Factory ring gears brittle?

[LT1coupe]

I pulled my third member to install a Truetrac & was surprised to find a tooth missing on the ring gear. The runner drove excellent, no clue I had a problem.
I've seen pics of others with broken factory gears, are the factory gears prone to failure?

 

[Inv4drZm]

I pulled my third member to install a Truetrac & was surprised to find a tooth missing on the ring gear. The runner drove excellent, no clue I had a problem.
I've seen pics of others with broken factory gears, are the factory gears prone to failure?

The factory gears might be better than aftermarket gears. Made in Japan I think.

However the factory 8" in general is somewhat weak depending on your tire size and wheeling torture.

 

[LT1coupe]

This was a 2wd cream puff, no evidence it was ever abused. The tooth was laying in the bottom & by all appearances it's been like this a long time.
Weird

 

[Inv4drZm]

I will add that the factory crush sleeve is weak, or gets weak over time and that allows the pinion gear to move a little during stress and that could chip a tooth or trash gears. A solid spacer would be stronger.