January 30, 2018
Scratching your head? Don't worry, if you don't know what a differential is – you will in a moment. That fact is that if you drive a car anywhere in St. Johns , Florida, you have a differential. Whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, you have a differential. Some St. Johns vehicles might even have two or three.
Not surprisingly, a differential's job is to compensate for differences; specifically, they're the differences in wheel speed when turning. For instance, imagine taking a corner near your St. Johns , Florida, home. Your inside wheel has a shorter distance to travel than the outside wheel as you turn the corner. That means that your outside wheel has to turn faster to keep pace with the inside wheel.
The differential allows the wheels to turn at different speeds while still providing power to your vehicle. Without a differential, St. Johns residents' tires would scrub and hop along the pavement during turns like the early cars.
Ever noticed the big bulge in the middle of the rear axle on trucks? That's the differential. Rear-wheel drive vehicles have a differential in back. Most four-wheel drive trucks and SUVs will also have a similar differential on the front axle. A front-wheel drive vehicle's differential is called a transaxle because it combines the differential and transmission in one unit. An all-wheel drive vehicle will have a differential or transfer case that adjusts for speed differences between the front and rear drive wheels.
It can seem a little complex to some St. Johns drivers - but you can see that all of the engine's power is routed through your differentials. They're strong enough to handle the work, but- we've said it before - they need to be properly lubricated in order to stay strong. So from time to time, you need to schedule a differential service in St. Johns at Tuffy St. Johns. The used fluid is drained and replaced with clean fluid. Some advise certain differentials to have special additives installed.
Get your differential serviced at Tuffy St. Johns in St. Johns .
Tuffy St. Johns
2770 Racetrack Rd.
St. Johns , Florida 32259
904.230.3363

April 19, 2026
You may have never thought about it, but when you turn a corner, the wheels on one side of your vehicle turn at a different speed than the other side. What is this magic? The answer is something called the differential. A differential is a gear box placed between the drive wheels and needs lub... More

April 15, 2026
Have you checked out the price of new vehicles at St. Johns car dealers? Ouch! Add financing and insurance and a new ride may not seem so attractive. A lot of St. Johns , Florida, folks are hoping to make their cars last a lot longer.Fortunately, with the current state of automotive engineerin... More

April 14, 2026
When youre driving and you hear a squeal or groan when you turn, it may be a sign your power steering pump is on its last legs. The same is true if you feel your steering is slipping or doesnt respond to your hands like it used to. Precise, responsive steering is, of course, important when it ... More