Swapping rear end and recently picked up an 8 ¾. Its open, but I want to put a sure grip in it so I took it apart today. Look at the pictures. Everything else looks good. But the diff is damaged just where the bolts are in more than one place.
Carrier was made on a Friday afternoon, or Monday morning.
Maybe its just me but it looks like the last person who tightened the ring gear up used a real thick socket and that's what broke the pieces off at the places it did. Maybe?