Time for Differential Service at Tire Warehouse Depot?
May 15, 2017
Hello Lake Orion - let's talk differentials. If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, your differential is on the back axle. With front-wheel drive cars, the differential is up front. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles have three differentials - front, rear and in the middle. So you see, you've got a differential (or two or three) and it needs service now and then.
What does your vehicle differential do? Well, it compensates for the differences in speed between your outer and inner wheels in a turn. Using the dimensions of a typical car, let's compare the distance the wheels travel from the start of a turn through to the completion of the turn.
The inside wheel travels about 12.6 feet/3.8 meters. How much farther does the outside wheel travel? About 18.8 feet/5.7 meters – over 6 feet/1.9 meters more. This means the outer tire has to rotate 9 times in the same amount of time that the inner tire has to rotate only 6 times - so the outer tire has to spin faster in order to keep up. The differential makes this possible.
The gears in the differential are cooled and lubricated by differential fluid. It's this fluid that needs to be serviced. Small bits of the gears break off and are suspended in the differential fluid. The dirtier the fluid, the faster the gears wear.
So your Tire Warehouse Depot technician drains the old fluid out and replaces it with fresh fluid. Some differentials also need a special additive that is put in at this time.
So when should you have your vehicle differential serviced? Intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle – and may be as short as 15,000 miles/24,000 km – so check your vehicle owner's manual or ask us at Tire Warehouse Depot. If you frequently drive with heavy loads, tow a trailer or drive in hot Michigan conditions, you may need to change differential fluid more often. Servicing your differential on schedule at Tire Warehouse Depot can save a pricey replacement down the road.
Give us a call.
Tire Warehouse Depot
250 N. Lapeer Rd.
Lake Orion, Michigan 48362
248-929-0699
Need Service?
More articles from Tire Warehouse Depot
Not So Cool (Air Conditioning Systems)
December 15, 2024
There's nothing quite like getting in your vehicle on a hot day, switching on the air conditioning and having warm air blow out of the vents. You may have had no problem for months and then, one day, you are driving around in a sauna. You're hot stuff, but not in a good way! So what goes wrong w... More
Before You Buy that Used Vehicle (Having a Used Car Inspected Before Buying)
December 8, 2024
Let's face it. New vehicles are expensive, so finding a good used one can save drivers a lot of money. It's tempting to look through ads, find a private seller who has what you're looking for and pay a price you think is a great deal. But when you go over to look at a used car, do you really k... More
Bump in the Road (Alignment)
December 1, 2024
There's something you can do that helps your tires last longer, wear more evenly and your vehicle handle better. "Sign me up," you say! Wondering what that is? It's aligning your wheels, and it will literally point you in the right direction when it comes to a better and safer driving experience... More