Up next How Fuel Injection Works – Direct vs Port Injectors Published on April 16, 2019 Author Tread Staff Tags differential gears explained, gear tread, gears differential, gears explained, holy motors explained, how differential gears work, how do spider gears work, ring and pinion gears explained, ring with gears that move, truck gears explained, Share article Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Mail 0 Gears and Differential Explained One could argue that the differential in your axle is the most important piece of machinery in your vehicle. The differential is what allows you to go around a corner, and changes the direction of power being produced by the engine to drive the axles. This same differential can house lockers and limited slips as well, which are regarded as the holy grail of traction aids in the off-road world. Originally, vehicles’ differentials were straight cut ring and pinions, with essentially a welded carrier. There were no spider gears and the pinion drove the ring gear — that was it. Both axles were locked together at the carrier and going around corners was quite the chore with no power steering. As automotive technology advanced, spider gears were introduced into the differential carrier. These spider gears allowed the left and right axle shafts to move independently of each other, and subsequently reduce wear and effort needed to go around corners. This also had the added benefit of reducing the vehicle’s turning radius, as only one wheel was being driven and the opposite side was free to move, however, the movement dictated it. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter But how does this black magic work? Thankfully to the wonders of 1930s General Motors, we have one of the greatest feats of art and technology at work for you — the educational film. Bring on the nostalgia and learn a thing or two about gears and the differential.
Camping How-To's Practice Good Public Stewardship of Public Lands Backcountry Conservation For those of us who reside on the West Coast, we’ve been blessed with access to thousands of miles of backcountry two-tracks through […] Chris Collard March 04, 2021
Camp Gear Hiking Tips for Walking On Rugged Outdoor Terrain Traversing Difficult Terrain Without Falling Down There is no worse time for your rig to unceremoniously lose power and roll to a bumpy halt than […] Ryan Lee Price February 26, 2020
How-To's Modifications How To Tell If Your Brake Pads Are Glazed Telltale Signs And What To Do About Them How do you tell if your brake pads are glazed? And once you know, what do you […] Tread Staff March 09, 2023
How-To's Picking The Right Tire There are more options today for tires than there has ever been. Every manufacturer has various versions of all-terrain tires, in varying levels of aggression. […] Tread Staff November 28, 2017