You've convinced me, balance won't be an issue...but the perfectionist in me would balance it regardless, just because I like to eliminate every possible variable...it's just the way I am...
Additionally- all the teeth would have to fail from all 4 gears since they are fitted together. just one side gear cant spin, both side gears cant spin- need both sides and both spiders to revolve together- that's a lot of Alloy teeth keeping hold there. And the balance issue? there's a great big window that he poured the melt through. That's an imbalance right there. It's steel, it's not right at the axis (about 3-4 inches away from centerline), and millions of axles dont seem to mind. In fact, now that the inner area is filled with allloy, any amount of the "missing steel window" that gets filled, will actually attempt to improve the balance. Granted, the melt doesn't completely fill the window, and it weighs less than the steel, but it still weighs more than air..... rick
I'd like to know if it worked too, seems like it would, The aluminum doesn't have to hold the torque of the acceleration, rather the torque of the diference in traction between the two tires(I.E. if both tires of an open diferential have the EXCACTLY the same traction both tires will spin like a posi) I didn't realize the thread was two years old until I read the whole thing, but it is an interesting Idea. I hope he chimes in and gives us the result.
I'd think the amount of aluminum "filler" equates to the amount of gear lube being "lost/displaced". The gear oil not only lubricates, it also cools. To compensate for "lost/displaced" gear oil, you'd have to "overfill" the rear end. In theory, the idea to lock the differential should work fine, filling it with aluminum as proposed. There bare still plenty of drag racers that weld the spiders/side gears up. HOW would tech be able to truly check for this anyway, short of pulling a third member or rear cover? Butch/56sedandelivery.