Banks differential covers

Guy is a fool to leave KN filter in when bringing vehicle to dealership. I though those SRT's broke down every time the pedal went down.

Lifetime Maxcare means you reinstall the OE diff cover prior to exercising the warranty on a failed diff.

Obviously, you can't service the car at the dealership when equipped with non-OE 'performance' parts.

Not all automakers do good enough share of R&D. So, I wouldn't say that its not needed for a non-diesel that isn't towing. Also don't know how to define average person. But, at the dealerships and shops around here, the average person sends plenty of blown engines and transmissions into the service bay.

What year/engine Tundra cooked the bearings, and how do you define 'pretty heavy'? Smoking brakes means someone is pushing it too hard.

I'm pretty sure Banks did some R&D. And, the competitor brands at least have some cooling fins and increased capacity, but without the Banks gear oil flow R&D. You could also weld up some fins to the stock cover and use thicker gear oil.
 
Total marketing BS as usual coming from Gale Banksrupted. 😂 I've been running Mag Hytec flat back covers for 15+ years and over one million miles on several different Dodge diesel trucks. Not one single differential failure. They all do the same thing in my opinion. I love 'em for the ease of maintenance and extra fluid capacity. Pick your poison and you'll be just fine. If you have a fat wallet, get Banksrupted!🤙🤙
 
Perfect solution for a non existent problem. Banks is a great salesman. He's like Ronco for diesels.
I'll admit his salesmanship is stellar. Only in his world could one take their own data, create a "standard" for it to show its performance, never have it validated by an objective third party, use it to "prove" his product is exponentially better than the competition, and then sell, sell, sell...

My favorite part is where he drones on and on about how flat back covers introduce more aeration and subsequently more heat...never mind that you have two gears turning at 90° to one another smashing the oil into oblivion...and that happens with EVERY cover...:ROFLMAO:
 
Not that I would ever buy one, but I was curious when I read that Banks made one for a Jeep. I could find no reference to it on their website.
You may have to call them. The cover they originally listed for my truck, is now not listed. I called them. They said too many returns. They want to make sure you know which rear end its for so you get the correct one the first time, rather than just ordering it and having to return it.

I have not bought one yet. I may when i change rear end gear oil. My interest is in the fact that is has a sight glass, a fill port and drain.

You can change lube without removing the cover or using a mity vac.
 
You can change lube without removing the cover or using a mity vac.
I think this is it's biggest advantage, and selling point. Along with the sight glass. I've never known anyone who has burned up a ring and pinion under normal towing conditions. And it's pretty hard to miss a differential leak that would amount to enough to damage it from lack of lubricant.
 
I'll admit his salesmanship is stellar. Only in his world could one take their own data, create a "standard" for it to show its performance, never have it validated by an objective third party, use it to "prove" his product is exponentially better than the competition, and then sell, sell, sell...

My favorite part is where he drones on and on about how flat back covers introduce more aeration and subsequently more heat...never mind that you have two gears turning at 90° to one another smashing the oil into oblivion...and that happens with EVERY cover...:ROFLMAO:
Exactly. He's great at making you question reality. I never thought or cared much about flat back covers until I saw his video. It does stick in your mind even if it makes no real world difference. It's like the Lucas oil gear display.
 
You may have to call them. The cover they originally listed for my truck, is now not listed. I called them. They said too many returns. They want to make sure you know which rear end its for so you get the correct one the first time, rather than just ordering it and having to return it.

I have not bought one yet. I may when i change rear end gear oil. My interest is in the fact that is has a sight glass, a fill port and drain.

You can change lube without removing the cover or using a mity vac.
My guess is that it would be aluminum and that would not work for me. I have Motobilt covers with Next Venture differential skids which are 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" thick steel.

My axles have drain plugs in them, but I remove the covers anyway because I want to inspect the gears. Jeep JL Wranglers have reusable gaskets so it is an easy task.

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My guess is that it would be aluminum and that would not work for me. I have Motobilt covers with Next Venture differential skids which are 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" thick steel.

My axles have drain plugs in them, but I remove the covers anyway because I want to inspect the gears. Jeep JL Wranglers have reusable gaskets so it is an easy task.

View attachment 142822
They are AL.
 
I have to pretty much agree. As I mentioned in my last post, I wouldn't install one because of possible warranty issues. The Banks unit is well thought out. And I like the ability to drain, fill, and check the fluid level in the differential by removing plugs, and looking at a sight glass, instead of the entire cover. Easier and far less messy.

But yes. Differentials are about the most bullet proof item in your drive train. And they are as you say, a solution looking for a problem.
I believe the primary focus on his diff covers, was the relation to some other aftermarket covers that don't direct the flow of oil to the pinion bearing in a manner to keep the oil from foaming or just maintaining adequate oil flow to the pinion. Also with increasing oil temps from poor flow direction.

Most OE covers I've seen have a curved portion to help oil flow, other aftermarket covers I've seen are simply flat on the rear.
 
I'll admit his salesmanship is stellar. Only in his world could one take their own data, create a "standard" for it to show its performance, never have it validated by an objective third party, use it to "prove" his product is exponentially better than the competition, and then sell, sell, sell...

My favorite part is where he drones on and on about how flat back covers introduce more aeration and subsequently more heat...never mind that you have two gears turning at 90° to one another smashing the oil into oblivion...and that happens with EVERY cover...:ROFLMAO:
Exactly right about the gears aerating the oil! 😂 Yeah the way he bashes other companies to try and make his products look better is pathetic! Banks makes good quality stuff for sure but the claims compared to the competitors are outrageous!
 
Has anyone proven Banks wrong with the diff covers?

BTW, he just adapted to the market and used the same fluid flow R&D that allowed automakers to go from 15cst manual transmission and gearbox fluids to sub 7cst fluids. The knowledge was out there many years ago. Sad that so many other companies did no real R&D and simply made pretty covers with more capacity and fins, and maybe even sacrificed some proper directed flow negating much of the benefits.

Directed/controlled flow works. Too bad none of the other covers figured it out first.

I don't have anything that would need an upgraded diff cover. If I did, I would use the Banks 1st if it was available.

Lets see if anyone can prove Banks wrong.
 
Average person, no, i agree little benefit. But my trucks duty cycle is probably 80-90% towing.

Curious what @Zaedock thinks.
Wonder how my Dana 80 has made it this far (445k) with mostly fifth wheel towing, without it…

127FAF59-95E8-443A-9B9C-E20F0ACF2207.webp


Towing is surely factored in. Some maximum continuous power rating, at some ambient temperature is factored into the design. Being the simplest part of the drivetrain more or less, they tend to be bulletproof unless way undersized.

Id argue that a temp test for your situation and worst case use is prudent.
 
Has anyone proven Banks wrong with the diff covers?

BTW, he just adapted to the market and used the same fluid flow R&D that allowed automakers to go from 15cst manual transmission and gearbox fluids to sub 7cst fluids. The knowledge was out there many years ago. Sad that so many other companies did no real R&D and simply made pretty covers with more capacity and fins, and maybe even sacrificed some proper directed flow negating much of the benefits.

Directed/controlled flow works. Too bad none of the other covers figured it out first.

I don't have anything that would need an upgraded diff cover. If I did, I would use the Banks 1st if it was available.

Lets see if anyone can prove Banks wrong.

First start with proving him right by having them tested by an objective verifiable third party against an established standard (which there are none at present)--no one needs to prove him wrong as he is the one making the claims. He would be MUCH more believable if there were miles of vehicles with failed axles due to non-contoured covers AND had he involved a reputable objective third party in the testing. I can prove anything by creating my own data and my own testing standards/methodology.

What is accomplished or not accomplished by directed/controlled flow? The ring gear and pinion work together with the oil to create a viscous coupling--that happens regardless of the cover shape.

If having a contoured cover is absolutely necessary, how on earth did Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac produce axles from 1964 to 1973 in every model they made with a non-contoured cover and somehow some of those axles are still on the road today. Chevy Chevelles produced from 1964 through 1987 had similar non-contoured covers, yet again, they also survived.

As I said before, Banks neither proved or disproved anything...but his salesmanship is paying off in spades...
 
Wonder how my Dana 80 has made it this far (445k) with mostly fifth wheel towing, without it…

View attachment 142911

Towing is surely factored in. Some maximum continuous power rating, at some ambient temperature is factored into the design. Being the simplest part of the drivetrain more or less, they tend to be bulletproof unless way undersized.

Id argue that a temp test for your situation and worst case use is prudent.
Yes, i checked the temp on mine right after towing, and temp is not an issue at all. But it looks really handy to have a sight glass and drain and fill bolts. Change fluid without dropping the cover in the future.
 
Yes, i checked the temp on mine right after towing, and temp is not an issue at all. But it looks really handy to have a sight glass and drain and fill bolts. Change fluid without dropping the cover in the future.

Yeah that sure is a mess….
 
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