Back to all

Time for Differential Service at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs?

January 1, 2021

Hello Winter Springs - let's talk differentials. If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, your differential is on the back axle. With front-wheel drive cars, the differential is up front. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles have three differentials - front, rear and in the middle. So you see, you've got a differential (or two or three) and it needs service now and then.

What does your vehicle differential do? Well, it compensates for the differences in speed between your outer and inner wheels in a turn. Using the dimensions of a typical car, let's compare the distance the wheels travel from the start of a turn through to the completion of the turn.

The inside wheel travels about 12.6 feet/3.8 meters. How much farther does the outside wheel travel? About 18.8 feet/5.7 meters – over 6 feet/1.9 meters more. This means the outer tire has to rotate 9 times in the same amount of time that the inner tire has to rotate only 6 times - so the outer tire has to spin faster in order to keep up. The differential makes this possible.

The gears in the differential are cooled and lubricated by differential fluid. It's this fluid that needs to be serviced. Small bits of the gears break off and are suspended in the differential fluid. The dirtier the fluid, the faster the gears wear.

So your Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs technician drains the old fluid out and replaces it with fresh fluid. Some differentials also need a special additive that is put in at this time.

So when should you have your vehicle differential serviced? Intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle – and may be as short as 15,000 miles/24,000 km – so check your vehicle owner's manual or ask us at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs. If you frequently drive with heavy loads, tow a trailer or drive in hot Florida conditions, you may need to change differential fluid more often. Servicing your differential on schedule at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs can save a pricey replacement down the road.

Give us a call.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs
5225 Red Bug Lake Rd.
Winter Springs, Florida 32708
407-986-2325
http://www.tuffywintersprings.com

More articles from Tuffy Winter Springs

Make Your Battery Last

May 5, 2024

Today's report from Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs is on vehicle batteries, why they die and what we can do to lengthen their life. Most of us have had a dead battery at one time or another. In fact, it would be very unusual if you hadn't. You may be surprised to learn that only ... More

The Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs Guide to Saving Fuel: Car Weight

April 28, 2024

The team at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Winter Springs in Winter Springs, and Florida car owners are all talking right now. Better gas mileage. Fewer emissions. Winter Springs drivers want to save the environment and their pocketbooks.And we all knowor should knowthat preventive maintenance... More

Clean Air for Your Engine: Engine Air Filters In Winter Springs

April 21, 2024

Every Winter Springs car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter's dirty. Here's what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your vehicle owner's manual will have a recommendation of when the filter should be replace... More