Back to all

Differential Service in Omaha, NE - What You Need to Know

December 20, 2016

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 Omaha, NE, you have a differential. Whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, you have a differential. Some Omaha 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 Omaha, NE, 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, Omaha 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 Omaha 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 Omaha at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Millard. 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 Tire & Auto Service Center Millard in Omaha.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Millard
4870 S 137th Street
Omaha, NE 68137
402-895-4274
http://www.tuffymillardave.com

More articles from Tuffy Millard

Taking the Heat (Heater Hose Maintenance/Repair)

January 25, 2026

If you have an internal combustion vehicle, you know it has a lot of hoses that carry various fluids. And if you have a heater in your vehicle, you'll have heater hoses. A heater hose connects to and from the engine so some coolant can be circulated through a little radiator called a heater core... More

Why is Air Not Coming Out of My Vents?

January 18, 2026

You climb inside your vehicle, start the ignition, and reach for the fan control for the heating or air conditioning. But when you try to crank it up, no air comes out of the vents. It can make for a very uncomfortable trip, whether its hot or cold outside. Its important for the comfort of you a... More

Gearing Up (Differential Fluid Service)

January 11, 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