The bolts holding the universal to the pinion can give grief either way round. If installed with head toward transmission and they loosen a bit the head can strike the bolt holding the rear cover in place and cause the damage shown. If installed head to the rear, the nut can strike if it works a bit loose. There is no perfect solution. Just use good bolts, well torqued with new lock washers, Loctite, self locking nuts (distorted type, not nylon locking) (maybe Loctite plus a mechanical lock - you can always use heat or other violence to take it apart).
There are a lot of damaged rear transmission covers / bearing retainers out there.
|