Differential Repair
The differential is responsible for transferring engine power to the wheels. It also compensates for and adjusts to the differences in wheel speed as your vehicle moves through turns. When your vehicle navigates a turn, the inside wheel turns slower than the outside wheel, which has to turn faster in order to keep pace with the inside wheel. The differential allows the wheels to turn at different speeds while maintaining control. A vehicle without a differential would hop and bump along the pavement for an unstable, shaky ride.
Four wheel drive vehicles are equipped with a differential in front and back, while rear wheel drive vehicles are equipped with a differential in back.
A front wheel drive’s differential, called the transaxle because of the functional combination of the front axle and transmission, is located between the front wheels.
All-wheel drive vehicles are equipped with a differential between both the front and rear wheels with a transfer case between them. The case adjusts for speed differences between the front and rear wheels.
In all vehicle applications, the differential is primarily responsible for routing and regulating power between wheels.
The Basics Behind Differential Fluid Change Services at Tonys Autowerks
Differential fluid lubricates the differential in all-wheel drive (AWD), four-wheel drive (4WD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), and front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles. In most cases, front-wheel drive vehicles have a transaxle instead of a separate differential, but there are some instances where FWD vehicles have a stand-alone differential. The purpose of the differential is to deliver power to the wheels while allowing them to turn at different speeds. As your vehicle completes a turn, each wheel covers a different distance. The two wheels on the inside of the turn travel a shorter distance than the two wheels on the outside of the turn. Similarly, the two front wheels travel a different distance than the two back wheels. The differential allows your vehicle to make turns smoothly despite these differences, and differential fluid keeps the moving parts of the differential lubricated. Your differential needs clean differential fluid to ensure a smooth ride at all times.
Why Should You Have Differential Fluid Change Services Performed at Tonys Autowerks?
Differential fluid reduces the heat caused by the friction of moving parts inside the differential. But friction and heat will progressively break down differential fluid. Worn-out differential fluid can lead to unreliable differential performance, noise, excessive wear, breakdown, or failure. Complete differential failure will result in your entire differential system needing to be replaced. Always be sure to refer to the owner’s manual in your vehicle when determining the proper service intervals for changing your differential fluid. A differential fluid service prepares your vehicle for new fluid by draining out the old fluid and replacing it with fresh differential fluid. During a fluid change, our service staff may inspect other differential components, like gears and shafts, for excessive wear so that the differential continues to work properly.
We proudly service the CV Axle Inspection needs of customers in Kailua, HI, Kaneohe, HI, Honolulu, HI, and surrounding areas.
The Basics Behind Differential Services at Tonys Autowerks
Many vehicles need a properly working differential system for the smoothest ride possible. While all vehicles have some variation of a differential system, the location of the differential depends on the drive type of the vehicle. The differential system delivers power to the wheels while allowing the wheels to turn at different speeds. As your vehicle maneuvers through a turn, each wheel on the car travels a different distance. The two wheels on the outside of the turn travel a farther distance than the two wheels on the inside, and the back wheels cover a different distance than the front wheels. The differential permits the vehicle to complete turns easily despite these differences. Differential fluid keeps the differential system running smoothly by reducing heat and resistance caused by moving parts.
Why Should You Have Differential Services Performed at Tonys Autowerks?
Heat from friction will gradually cause the differential fluid to break down, making it harder to keep the differential properly lubricated. Degraded differential fluid causes poor differential performance, excessive noise, and disproportionate wear. In severe causes, old fluid will eventually cause a differential breakdown, if not a complete differential failure, which means that your entire differential system will need to be replaced. Replacing an entire differential system is costly and can be avoided with routine maintenance as indicated by your owner’s manual, which will provide you with specific intervals for servicing your differential. Depending on your needs, when you undergo a differential service, various components of your differential system will be checked and possibly repaired or replaced in order to keep your vehicle running efficiently.
Areas Served : Kailua, HI | Kaneohe, HI | Honolulu, HI | and surrounding areas
Benefits of Differential Repair
Whether your car or truck has four-wheel drive, front wheel drive, or rear wheel drive, your vehicle has a differential that experiences heavy wear and tear.
When scheduling a differential repair service, you should consider where you drive most often and how much time your vehicle spends traversing particular types of terrain. Tougher terrain—like dirt roads, unpaved or gravel roads—and extreme driving can have a heavier impact on the life of your vehicle’s differential.
Maintenance for differentials will differ from vehicle to vehicle. As part of your normal car maintenance schedule, a differential fluid change can positively impact the safety and health of your vehicle. Noise coming from your vehicle’s differential can be a sign of insufficient lubricant or worn gears and bearings due to regular wear and tear. At the first sign of trouble, contact us so we can quickly diagnose and correct the issue.
Tonys Autowerks proudly serves the Axle, CV Joint & Driveshaft Repair needs of customers in Kailua, HI, Kaneohe, HI, Honolulu, HI, and surrounding areas.