Hey it's the Duke here and today on this wonderful Thursday, I bark to you all about the Differential. You might be asking what is that Duke and do I have one? Well I am here to help you on this subject.........so let's get barkin'!
With front-wheel drive being so common these days in Los Altos, CA, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Los Altos drivers don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of Los Altos customers' minds. It's not uncommon for drivers to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.
Call Allied Auto Works in Los Altos at 650.968.7227 for information about differential service, or stop by our Los Altos, CA, auto center at 2073 Grant Road, 94024.
To better understand what a differential does, think about our local Los Altos high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.
The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.
It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars in the Los Altos, CA area weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.
That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool.
The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So vehicle manufacturers recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.
The professionals at Allied Auto Works will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. Then they’ll replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.
Your Allied Auto Works service advisors,Matt and Travis can look up the vehicle manufacture's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual. Give us a call at 650.968.7227 for more information about your differential service.
Well that is all for today and remember take care of that Differential!
Duke
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227
http://www.alliedautoworks.com