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Re: How stuff works --> Differentials

To: Bill McLeod <wbmcleod@cox.net>, Don Malling <dmallin@attglobal.net>
Subject: Re: How stuff works --> Differentials
From: M D Nugent <carcentric@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 08:16:48 -0800 (PST)
Cc: TR6 list <6pack@autox.team.net>, "triumphs@autox.team.net" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Don, what you may have noticed is that in a particular car, the right
wheel (or the left) always looses traction first.  In cars with big
torque-monster motors, this is because the body is twisted in
counter-rotation to the driveshaft and engine crankshaft, and that
always lightens the same side.  The light side will be the one that
leaves the black burnout marks on the pavement.  By contrast, limited
slips enable that cool "both wheels smoking" effect.

In a Triumph, well, it's probably because the right wheel is on the
side of the street with the mud puddles (most streets are crowned to
facilitate rain runoff), or one tire is balder than the other.  Can't
be excessive torque . . . . ;-)

M D "Doc" Nugent
Renton, WA

--- Bill McLeod <wbmcleod@cox.net> wrote:
> You have a drive shaft turning the pinion, and the power transfers to
> 
> the half shafts.  It does not matter which one drives, since if one
> side 
> turns freely that uses all of the motion of the drive shaft, with 
> nothing left over for the side which is still on the ground.  This
> type 
> diff depends on both rear wheels being in contact with the road at
> all 
> times to provide resistance.  Take care, Bill
> 
> Don Malling wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > Maybe someone one the list can help... The site says that an "open"
> 
> > differential supplies equal torque to both wheels, and if either 
> > starts to slip, the torque on both goes to near zero, because the
> one 
> > that is slipping will just spin faster. The only solution to this
> is a 
> > limited slip differential.
> >
> > Seems to me that in most cars there is a drive wheel and a
> non-drive 
> > wheel. If the drive wheel slips, you have no torque at either
> wheel, 
> > but if the non-drive wheel slips, you still have torque at the
> drive 
> > wheel.
> >
> > What am I missing?
> >
> >
> > Don


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