I'm in the process of attaching a 3.55 ratio ring gear to a carrier, and the 7/16 bolts I took out of the 3.23 ring gear appear to be too big for the new gear. They look like 3/8 bolts. Anyone run into this situation, and if so is there a good source for the other bolts. They should be left hand thread, right?

I have seen 2 different typs of ring gear bolts when working with 8 3/4 gear sets. One type has a slim unthreaded section under the bolt head, the other type has a slight taper or "shoulder" to it.
If the bolts thread into the loose ring gear but they do not clear the thru holes in the carrier flange, I bet this is the issue and you need the other bolt type.
DD

This has the shoulder. It looks like I don't have the right bolts.

The dealers still have them also summit I'm 90% sure. I looked for some I had but cannot find them ........If I find them before you I'll send them to you pro bono.
best regards MaX

_________________
1966 barracuda 360
1964 signet conv. 170 turbo
Bonneville or Bust 2012

Thanks for the thought, Max.

I found them but they have the dreaded shoulder also ..............sorry.
MaX

_________________
1966 barracuda 360
1964 signet conv. 170 turbo
Bonneville or Bust 2012

I have the straight 7/16 ones. I think the shoulder ones are what I'm looking for. Do they taper down to about 3/8?