Hi,
I recently finished swapping in a 9 bolt into my z28. I went though it and got a better carrier that had good cones and reassembled it and installed the rear to my car. on my first drive on every bump I noticed clunking sound came from the rear. I determined that the sound was from the driver side inner brake pad being loose when I don't have any pressure on the brakes it would bounce around. When I was sitting there trying to figure out why the pad was like this I noticed that the axle has a little play being pushed in and out. its not a huge amount of play but enough that I can tell the axle is moving alittle. I will have the caliper off next weekend and i will check the axle retaining bolts to see if they backed off at all. But is this normal? should I have any play in and out?

 

quantify how much play you had, with a machinist rule you can easily eyeball how much it roughly is

 

I hope this helps.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/transmissions-drivetrain/727226-someone-eliminated-clunking-sound.html

 

A 9 bolt axle should have very little or no end play. Did you install new bearings and seals on them?

 

The fine thread nuts on the tab type studs never come loose so the retainer plate should be tight. Thats all that holds the axle in. The conical bearing runs in the race (thats also a tight slip fit into the housing) with the bearing and collar on all the way there should indeed be next to no play. Unless the bearing is trashed