2007 225 ho etec lighting gear case question?

[Jbass2]

I had a lightning gear case on a 2007 225 etec ho? It broke and i replaced it with the magnum. I have had someone tell me it could be impact damage. There is no physical damage to the prop, and no physical damage to the lower unit except for two dimples on each side where the gears tried to come out of the side of the lower unit. The hub assembly (plastic part) was also stripped out pretty bad. Is this indicative of impact damage, or is this typical of the lower unit just failing. It was recomended to me to break down the lower unit to see what the gears look like, but I am no mechanic and I will have to pay somebody to do it. I am hoping somebody here has some experience with this and shed some light on this for me.
Thanks

[ChampioNman]

Drain the fluid. Fine shavings are normal. Chunks of metal are not. Chances are the pinion gear or the FWD gear decided to part company and caused the dimples in the housing. If a LU rebuilder put it on the gauge chances are good the housing is toast. Sorry.

[Jbass2]

It was chunks of metal, and the housing is toast. Is that something that is caused by impact, does it just happen, or is there no way to tell?

[ChampioNman]

Not really, it could happen just running down the lake or on take off.