Chasing front end noise in a 98 explorer

[redrevo117]

Hi all I'm trying to help my dad diagnose his 98 explorer sport which has a popping noise up front weve replaced the chain in the transfer case, rear driveshaft u-joints, new wheel bearings and both cv axles, but I suspect the noise is the front differential. We took it out and the spider gears look rounded and the tips of the teeth seem to be mushroomed over. at first it was just popping on turns and now it just pops all the time after 10-15mph

I'm having a bit of difficulty finding replacement spider gears I will usually only find 1 listing on a site rock auto for example only has 1, Are the spider gears for the rear and front differential interchangeable?

I am no expert but I assume the spider gears aren't supposed to look like this

 

[Mbrooks420]

Was there any debris in the oil? The spider gears won’t swap. Your front is a reverse rotation Dana 35.

Why not buy the whole carrier?

NC-M35IFS

Nitro Gear & Axle strives to provide the highest quality differential components available.

www.justdifferentials.com

If you stand on the brakes and give it throttle will it pop without actually moving?

 

[redrevo117]

Was there any debris in the oil? The spider gears won’t swap. Your front is a reverse rotation Dana 35.

Why not buy the whole carrier?

NC-M35IFS

Nitro Gear & Axle strives to provide the highest quality differential components available.

www.justdifferentials.com

If you stand on the brakes and give it throttle will it pop without actually moving?

There were no chunks in the oil just a bit of metal in it

If we can get the whole may do that

we actually have a junkyard differential in it atm which still pops but not as bad so I dont know if this one will pop that way, the only way I got the other one to pop without moving was with all the wheel up off the ground and then hitting the brakes