Basic info about your car’s differential
How to get the most out of your differential
Final word
Basic info about your car’s differential
The differential in your car does several important jobs. It directs the power from the engine to the wheels, it allows different wheels to rotate at different speeds and it slows the rotational speed of the transmission before it gets to the wheels as a safety measure.
A differential is necessary to the safe performance of your vehicle because of the simple fact it lets your wheels operate at different speeds. This is extremely important from a physics perspective when it comes to optimum driving performance.
Consider that when you are turning, the wheel that is on the outside of the turn is traveling a slightly longer distance. This means the car will perform better and at a higher level of safety when the outside and inside wheels of a turn can move at different speeds. If you did not have a differential on your car, turning would be more difficult and less accurate as a result.
How to get the most out of your differential
Like any other component of your car, you need to care for your differential in order to get the very most out of it. First and foremost, this means not overstressing it. Avoiding this is as simple as not taking turns too suddenly and not at high speeds which is something you should already be doing for safety’s sake.
You should also be vigilant about getting your differential oil changed the same way you would with your engine oil. The oil lubricates the parts of the differential and without it, too much friction will cause this component to fail. This is a more complex task than changing out your engine oil. So, we do not recommend doing it yourself. It will be quite easy for your mechanic to accomplish this.
Fortunately, you will not need to do this until it has been twenty-five thousand miles since your last differential oil change. For the vast majority of people, this will be at least five years. Just so you do not forget, make sure your mechanic keeps track of it and/or checks this annually.
Final word
Many people do not know about the existence of their differential either because they have never heard of it or because they choose to ignore it. That is typically fine because the differential acts as an unsung hero in this way, making turns smooth, easy and safe. You just need to be sure and aware that you need to take turns gradually and slowly. You also must get your differential oil changed every five to ten years depending on the mileage that you put on your vehicle.
