Back to all

Viva la Differential At Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport In Lockport

October 29, 2015

There are a lot of Lockport people who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in Illinois these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Lockport folks 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 mind. So it’s not uncommon for Lockport people to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any Illinois high school. 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 SUV 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 SUV moving goes through the differential. Most cars weigh between three and six thousand pounds – 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 manufacturers recommend intervals for when to replace your differential fluid.

Your friendly Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport service technician will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. He’ll then replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Your Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport service advisor can look up the SUV manufacturer’s recommended service interval or you can check your owner’s manual.

At Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport, we've been providing quality automotive service for our valued Lockport customers for many years. If you need to schedule differential maintenance, or any other automotive service, give us a call at 815-838-3700.

More articles from Tuffy Lockport

Catalytic Converter Replacement

April 20, 2025

Many of us have become aware of how important it is to keep our planets air clean, and your vehicle has a key component that helps do just that: the catalytic converter. Its in the exhaust system, and its job is to superheat unburned, harmful byproducts in the exhaust, so they dont get spewed ou... More

Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)

April 13, 2025

As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More

Differential Essential (Differential Fluid Exchange)

April 6, 2025

What's the dif? To an automotive technician, it's the differential, a part of your vehicle that helps direct power from the engine to the wheels. The differential is a gearbox that enables the drive wheels to turn at different speeds (they do that when you turn). Inside the differential is a f... More