Differential Service at Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
July 15, 2022
Here at AutoNetTV, we have national viewers, like your neighbors in Clawson, who write to us with questions or feedback. One common question we're asked is: "What is a differential and what does it do?" You may have been told by your Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson service advisor that your differential needs serviced, or it's seen it as an option up on the service menu. Differential service at Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson covers a lot of things, so let's first talk about what a differential does.
As you drive through a turn, your outside wheels and inside wheels turn at different speeds. Kind of like the cars going around a race track - the ones driving in the outside lanes have a greater distance to travel than the cars in the inside lanes. The differential is what allows the outside and inside drive wheels to rotate at slightly different speeds so that the tires don't hop or skip while taking corners, or lose traction in dirt or snow on Clawson area roads. Differentials have gears in them that transfer the power from the drive train to your wheels - which is why they're often referred to as gear boxes. The gears need to be very strong to do this work, and they need to be properly protected so that they'll last.
All vehicles in Clawson have some form of differential. If you have a front-wheel drive car, your differential is sometimes called a transaxle and is located in the front. If you have rear-wheel drive, the differential is in the back of the car. Clawson auto owners with a four-wheel drive vehicle have a differential in the front and the back - and in the middle as well. The center differential adjusts for differences in speed between the front and rear wheels.
Differential fluid lubricates and cools the gears. Over time, the fluid can get dirty from bits of the gears grinding off. The additives that keep the fluid clean and protect the differential break down over time. So your vehicle manufacturer has scheduled intervals for you to have your differential fluid changed. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson service advisor if you are not sure about your recommended schedule.
Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
664 S Rochester Rd
Clawson, Michigan 48017
248-589-0980
http://www.toptechautorepairclawson.com
Need Service?
More articles from Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
A Hot Mess (AC System-Compresser)
April 20, 2025
Air conditioning used to be a real luxury in a vehicle, but now it's standard in most. Your vehicle's air conditioning system is built to last a pretty long time, but like anything mechanical, sometimes it fails. It helps to know a little about how the A/C works. There's a compressor that press... More
Steering You Right (Power Steering Fluid Service)
April 13, 2025
Its important for safe driving that two of the most important systems in your vehicle work right. One is the brakes. The other is the steering. Nearly all vehicles on the road have some sort of power steering that allows you to direct a very heavy machine with little effort. There are two ty... More
Don't Miss a Beat (Importance of Regular Maintenance)
April 6, 2025
In many places, license plates have to be renewed every year or else you can't drive your vehicle legally. Usually, you'll get a reminder from the agency that issues the plates. That kind of regular attention needs to be paid to your vehicle as well. Its manufacturer has determined a schedule o... More