Differential Service

Differential Service at Stanley Ford McGregor

When there are so many different parts in your vehicle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Your differential probably isn’t a part that you think about often, but it’s a key component that’s directly tied to the performance of your vehicle. If you’re worried about your vehicle’s handling, or you’re starting to hear odd sounds from your model, you can visit us at Stanely Ford McGregor for a quick inspection.

What Does a Differential Do?

If every single one of your tires turned at the same rate, you wouldn’t be able to handle even a light trip on the road. A lot of people don’t realize that when you take a curve, your front tires and your back tires need to turn at different speeds in order to accommodate the change. For example, if you take a left turn, you can expect the left wheels to turn slightly slower than the ones on your right side. This gives you the smooth performance that you’re used to, and it’s brought to you by your differential. This part essentially allows each wheel to revolve independently so that you have a smooth ride. Since this part is tied directly to your vehicle’s overall health, it can be stressful when it begins to have issues, but our mechanics at Stanley Ford McGregor can provide you with quick solutions.

How Do I Know My Differential is Failing?

Sometimes it can be difficult to diagnose a failing part, but your differential should be fairly straightforward. When you begin to have problems, you’re likely going to hear one or more of the sounds below. If you need your differential inspected, and you live near Killeen, McGregor, or Belton, you can visit us at Stanley Ford McGregor.

• Sounds While Turning: You’re going to heavily rely on your differential when you’re turning, so if you constantly hear a bang, you’ll want to have it investigated immediately by a professional mechanic.
• Sounds While Accelerating or Decelerating: When you accelerate, you might hear a high-pitched noise, or a rumbling sound once you get past 15 miles per hour. As for deceleration, you’ll want to listen for a whirring noise.
• Persistent Sounds: When you turn your vehicle on, you might be met by a persistent clunking sound. It’s important that you never write these sounds off, as you never know when your vehicle might be crying out for help.

Where Do I Get My Differential Fixed?

While there could be several reasons that your differential has gotten louder, the most common is a low supply of differential fluid. Since your differential is essentially a collection of gears and bearings, it’s going to need lubricant. This helps to reduce friction, but when you begin to run low, you might start to hear the clash of metal on metal. If you’re starting to worry that your differential is low on lubricant, it’s important that you get it inspected immediately. At Stanley Ford McGregor, our mechanics can provide you with quick service, and while you’re here, they can assist you with any of your other issues like your next oil change, brake inspection, or tire rotation.

Your differential is one of the most important components in your vehicle, as your model needs it to handle turning. If your differential is having issues, you can schedule a service with our mechanics at Stanley Ford McGregor.