Open Differential

A differential is a gear mechanism that allows the drive wheels of a vehicle to rotate at different speeds while still receiving power from the engine. This is essential when a vehicle makes a turn, as the outer wheel must travel a greater distance and thus rotate faster than the inner wheel. Without a differential, if the wheels were connected by a solid shaft, they would be forced to slip during turns. The differential mechanism solves this by enabling the wheels to rotate at different speeds while still delivering power to both. A differential also performs two other important functions: it changes the direction of power flow by 90 degrees and reduces speed at the pinion-ring gear assembly. This is accomplished by using a ring gear with significantly more teeth than the pinion gear, resulting in a high gear ratio that slows down the rotation of the ring gear and increases the torque delivered to the wheels.