Back to all

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

December 23, 2015

There are a lot of Appleton people who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in Wisconsin these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Appleton 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 Appleton 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 Wisconsin 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 Appleton 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 Appleton 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 Appleton, we've been providing quality automotive service for our valued Appleton customers for many years. If you need to schedule differential maintenance, or any other automotive service, give us a call at 920-954-8500.

More articles from Tuffy Appleton

Timing is Everything (Timing Cover Replacement)

July 6, 2025

Theres an important part in your vehicle that shields your timing belt, timing chain or cam belt from the debris and gunk that can be kicked up from the road. Its called the timing cover. Its important because the timing belt or chain is what coordinates parts of your engine called the camshaft... More

Give it the Boot (Ball Joint Boot Replacement)

June 29, 2025

Your vehicle may be wearing boots right now and you might not even know it. They're called ball joint boots. They're actually protective, flexible things that protect parts of your suspension (called ball joints) from all the hazards the road can fling at them. If one of those ball joint boots... More

Let?s Shift Gears (Transmission Fluid Replacement)

June 22, 2025

If you have a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you probably never think about gear shifting. When motor vehicles were invented, all of them had to be shifted manually. But that wonderful self-shifting transmission, referred to these days as simply an automatic, changed everything. Automa... More