Pulled the trans apart yesterday.
Everything checked out fine.
I guess my rear end issue may have been different than a normal ring and pinion break.
It spit the side adjuster out which made the ring disengage from the pinion gear;
so it just freewheeled and did not disengage then engage again like when knocking off teeth.
It just free wheeled like throwing into neutral.
Going to put it back in this weekend.