Differential fluid may leak from the axle shaft seals, pinion seal, cover gasket, vent malfunction, plugs, or any transaxle or transfer case gasket or seal if the differential is located inside these components. It is important to regularly inspect the differential(s) for any damage, leaks, or other concerns, and also to inspect the differential fluid level and condition. A substantial presence of metal particles on the magnet may be evidence of failure within the differential. These magnets are not intended to compensate for neglect and abuse, and should not be thought of as a replacement for regular maintenance. Often, differential fluid fill and drain plugs are equipped with a magnet to attract and hold these particles, and to keep them from circulating through vital components. Without the oil, the differential would overheat due to metal on metal contact and burn itself out.ĭue to normal wear and tear, differential oil may contain small metal particles. The purpose of differential oil is to cool and lubricate the differential. The gear oil splashes throughout the housing, lubricating gears, bearings, and clutch packs. It is thicker than engine and transmission oil and designed to perform under the high pressure of gears mashing together. Heat, friction, and metal on metal contact eventually break down the fluid, which inevitably wears and weakens gears and bearings and leads to failure.ĭifferential oil contained in its own housing is sometimes referred to as gear oil.
Inspecting and changing differential oil are two of the most overlooked vehicle maintenance tasks. Differentials contained within the transmission and transfer case follow the same maintenance and inspection requirements as the transmission and transfer case.All differentials require oil. The differential may have its own housing and fluid, it may be integrated into the transmission housing and share the same fluid as the transmission, or it may be integrated into the transfer case and share the same fluid as the transfer case. AWD vehicles need a differential between each set of drive wheels, and also one between the front and back wheels as well, because the front wheels travel a different distance through a turn than the rear wheels. In AWD vehicles there are not only front and rear differentials, but also a center differential, which is typically integrated into the transmission. In the case of 4WD vehicles, there are typically separate front and rear differentials built into fixed axles and possibly a differential integrated into the transfer case which rests in between them. On a RWD vehicle with a front-mounted engine, the differential is in the rear and has its own housing and lubrication. In front-wheel drive vehicles, the differential is typically built into the transmission or transaxle, and shares the transmission fluid. This force would transmit through the axle from one wheel to the other and place a huge strain on the axle components as well as the tires.Īt least one differential is found on all modern cars, SUVs, and trucks. The absence of a differential would also be hard on the vehicle drivetrain because one tire would have to grab and slip on the road surface to maintain the same speed as the other.
If a vehicle did not have a differential, the driving wheels would be locked together and forced to spin at the same speed, making turning difficult, and increasing the chance of losing control of the vehicle.
If one wheel is spinning slower when turning, the differential mechanism will keep driving the other wheel without any jerking, binding, or skidding. The differential basically allows each wheel to spin freely of the other, while still providing power to both. The differential is the component that distributes power from the vehicle’s transmission, while allowing the wheels to be powered and to rotate at different speeds.Ī differential is so named because two wheels on a drive axle need to be able to both receive power, and also turn at different rates of speed. This is made possible by the differential. Whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD), power must be delivered to at least one pair of left and right wheels so the vehicle can move.
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