Many car enthusiasts are aware of how a differential works, but there are very few who know what one looks like when it is in action. Gale Banks of Banks Power has released a video recently which shows precisely how a differential operates using a plastic cover and some engineering know how. He made this video while on a quest to understand if aftermarket differential covers provide any performance gains or not. To show the importance of the cover’s shape, he placed a see-through plastic cover on the rear-differential of an F-150 which provides a first-hand view of the gears in action.
This is very cool to see how the ring gear acts as a scoop to fill the fluid up and around the housing. Bank said that for a differential to lubricate itself properly, it needs an evenly rounded cover which is close to the ring gear to distribute fluid and coat every part. According to Banks, if you want to replace the stock cover with something which has higher-capacity and a square shape, it will be hard for the fluid to travel to the front of the differential.
Banks has discussed the difference between stock and aftermarket covers and has emphasized consistency to get the most accurate information. Banks is not finished with his study yet and has released the first two of his videos so far. They explain how he will get the testing done and the audience is excited to get the results.
