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
Smooth Operator
July 26, 2026
Were used to bringing a vehicle to a stop and hardly noticing the engines even running when were sitting still. But sometimes you might notice it running rough when youre idling. Your vehicle is shaking, vibrating and making sputtering noises. You may even notice the tachometer on your instrum... More
The Best Test
July 19, 2026
Would you buy a jacket without even trying it on? Probably not, but it might surprise you that one study shows about half the people buy a vehicle after a short test drive around the block or none at all. If you're in the market for another vehicle, make sure you check out the most important thi... More
Catching Trouble Early
July 12, 2026
Your vehicle depends on wheel bearings. Sitting between the wheels hub and axle, they allow your wheels to spin smoothly, bear the vehicles weight and work in harmony to stay aligned with other parts. Wheel bearings can fail in several ways, and they may send the driver some pretty clear clues... More