What Is A Differential And How Does It Work?

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2. How it works

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If you’ve ever played with a Hot Wheels car, and of course you have, you know the toy does a great job of going in a straight line but doesn’t turn very well.

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That’s because it doesn’t have a differential. Your vehicle does, however, whether it’s front-, rear-, four-, or all-wheel-drive. What type of differential you have, and even how many, depends on what you’re driving.

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What is a differential?

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On a turn, the outside wheel travels farther and faster than the inside one. The differential is a set of gears that transmits engine power to the wheels, while allowing them to turn at different speeds on turns.

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What is a front differential?

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With front-wheel-drive (FWD), the differential is alongside the transmission inside a housing, and the unit is called a transaxle.

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What is a rear differential and how does it work?

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With rear-wheel-drive (RWD), the differential is between the rear wheels, connected to the transmission by a driveshaft. All-wheel-drive (AWD) and four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles add a centre differential or transfer case to distribute power front and rear.

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Some hybrid vehicles have “electronic” AWD. These use electric motors to power the rear wheels, and turn them faster or slower as needed on turns.

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