I can't help but notice no thread locker on those bolts.  I wouldn't say this is a common problem, but it does happen.  This is one of those things I pay particular attention to when rebuilding a rear.  I thoroughly clean the bolt holes in the ring gear, and the bolts to degrease them (so the thread locker will work properly), and then apply thread locker and torque them to spec. 

Alan wrote:

Ouch, it's a wonder you made it home. Did it tear up any of the case?
 

By case do you mean the part that has the chunk missing and the crack in it, or the housing?

Good eyes on the lack of Loc-tite TKO.

I think I'd be knocking on the door of the fella who built it.

Now that's just something you don't see everyday.   Not the bolts coming out without loctite.  But the fact that three fell out before the fourth one went boom.

And I've seen a few weird things. 

One of the weirdest I ever saw was someone brought me a minivan to work on with the complaint the transmission was slipping.  And it sometimes sounded funny starting.   Inspecting it I found the flex plate was completely broken in two in a somewhat circular break just past the flywheel bolts.  Yet somehow these bolts were catching on something and allowing the van to still drive.  I gave them a great estimate for fixing it, they decided not to.  They decided to buy another car and donate the van to charity.   Picked it up and DROVE it away.   I have always wanted to have dug into it just to see what the hec was catching to allow the thing to not only move, but start.  Maybe the tq drain plug?

There is always something to make you go hmmmm.

Alan wrote:

I meant the housing.

He's still busy working on it, but no damage to the housing thankfully.

No damage to factory 8” housing.
3.25 gears (Motive Gears made in Italy) no damage
Currie traction lock…approximately 15,000 miles
Found an 8” C7OW replacement carrier locally.

No Lock-tite visible on any ring gear bolts.
Only 1” bolts with about 1/4” thread engagement into the ring gear…depth is roughly 1-1/2”.
From what I have found, trac-loc uses 1-1/4” bolts.

Initial inspection today, all clutches and steel plates still look like new.
Did find a small amount of metal inside as expected.

Might take some work, but repairable.
Guess I needed something to do before the Bash. 😂

My wife said, “Do what you have to so we can take it to the Bash.”

Hmmmmm🤔

Bearing Bob wrote:

That's a good woman right there.

Any guy playing with these things, and is still married, most likely has found a "Keeper".

I had a 9" ring gear that was moving some that I found by accident. 

Nos681 wrote:

Only 1” bolts with about 1/4” thread engagement into the ring gear…depth is roughly 1-1/2”.
From what I have found, trac-loc uses 1-1/4” bolts.

My wife said, “Do what you have to so we can take it to the Bash.”

Hmmmmm🤔

The rule of thumb for thread engagement I’ve always heard, and found to be true, is whatever the diameter of the bolt should equal the length of thread engagement. 
 
Agree, support from your wife is very important, so get to work!
 

BobE wrote:

Nos681 wrote:

Only 1” bolts with about 1/4” thread engagement into the ring gear…depth is roughly 1-1/2”.
From what I have found, trac-loc uses 1-1/4” bolts.

My wife said, “Do what you have to so we can take it to the Bash.”

Hmmmmm🤔

The rule of thumb for thread engagement I’ve always heard, and found to be true, is whatever the diameter of the bolt should equal the length of thread engagement. 
 
Agree, support from your wife is very important, so get to work!
 

I'm not sure what it is for a blind hole, but for a nut and bolt the bolt is supposed to protrude through the nut by at least the diameter of the bolt. 
 

TKOPerformance wrote:

BobE wrote:

Nos681 wrote:

Only 1” bolts with about 1/4” thread engagement into the ring gear…depth is roughly 1-1/2”.
From what I have found, trac-loc uses 1-1/4” bolts.

My wife said, “Do what you have to so we can take it to the Bash.”

Hmmmmm🤔

The rule of thumb for thread engagement I’ve always heard, and found to be true, is whatever the diameter of the bolt should equal the length of thread engagement. 
 
Agree, support from your wife is very important, so get to work!
 

I'm not sure what it is for a blind hole, but for a nut and bolt the bolt is supposed to protrude through the nut by at least the diameter of the bolt. 
 

TKO – interesting, the discussion of how much of the bolt should protrude past the nut is an interesting one.  As far as strength, any threads past the end of the nut doesn’t do anything for the “structural integrity” of the bolted connection.  Some industries I’ve worked with require a minimum of one thread past the end of the nut, some wanted three threads.  This was more to provide for a visual inspection ensuring full thread engagement of the nut. 
 

The Machinery’s handbook take on thread length is in the pics below.  It is the gold standard,  but also requires a slide rule and a cocktail to interpret.

Just looking at the pics it seems like the bolts were a little short for the carrier used.  Also the bolts (screws) seem to be generic grade 8’s which should be fine, but there are counterfeit fasteners these days.  I would love to see a pic of the underside of the head on one of the bolts that worked it’s way out.  Seems like the holes in the carrier were very large for the fastener diameter.  I wonder if that had something to do with it. 

The carrier might be salvageable if you can get someone to touch up the spot facing where the ring gear fasteners go.

And yet with that resource readily available I'll bet they just threw in some bolts that were the proper thread and never bothered to even think beyond it.