Differential Unit: University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

Transmission 1
DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

Diploma in Automotive Maintenance
Transmission 1
INTRODUCTION – rear axles
• Crossbar that support the vehicle on which one or more wheels

turn.
• Two types of rear axles
1. live axle (drive axle) – supports weight of vehicle and

drive the wheels that connected to halfshaft.
2. dead axle (non drive axle) – supports weight of the

vehicle but does not drive the wheels.
• Drive axles that wheels can pivot for steering called steerable
drive axle – used in 4 wheel drive.
Transmission 1
INTRODUCTION – rear axles

Transmission 1
Functions of rear drive axles
• Rear axles performs several function,
1. changing drive shaft rotation by 90⁰ to rotate the

axle shaft.
2. provide final speed reduction between drive shaft
and axles shaft through final drive gears.
3. provide differential action so one wheel can turn
faster than other.
4. provide axle shaft to drive the wheels.
5. act as thrust and torque reaction member during
acceleration and braking. University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute
Transmission 1
Functions of rear drive axles

Transmission 1
Rear axles housing and casing
• Differential and final drive gears in rear-drive vehicle are housed

in rear axle housing, or carrier and also contains two drive axle
shafts.
• Two types of axle housings found on modem automobiles

1. removable carrier (Banjo)
2. integral carrier (Split)
• Removable carrier axle housing is open on front side.
• Differential is mounted in a carrier assembly and can be

removed as a unit from the axle housing.
Transmission 1
Rear axles housing and casing - removable

Transmission 1
Rear axles housing and casing
• Integral housing is found on late model cars and light trucks.
• Consist of cast iron carrier as the center of axle housing, steel

axle tubes that pressed into both sides of the carrier to form the
complete axle housing units.
• Integral housing have a removable rear cover that allows access
to differential assembly.
• Differential components must be removed and serviced

separately. For many operations, a case spread must be used to
remove the components.

Transmission 1
Rear axles housing and casing - integral

Transmission 1
Final drive gears
• Set of gears that transmit torque from transmission to the

differential.
• Made up from driving gear (pinion) and driven gear (ring gear)
and usually use hypoid gear type.
• Ring gear is connect to differential housing and 3 or 4 times

larger than pinion gear. When pinion turns it will reduces speed
of axle shaft while increasing the torque that applied.
• Pinion gear attached with rear end of drive shaft and mesh with
ring gear at below centerline of ring gear.
Transmission 1
Differentials

Transmission 1
Differentials
• Gear assembly that permits the shafts to turn in different speed

while continuing transmit torque.
• Differential applications
1. rear drive axle – front engine rear wheel drive vehicles.

2. transaxles – front engine front wheel drive and rear
engine rear wheel drive vehicles.
3. front drive axles and rear drive axles – four wheel drive
vehicles.
4. transfer case of some four wheel drive vehicles.
Transmission 1
Differentials components

Transmission 1
Differentials gearing
• Final gear reduction in drive train occurs in differential assembly.

Amount of torque a gear set delivers depends on the gear ratio
between the drive pinion gear and the driven ring gear (axle
ratio).
• Final drive gear ratio determines how many times a drive pinion
tooth will make contact with a particular ring gear tooth during
one revolution.

Transmission 1
Differentials action

Transmission 1
Limited Slip Differential
• LSD or anti-spin is another type of traction aiding device that

uses a mechanical system that activates under centrifugal force
to positively lock the left and right spider gears together when
one wheel spins a certain amount faster than the other.
• This type behaves as an open differential unless one wheel

begins to spin and exceeds that threshold. LSD will remain open
unless enough torque is applied to cause one wheel to lose
traction and spin, at which point it will engage.

Transmission 1
• Figure (a) shows two-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an

open differential. (one side not enough torque)
• Figure (b) shows two-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a
limited-slip differential. (both equally torque & speed)
Transmission 1
• Use preload force from spring and torque that generated by side
gears as the two axles rotate at different rates to apply the
clutches and limit the amount of difference in the speed of two
axles.
• There are basically two designs that are commonly used:
1. clutch pack type
2. brake cone type
• Noted that some vehicles use a viscous clutch in their limited-
slip drive axles

Transmission 1
Limited Slip Differential – clutch pack
• Used set of clutch pack & spring force to apply the clutch and
transfer the torque equally.
Transmission 1
Limited Slip Differential – cone clutch
• Uses two cone shaped friction components to lock the side

gears to the differential case. Exterior surface of the cones is
coated with friction material that grabs the inside surface of the
case. Friction surface on the cones has a coarse spiral thread to
provide a passage for lubricant

Transmission 1

Transmission 1
Axle Shaft
• Purpose of an axle shaft is to transfer driving torque from the

differential assembly to the vehicle's driving wheels.
• There are two types of rear axles:
1. Dead axle - does not drive a vehicle, only supports the
vehicle load and provides a mounting place for the
wheels.
2. Live axle – drives the vehicle. Drive axles transfer torque
from the differential to each driving wheel. Rear axles
can also help carry the weight of the vehicle or even act
as part of the suspension.
Transmission 1
Axle Shaft
• Three types of driving axles are commonly used:

i. semifloating,
ii. three-quarter floating
iii. full-floating.

Transmission 1
Diagnosis & Troubleshooting
• One reasons are serviced is to correct a noise problem. Knowing

when and under what conditions the noise is noticeable is a big
help in identifying which bearing or component is the likely
cause.
• Typical noise and its sources include:
1. Grinding or growling noise while turning – usual cause is
a defective axle bearing.
2. Whine noise during cruise – drive pinion bearings are
the likely causes of this type of noise


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What are the main components of a rear axle?

What are the main components of a rear axle?

What are the functions of a rear drive axle?

What are the functions of a rear drive axle?

Transmission 1

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Crossbar that support the vehicle on which one or more wheels

• Two types of rear axles

1. live axle (drive axle) – supports weight of vehicle and

2. dead axle (non drive axle) – supports weight of the

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Rear axles performs several function,

1. changing drive shaft rotation by 90⁰ to rotate the

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Differential and final drive gears in rear-drive vehicle are housed

• Two types of axle housings found on modem automobiles

• Removable carrier axle housing is open on front side.

• Differential is mounted in a carrier assembly and can be

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Integral housing is found on late model cars and light trucks.

• Consist of cast iron carrier as the center of axle housing, steel

• Differential components must be removed and serviced

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Set of gears that transmit torque from transmission to the

• Ring gear is connect to differential housing and 3 or 4 times

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Gear assembly that permits the shafts to turn in different speed

1. rear drive axle – front engine rear wheel drive vehicles.

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Final gear reduction in drive train occurs in differential assembly.

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• LSD or anti-spin is another type of traction aiding device that

• This type behaves as an open differential unless one wheel

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Figure (a) shows two-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Uses two cone shaped friction components to lock the side

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• Purpose of an axle shaft is to transfer driving torque from the

• Three types of driving axles are commonly used:

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

• One reasons are serviced is to correct a noise problem. Knowing

University Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute

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