Possible front diff failure?

Picked up a 2007 base Escalade for peanuts and I’ve been fixing little things here and there. I’ve had an intermittent clunk when it shifts under light load which I’ve managed to replicated by shifting back and forth while
Stationary from drive to reverse, with my kid shifting it back and forth I crawled underneath and I see that the front driveshaft turns a considerable amount vs the rear, almost 180 degrees before stopping and causing the clank. It’s like there’s tons of backlash in the front diff, anyone else experience this? Trying to figure out if it’s a diff issue or transfer case issue but it’s looking like the diff. With the amount of play it has I’d swear it’s missing a tooth or something.

I've noticed that on these vehicles, but not to that extent. I have a 2008 Denali, and I've noticed the slop in the front connection, but I service the front diff religiously since I've owned it. I do get a similar clunk sometimes on a downshift, and I've seen that same thing on other model year denali's as well. Mine has 193,500 miles, not sure what yours has.

I'd drop the fluid and see what you are working with. Luckily, these diffentials are plentiful and cheap from bone yards. It'll take you about 1 - 2 hours to replace it if you don't have a lift. Super easy, just make sure it's the same gear ratio.

@Discodisco
use the search fuction here, "Clunk" & "KlunK", this has been discussed a lot here.

I searched and found one thread that ended up being a diff mount, my Diff mounts are brand new delco units. All fluids are new, engine mounts new.

Transmission mount condition?

Discodisco said:

I searched and found one thread that ended up being a diff mount, my Diff mounts are brand new delco units. All fluids are new, engine mounts new.

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That seems like a lot of backlash for the front diff. My 2007's will turn a little bit but nothing like that.

Fless said:

Transmission mount condition?

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It looks to be in decent shape, im going to get a vid and post shortly.

Geotrash said:

That seems like a lot of backlash for the front diff. My 2007's will turn a little bit but nothing like that.

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Check this out, you can see the shaft sort of jolt and clunk/clank.

Discodisco said:

Check this out, you can see the shaft sort of jolt and clunk/clank.

https://imgur.com/a/1YYFZbZ

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Ah, that's not too bad at all. That's not 180º, which would have been excessive. Next step: get a cheap mechanics stethoscope from autozone and do exactly what you recorded but with the tip of the 'scope on the front diff housing, then the transfer case, then the diff mount areas to pinpoint where the clunking noise is coming from. My bet is it's backlash in the transfer case chain.

Geotrash said:

Ah, that's not too bad at all. That's not 180º, which would have been excessive. Next step: get a cheap mechanics stethoscope from autozone and do exactly what you recorded but with the tip of the 'scope on the front diff housing, then the transfer case, then the diff mount areas to pinpoint where the clunking noise is coming from. My bet is it's backlash in the transfer case chain.

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Here's my question... I do primarily hear it form the transfer case but I dont see that kind of movement from the rear driveshaft when doing the same thing, would the slack in the chain cause that?