clip. problem solved.

yes, the 6 gear has some lateral play. if you can spin it while pulling in and out on the top shaft and you don't feel any binding or grinding, you are fine and most likely it's put together OK. if you notice grinding or binding, just check to see that the diff rings are full seated and the the thrust assembly looks OK.

From when I had it apart, the play is in the bearing adapter floating on the diff tube. Everything feels very smooth, aside from the new bearing seals being a little stiff.

I noticed a flat washer stuck to my magnetic work mat, underneath the felt seals. Looks like it is the one that goes on the idler gear pivot, before the bowed e-clip.

yep, then you should be fine. there is some float, and if it bothers you, as Src8p said, you can shim it on the e-clip end.

I slipped a shim in there (after I put in the shim I missed on the idler shaft) and it took out most of the movement. While I had the gearbox apart it definitely looks like that is the side where the gears line up best.