Differential Service in Royal Oak, Michigan - What You Need to Know
June 30, 2019
Scratching your head? Don't worry, if you don't know what a differential is – you will in a moment. That fact is that if you drive a car anywhere in Royal Oak, Michigan, you have a differential. Whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, you have a differential. Some Royal Oak vehicles might even have two or three.
Not surprisingly, a differential's job is to compensate for differences; specifically, they're the differences in wheel speed when turning. For instance, imagine taking a corner near your Royal Oak, Michigan, home. Your inside wheel has a shorter distance to travel than the outside wheel as you turn the corner. That means that your outside wheel has to turn faster to keep pace with the inside wheel.
The differential allows the wheels to turn at different speeds while still providing power to your vehicle. Without a differential, Royal Oak residents' tires would scrub and hop along the pavement during turns like the early cars.
Ever noticed the big bulge in the middle of the rear axle on trucks? That's the differential. Rear-wheel drive vehicles have a differential in back. Most four-wheel drive trucks and SUVs will also have a similar differential on the front axle. A front-wheel drive vehicle's differential is called a transaxle because it combines the differential and transmission in one unit. An all-wheel drive vehicle will have a differential or transfer case that adjusts for speed differences between the front and rear drive wheels.
It can seem a little complex to some Royal Oak drivers - but you can see that all of the engine's power is routed through your differentials. They're strong enough to handle the work, but- we've said it before - they need to be properly lubricated in order to stay strong. So from time to time, you need to schedule a differential service in Royal Oak at TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires. The used fluid is drained and replaced with clean fluid. Some advise certain differentials to have special additives installed.
Get your differential serviced at TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires in Royal Oak.
TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires
1735 N Main St
Royal Oak, Michigan 48067
248-541-8300
http://www.tlcautocareroyaloak.com
Need Service?
More articles from TLC Auto Care
Cabin Air Filter and Engine Air Filter: What’s the Difference?
April 26, 2026
You may have heard someone say they just got the air filter replaced in their vehicle. But did you know your vehicle has two different major air filters and they both perform quite differentbut very importantduties? Todays vehicles have a cabin air filter, and an engine air filter. The engine a... More
Royal Oak Road Trip Preparation
April 19, 2026
People from Royal Oak, Michigan, love their cars. And nothing goes with cars better than a Michigan road trip. Freedom from daily schedules, new sights and the open road it's great! But there's nothing like car trouble to bring the fun to a grinding halt.You can't always avoid problems, but yo... More
No Fountain of Youth (Aging Tires)
April 15, 2026
Can you think of anyone who enjoys aging? Wrinkles where you don't want them, gray hair, eyes that won't focus any more, no stamina. Believe it or not, your tires age, too, and they don't get better the older they get. And here's the important thing to know, even if they can still pass a trea... More