What Is a Differential and Do You Have One?
July 17, 2022
Please wait while the video is loading...
With front-wheel drive being so common these days in Royal Oak, Michigan, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Royal Oak drivers don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of Royal Oak customers' minds. It's not uncommon for drivers to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.
Call TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires in Royal Oak at 248-541-8300 for information about differential service, or stop by our Royal Oak, Michigan, auto center at 1735 N Main St, 48067.
To better understand what a differential does, think about our local Royal Oak high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.
The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.
It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars in the Royal Oak, Michigan area weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.
That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool.
The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So vehicle manufacturers recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.
The professionals at TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. Then they’ll replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.
Your TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires service advisor can look up the vehicle manufacture's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual. Give us a call at 248-541-8300 for more information about your differential service.
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
Muffler: Victim of Winter (Muffler Repair)
May 18, 2025
So you almost got through the winter until, one day, your muffler started sounding like a dragster, loud and obnoxious. It's not surprising. All that road salt and brine can cause rust to punch holes in a muffler, and that should raise a big, red warning flag about the safety of your vehicle. O... More
A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)
May 11, 2025
Ever wonder how your vehicles engine is able to take the 12-volts from its battery and ramp that up to as high as the tens of thousands of volts it takes to fire its spark plugs? The secret is something called an ignition coil. Most newer vehicles have an ignition coil at each cylinder, but olde... More
The Engine Gets a Boost (Turbocharged Engine Maintenance)
May 4, 2025
If someone told you that your vehicle could have the same power but with a smaller engine, wouldn't that sound like great idea? Just think, a smaller engine would save you money at the gas station and you'd still get the same horsepower. The technology to do just that has been around for a long t... More