Differential
What is a Differential
Often times, people think that axle is a bar between two wheels as seen in a train car. However, the truth is much more than that. Most of the axles are complex, unlike the ones seen in trains. These days, most of the axles are split axles, meaning the wheel on each side is attached to a separate shaft. This kind of attachment, allows independent suspension of the left and right wheels for a smoother ride. Apart from it, this allows the left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds when the automobile turns to improve traction by extending tire life. This is known as the differential.
When to service the Differential
There is an old saying ” If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. This saying cannot be further from the truth. Preventive maintenance could save you a lots of money. The differential fluid is probably the most neglected fluid in the automotive industry. This fluid should be serviced every 60,000 to 90,000 miles depending on the manufacture schedule. Trucks and vans that are used for towing or to carry heavy loads like plumbing or cargo vans should have their differentials serviced earlier.
Detecting Axle and Differential Damage
One of the ways to detect differential or axle damage is to use your ear. You can easily distinguish this. Below are some ways to detect differential or axle damage.
- Moans or whines occurring at high speeds during accelerating or decelerating.
- Loud clunk noise or shutter when making turns.
- Oil leaking from front or rear of vehicle.
Lions Automotive excels in differential repairs. We have been servicing differentials in Torrance ca. for over 20 years.
Testimonial:
Andy V. 9/9/2010 (yelp)
I would like to say thanks to Victor for his honest and professional business , I had been to the Ford dealer , Chicane tuning and a Tire dealer trying to find out what was wrong with my 2006 Ford GT Mustang with no help on finding the problem. They all told me it was a differential problem which would cost alot just for them to check car (labor) etc. No problem could be found by them, but Victor at Lions Automotive did a great job in finding the problem and was very honest explaining what was being done and had the problem fixed. I will always be using Lions Automotive in the future and would recommend to all with any car problems.
