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Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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Differential Service

August 6, 2018 by Denver Express Car Care

When you take a corner in your car, the outside wheels have a little bit longer distance to cover than the inside wheels.  This means that the outside wheels have to turn slightly faster than the inside wheels.  This mechanical magic is made possible by the differential.

The differential is what allows the drive wheels to rotate at different speeds during turns without the wheels sticking or jumping.  If your vehicle is a rear-wheel drive, the differential is located on the rear axle.  If you’ve noticed a bulge in the middle of the axle when you’re driving behind a truck, that’s the differential.

If your vehicle is a front-wheel drive, the function of the differential is handled by the transaxle.  Of course, an all-wheel drive vehicle has a differential on both axles.  They also have a center differential or a transfer case between the front and rear axles to compensate for speed differences between the front and rear.

Because all the power of the engine is transferred through the various differentials, you can imagine how strong they need to be and that they’re built to last a long time.  That’s why it’s so important to keep your differential properly lubricated.  Differential fluid cools and protects the gears.

Your service technician will check the differential fluid level and top it off if necessary.  With low fluid, the differential will run too hot and wear prematurely.  Ask your service adviser for the recommended time to change your differential fluid.  Fresh fluid will extend the life of your differential.  Your service technician will also inspect the u-joints, which connect your driveshaft to the differential and he may recommend service.  Some u-joints can be lubricated as part of a routine lube, oil and filter change as well.

Now , of course, differentials eventually wear out and need to be replaced.  You might notice a strange noise from your axle area as one of the first warning signs.  When the differential shows signs of failing, it’s important to repair it quickly.  If you leave it too long and it freezes up when you’re driving, you could lose control of your vehicle, as well as cause damage to other parts like the axle, driveshaft or transmission.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Differential Service

Differential Service

August 21, 2017 by Denver Express Car Care

When Denver drivers take a corner in their vehicle, the outside wheels have a slightly longer distance to go than the inside wheels.  That means that the outside wheels have to turn a bit faster than the inside.  The piece of mechanical wizardry that makes this possible is called the differential.

The differential allows the drive wheels to rotate at different speeds in turns without the wheel binding or hopping.  If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the differential is on the rear axle.  You’ve seen that bulge in the middle of the axle when you’re behind a truck…that’s the differential.

If you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, the differential’s function is handled by your transaxle.  Of course, all-wheel drive vehicles have differentials on both axles.  They also have a center differential or a transfer case between the front and rear axles to compensate for speed differences between the front and rear.

Because all the power of the engine is transferred through the various differentials, you can imagine that they are very strong and are built to last a long time.  That’s why it’s important for drivers to keep their differential properly lubricated.  Differential fluid cools and protects the gears.

Your friendly and knowledgeable Express Car Care technician will check the differential fluid level and top it off if necessary.  With low fluid, the differential will run too hot and wear prematurely.  Ask your service adviser when it’s recommended to change your differential fluid.  Fresh fluid added during a differential service, will extend the life of your differential.  Your technician will also inspect the u-joints, which connect your drive shaft to the differential and may recommend service after the inspection.  Some u-joints can be lubricated as part of a routine lube, oil and filter change as well.

Drivers need to know that differentials will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.  You might notice a strange noise from your axle area as one of the first warning signs.  When the differential shows signs of failing, it’s time to repair it.  If you leave it unattended too long you run the risk of it freezing up when you’re driving and you could lose control of your vehicle.  Plus, other parts like the axle, driveshaft and transmission could be damaged.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Differential Service

Simple Answers from Express Car Care: Differential Service

July 16, 2014 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Differential ServiceQuestion:  What is a differential and why do Denver auto owners need to have it serviced?

Express Car Care Answer:

First of all – your vehicle has a differential.  If it’s a rear wheel drive, your differential is on the back.  If it’s a front wheel drive, your differential is built into your transaxle (transmission).  Denver auto owners with all wheel drive or four wheel drives will have differentials in the front and rear and maybe in between.

When you are steering through a turn at an intersection in town, the wheels on the outside of the truck or car have to spin faster than the inside wheels because they have to travel a slightly longer distance through the curve.  The differential compensates for these speed differences between the wheels.

Because it is part of the vital equipment that transfers engine power to the wheels, the differential is working pretty hard.  Differential fluid – an especially heavy-duty oil – cools, lubricates and protects the differential.  It needs to be replaced on a schedule to remove metal shavings and other contaminants.  Note:  If you have a front wheel drive vehicle, replacing your transmission fluid takes care of your differential service needs.

Differentials have become increasingly sophisticated for Denver auto owners.  Rather than the simple mechanical devices of “the good old days”, they are more complicated and may actually be part of the key computer controlled stability system.  This means they are more costly, so it pays for drivers to have them serviced on schedule at Express Car Care in Denver to avoid premature wear.  Talk to your helpful Express Car Care technician.  At Express Care, we provide quality automotice service including air condition service, transmission service and tire rotation.

We install quality NAPA replacements parts.  To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com

Filed Under: Car Maintenance, Suspension, Transmission Tagged With: Differential Service

Differential Service

June 11, 2011 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Summer has arrived and for many of us that means we will be spending a lot of time in our cars.  We drive to sporting events, concerts, camping and fishing trips,  and some of us head to the mountains for a little off-roading!  But no matter how you spend your summer, you want your car to get you where you want to go!  To help you make that happen, we suggest you have your vehicle checked to  see if it’s  in need of a differential service.

Whether your vehicle is a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive, it has a differential, maybe even two or three.  The differential is a special gear box located between the drive wheels of your car.  The differential allows the wheels to turn at different speeds while still providing power.  Without a differential, our tires would rub and hop along the pavement, instead of gliding smoothly during turns.  Rear wheel drive vehicles have a differential in back.  The majority of four-wheel drive trucks and SUVs will also have a similar differential on the front axle. But no matter where they are located, all of the engine’s power is routed through your car’s differentials.  In order to perform their purpose, they need to be properly lubricated.  You can accomplish this by having a differential service done regularly on your vehicle.

A differential service is simply having the used fluid drained and replacing it with clean fluid.  Neglecting to change the differential fluid can cause poor performance, premature wear, noise and even failure.  Replacing a differential assembly can cost as much as $1500, so don’t let that happen to you.

The benefits of having a differential service are numerous.  It removes metal shavings and other contaminants that naturally enter the differential during normal operation.  A differential service reduces heat levels inside the differential and protects against friction, rust and corrosion.  It extends the life of your differential and provides protection especially under extreme conditions.   To keep the expensive metal parts of your vehicle protected, it’s important to have the differential fluid checked and changed at recommended intervals.

The mileage interval for servicing your differential can vary according to the type of vehicle you drive, and how and where you drive it.  Check with your service adviser or your owner’s manual for recommendations.

For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance, Denver Auto Repair Tagged With: Differential Service

Express Car Care
4200 E. Evans Ave. Denver, CO (map)
Phone: (303) 691-2760
Located just southeast of the Colorado Light Rail station

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