I have a 77 corvette rear end in my 40 Ford...have had it for 8 years..it has been making a popping noise for awhile...I checked the fluid..correct type...changed the ujoints in the left side where the noise is coming from...when I changed them I noticed the half shaft yoke will pull out of the third menber...should it?...the wheel on that side seems to be moving up and down...popping movement...shaking the car...Maybe a wheel bearing bad?...or bad third member...need help.

 

The half shafts should have very little play in and out. It's a little bit of a half *** setup because what happens the end of the axle shaft actually rides on the shaft that holds the spider gears in. What happens over time, the end of the axle shaft wears out which will kick the wheel in and give you the in and out play on the axle. I just bought a rear and the axles were so worn they flattend the ends out and I had to grind the grooves back in the splines to get the axles out. They recondition the axles by machining a hardened ball on the ends. If you wheel bearing is bad or loose you see the wheel move ( like a regular bearing) Just make sure your not just seeing the whole axle moving .