sleeoffroad
Hard Core 4+
It's my understanding he had several experienced people who looked at it who said they thought it was safe to run. Maybe they were just chipped versus totally broken off.
Not wanting to start an argument, but if the teeth was even chipped something caused it to happen. Lost preload on the pinion or carrier? Deflection? Cap bolts bent? Any number of reasons, but it does not just happen on it's own. That means the diff was compromised. Yes, stick it in to get off the trail or get out, but to leave it like that before the event and then be signed up for hardcore trails does not make sense.
We go to great lengths to do tech inspections to make sure you do not end up with trucks that break on the trail and leave people stranded and cause inconvenience for other people. OK if you want to run like that on your own time and your own trails, but not when you are signed up for trails and leading them.
Sorry Tom, you might have gone by others advice, but I still think it was a bad call.