So a picture is worth a thousand words and video is worth more.  I have a loud gear whine that has been getting louder lately.  I installed a lock right locker a year ago and don't recall much of a gear whine prior to that.  I followed instructions online specifically for track kicks.  I have no other experience with differentials so maybe I screwed something up.  Please watch the exciting vid attached and let me know if this is normal.  Wheels are on  the ground.


Nevermind the video is too big to attach.  Anyway, I can turn the yoke (?) almost a quarter turn before slack is taken up and wheels start turning.  I can also jiggle it laterally a little and there is a bit of a clacking sound.

Thanks

Some rotational play in the yoke before resistance is normal with a lock right... how much play that you now have I can't say.  There shouldn't be any lateral movement of the pinion yoke. The pinion bearings should be holding the pinion shaft tightly. 

Has your pinion seal been leaking?  With a lot of lateral movement in the pinion shaft I would think it would be.  Might be a silly question, but are you sure your pinion nut hasn't backed off (loosened) on the pinion gear shaft?

Depending on the mileage of the diff you have, the bearings might just be getting long in the tooth and worn out OR possibly you might not have gotten your side gear tolerances on the bearings set tight enough which caused more bearing wear.

I don't know about your input shaft issues,
but once I thought I had a Rear end going out,
It turned out to be the Right outside axle bearing
gave up the Ghost.