Top Picks For Differential Related Parts

While taking a turn, the wheels on the outside of the turn cover more distance and turn faster than the wheels on the inside. If the wheels were connected by a shaft and locked together, the inner wheel would slide or slip. To avoid this, vehicles are equipped with differentials, which distribute power to the wheels and allow them to spin at different speeds. A differential comprises a bevel (ring) gear, a differential cage with two spider gears attached to it, two planetary gears that mesh with the side gears, and two-axle shafts that connect the planetary gears to the wheels. When the vehicle moves straight, the spider gears rotate with the ring gear and the cage, making the side gears and the axle shafts turn at the same speed. When the vehicle is taking a turn, the outer wheel has to take a longer distance and has to turn at a different speed. To achieve this, planetary gears rotate on their own axes at different speeds to balance out the difference between the speed of two wheels.

Bearings are used on machines to reduce the friction between the moving and non-moving parts. The most common type of bearing used in a differential is a roller bearing, which features cylindrical rollers. A differential consists of pinion bearings that allow a smooth rotation to the pinion shaft and the pinion gear, which receives power from the drive shaft of the vehicle. Furthermore, a differential also consists of side bearings pressed onto the differential carrier that allow it to spin freely inside the differential case.

With the constant pressure and forces exerted on the differential bearings, they can wear out with time and cause the differential to malfunction. The differential can wear out, leading to whining, whirring, rumbling, and howling sounds. Although howling noise can be created under various circumstances, it is often related to worn-out gears, misaligned gears, or lack of lubrication. If you hear rumbling and whirring noises over 20mph, it can be due to a worn-out carrier or pinion bearing. Generally, a worn-out pinion bearing will create a whirring sound during acceleration and/or deceleration. Any clunking and banging noises on turns can also be caused by broken spider gears, which can immobilize the differential. Therefore, if you notice these signs, do not ignore them and ensure your differential bearings are in a good condition by getting them checked or replaced.

A differential cover is a housing, usually made of stamped steel, and is attached to the differential case. The cover is attached with a gasket that creates a tight seal and prevents the lubricant from leaking, ensuring smooth operation of the differential gear assembly. It also protects the gears from impacts and damage caused by mud, water, debris, and rocks, especially while driving on rough terrains. Some differential covers are also provided with fins that help in dissipating heat to cool the differential oil. Furthermore, differential covers are provided with drain plugs and glass windows to check the oil level and carry out oil changes quickly.

Factory differential covers are fine for day-to-day driving conditions but can get damaged while driving on rough terrains because of an impact. Check for any signs of damages or dents on your differential cover and get it replaced. If you wish to take your truck or SUV off-road, the differential components will be subjected to greater stresses and temperatures. One of the easiest and efficient ways of providing additional protection and performance to your vehicle is to replace your old factory differential cover with aftermarket ones. If your old covers are damaged or you need better cooling and improved strength, get your old ones replaced with performance differential covers.

Differential cover gaskets serve the simple purpose of providing a tight seal between the differential cover and the differential case to prevent the oil from leaking and keeping the internals lubricated. These gaskets are usually made from silicone, metal, cork, neoprene, nitrile rubber, or plastic polymer which not only provides good compressibility and adaptability but are also resistant to temperature and chemicals.

A failing gasket can cause the differential oil to leak, which can result in low oil levels leading to serious wear and tear. Usually, a failing gasket will show symptoms like traces of oil on the underside of the differential, oil puddles on the floor where the vehicle is parked, or whining or howling sounds due to improper lubrication. If you see these symptoms and suspect that your differential gasket may be leaking, get the vehicle inspected, and the gasket replaced to prevent accelerated wear and damage to the differential components.

A driveshaft is also known as the propeller shaft, and its function is to transmit power from the transmission of the vehicle to the differential. These shafts have several couplings and universal joints that enable change in distance and alignment between the transmission and the rear axle. The drive shaft assembly comprises at least two universal joints that allow power transfer at an angle as the rear axle moves up and down with respect to the gearbox. The driveshaft also comprises a slip spline joint that helps in torque transmission at changing lengths of the shaft, protecting it from compressive and tensile stresses. A drive shaft is of a single piece or two-piece type, depending on the vehicle. A single-piece shaft is mostly used in front and four-wheel-drive vehicles, whereas two-piece shafts are used in buses and trucks which require long-distance transmission.

Driveshafts undergo a lot of stress as they rotate at high speeds to transfer the necessary power and torque to the rear wheels. Usually, a failing driveshaft will show some symptoms, like intense vibrations from underneath the vehicle, squeaking sounds due to failed bearings, intense shuddering or loud clunking sounds while accelerating the vehicle. Worn-out or broken U-joints are a common driveshaft problem therefore, too much back-and-forth movement in them can also call for an immediate check-up and replacement. One can't tell a bad driveshaft from the way it looks, therefore keeping an eye on these symptoms is necessary and if you suspect it is faulty, get it replaced.