Iron versus Aluminum 9-inch Ford housing

[TheSilverBuick]

At my power levels (600HP would be uber uber optimistic) and at ~3,800lbs is there any advantages or reasons to go with iron over aluminum? It's like a $300 difference, but that doesn't bother me much. I'm just thinking if I swap out the third member a time or two over the year an aluminum one would be a nice weight break. Thoughts? Pro's? Con's?

[JeffMcKC]

I would use the steel as many miles as you drive.

[squirrel]

I've been thinking about this, and from what I can tell the aluminum center that's strong enough is not a whole bunch lighter than the iron version. This is the one I had in mind

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/msr-3062alu/overview/

[TheSilverBuick]

I haven't shopped around, but I was looking at the whole carrier assembly with gears and a tru-trac off the Chassisworks website.

[Aircooled]

What is the spec tolerance for pinion gear depth setting?
Assuming you set your gears up at 80 degrees F then between -20F and +180F the pinion depth setting will move
between -.003" to +.003" for an Iron housing and -.006" to +.006" for an Aluminum housing.

[milner351]

Iron / steel is the way to go, the weight savings is pretty minimal compared to the other concerns of aluminum fatigue and the thermal expansion mentioned by aircooled.

I would get a good set up for your "track gears" and if you want to swap in highway gears - they're common from the junkyard if you don't go with exotic axle spline counts.

[JeffMcKC]

What is the spec tolerance for pinion gear depth setting?
Assuming you set your gears up at 80 degrees F then between -20F and +180F the pinion depth setting will move
between -.003" to +.003" for an Iron housing and -.006" to +.006" for an Aluminum housing.

This is what I was getting at.

[TheSilverBuick]

It's pretty unanimous on the iron So that's settled.

[anotheridiot]

problem is if you go nodular iron you wont be able to buy a new carrier again.

[TheSilverBuick]

problem is if you go nodular iron you wont be able to buy a new carrier again.

Lol

[MR P-BODY]

I run a 8 3/4 alum center in my race car... its 15%-20% stronger
than a stock center... mainly due to the cap bolts are through bolts..
on my 9" for the DW car its a iron center... I wouldnt worry about
running a alum center on the street... but your not gaining much and
laying out $300 more

[Caveman Tony]

I've got a Strange nodular in my 9" in my truck, reliable as hell so far.

...and its the same one I had in my jeep for 4 years, rockcrawling and driving all over AZ & Mexico... and I know if anything breaks, it'll probly be something else first...

[CDMBill]

I run the Strange Pro iron case which is overkill for yours at present, but I like to buy for the long term. One of the step up cases will help your gear set last longer too. And putting one of these things in from on you back under the car builds character. Do get the "Daytona" pinion support.

[squirrel]

I made a gizmo to hold the pumpkin with a floor jack, makes it pretty easy to swap

[TheSilverBuick]

I need to start making gizmo's too!