What Is The Purpose Of A Differential?
Inside an engine the chemical energy stored within petrol is changed to kinetic energy by combustion. A drive shaft is rotated using this energy and...
Inside an engine the chemical energy stored within petrol is changed to kinetic energy by combustion. A drive shaft is rotated using this energy and this connects into a gear box. The gears in this box determine how much of the engines energy is used. Another shaft then connects the gear box to the wheels via a differentials box.
The reason for the power not being sent directly to the wheels from the gear box is that the wheels will not always by rotating at the same speed. In turning a corner one wheel will rotate slower than the other because it is travelling a shorter distance in the same amount of time as the outer wheel travels that distance. A differential means that the wheels can rotate at different speeds.
Front wheel drive cars will have the differential box located at the front of the car, while rear wheel drive cars will have the box located at the back of the car. Four wheel drive cars will have three boxes, one for each set of wheels and one i in between the back and front sets of wheels.
The differential box is essentially a set of perpendicular toothed gears. The input shaft is attached to a gear at right angles two it sending changing the direction of the rotation. The simplest way in which it allows for the wheels to spin in different directions is by use of additional pinion gears attached to the gears at right angle. When the wheels spin faster these pinions allow for this whilst the other wheel continues at a slower speed.
This simple form of differential means that the same amount of torque (the rotational force) goes to each wheel, this is not always good. One wheel may have more grip than the other so may start to slip if the same torque is applied to it. This can damage internal components of the vehicle. A Limited slip differential is able to solve this problem.
A limited slip differential can solve this problem. By using a clutch mechanism it can direct differing amounts of torque to different sets of wheels. A spring is attached to the gears which forces them against a clutch plate if it starts to slip. A high amount of torque is needed to overcome this clutch plate so the torque form the engine is directed towards the wheel which is not slipping.
Essentially what differentials do is allow for wheels to travel at different speeds. This is needed for when a car is turning a corner or for when one wheel has greater grip than the other. Without this the wheel would be forced to travel at the same speed and would always be slipping, causing damage to car components.
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