Read Our Blog on Turbos, Superchargers and Naturally Aspirated Engines Locked Differential: Once the traction limit of both wheels combined is reached, the wheel with the lowest amount of traction will begin to spin – reducing that limit even further as there is even less resistance from the already spinning wheel. The disadvantage of this type is that because the torque is split evenly between both wheels, the amount of power able to be transmitted through the wheels is limited by the wheel with the lowest amount of grip. It does also benefit from its basic design being relatively cheap to produce. The benefit of this type is mostly limited to the basic function of any differential as previously described, focusing primarily on enabling the axle to corner more effectively by allowing the wheel on the outside of the turn to move at a faster speed than the inside wheel as it covers more ground. This gearing arrangement makes up the open type differential, and is the most common type of automotive differential from which more complicated systems are derived. The left image shows the differential with both wheels turning at the same speed, while the right image illustrates how the inner gears engage when one wheel turns slower than the other. In this example you can see the three sides of the internal gearing that make up the core mechanism, with the larger blue gear representing the ring gear that would connect to the drive shaft. This basic unit is then further augmented by a ring gear being added to the differential case that holds the basic core gears – and this ring gear allows the wheels to be powered by connecting to the drive shaft via a pinion. This is usually supplemented by a fourth gear for added strength, completing the square. Watch this video which explains with 3D imagery how the following types of differential work:Ī differential in its most basic form comprises two halves of an axle with a gear on each end, connected together by a third gear making up three sides of a square. But this was far from ideal as it meant they were underpowered and encountered frequent problems with traction on anything other than firm, level ground.Įventually this led to the development of the Open Differential before other more complicated types were developed to overcome more complex driving conditions. The earliest automobiles didn’t bother trying, they simply powered only one wheel on an independant axle. The advent of engines powering front or rear wheels to propel a vehicle instead of merely dragging them via horse added a new problem to overcome – how to allow independent rotation while still being able to power both wheels. The concept of the differential – that is, to allow wheels mounted on the same axle to rotate independently of each other – is an ancient design, with the first known instance of its use recorded in China during the 1 st millennium BC.Īlthough this was long before the invention of the automobile, carts, wagons and chariots still suffered from the same problem of one wheel slipping or dragging when cornering, increasing wear and damaging roads. Like most things on modern automobiles, the simple piece of gearing known as a differential has seen constant refinement and experimentation - leading to a range of types each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
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