Limited%20Slip%20Differential

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Limited Slip Differential

• By Yan Chen

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Why do we need a differential?

• To improve performance (better cornering)
• To improve safety
• To reduce tire wear
• To reduce stress on axle and gearbox

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What is a differential?

• A differential is a device that
• Aim the engine power at the wheel
• Can act as a final gear reduction in a vehicle
• Transmit power to the wheel while allowing them
  to rotate at different speed

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What is a limited slip differential?

• A modified open differential
• Allow more torque to be transfer to non-slipping
  wheel when wheel(s) loose traction
• There are two main types
• Mechanical
• Viscous

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Mechanical

• All mechanical differential incorporate parts of
  an open differential
• Uses a clutch or some locking mechanism to resist
  slippage
• Advantage
• most effective
• Disadvantage
• Less reliable
• More expensive

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Viscous

• A chamber of fluids housing two set of plates
  (usually silicon based oil)
• When slippage occurs, one set of plate spins
  faster, causing the fluid to spin faster which
  forces the other set of plates to spin faster.
• Advantage
• More reliable
• Cheaper
• Disadvantage
• Reacts to slippage (not resist slippage)

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Reference

• http//auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_slip_differen
  tial