Gateway Tire & Service Center
Differential Repair
  • Differential Fluid Change
    Approx. Time: 60 Minutes  |   Price Range: Get Quote for Price

    The Basics Behind Differential Fluid Change Services at Gateway Tire & Service Center

    Differential fluid lubricates the differential in all-wheel drive (AWD), four-wheel drive (4WD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), and front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles. In most cases, front-wheel drive vehicles have a transaxle instead of a separate differential, but there are some instances where FWD vehicles have a stand-alone differential. The purpose of the differential is to deliver power to the wheels while allowing them to turn at different speeds. As your vehicle completes a turn, each wheel covers a different distance. The two wheels on the inside of the turn travel a shorter distance than the two wheels on the outside of the turn. Similarly, the two front wheels travel a different distance than the two back wheels. The differential allows your vehicle to make turns smoothly despite these differences, and differential fluid keeps the moving parts of the differential lubricated. Your differential needs clean differential fluid to ensure a smooth ride at all times.

    Why Should You Have Differential Fluid Change Services Performed at Gateway Tire & Service Center?

    Differential fluid reduces the heat caused by the friction of moving parts inside the differential. But friction and heat will progressively break down differential fluid. Worn-out differential fluid can lead to unreliable differential performance, noise, excessive wear, breakdown, or failure. Complete differential failure will result in your entire differential system needing to be replaced. Always be sure to refer to the owner’s manual in your vehicle when determining the proper service intervals for changing your differential fluid. A differential fluid service prepares your vehicle for new fluid by draining out the old fluid and replacing it with fresh differential fluid. During a fluid change, our service staff may inspect other differential components, like gears and shafts, for excessive wear so that the differential continues to work properly.

    We proudly service the Differential Fluid Change needs of customers in Memphis, TN, Jackson, TN, Clarksdale, MS, and surrounding areas.

  • Differential Service
    Approx. Time: 30 Minutes  |   Price Range: Get Quote for Price

    The Basics Behind Differential Services at Gateway Tire & Service Center

    Many vehicles need a properly working differential system for the smoothest ride possible. While all vehicles have some variation of a differential system, the location of the differential depends on the drive type of the vehicle. The differential system delivers power to the wheels while allowing the wheels to turn at different speeds. As your vehicle maneuvers through a turn, each wheel on the car travels a different distance. The two wheels on the outside of the turn travel a farther distance than the two wheels on the inside, and the back wheels cover a different distance than the front wheels. The differential permits the vehicle to complete turns easily despite these differences. Differential fluid keeps the differential system running smoothly by reducing heat and resistance caused by moving parts.

    Why Should You Have Differential Services Performed at Gateway Tire & Service Center?

    Heat from friction will gradually cause the differential fluid to break down, making it harder to keep the differential properly lubricated. Degraded differential fluid causes poor differential performance, excessive noise, and disproportionate wear. In severe causes, old fluid will eventually cause a differential breakdown, if not a complete differential failure, which means that your entire differential system will need to be replaced. Replacing an entire differential system is costly and can be avoided with routine maintenance as indicated by your owner’s manual, which will provide you with specific intervals for servicing your differential. Depending on your needs, when you undergo a differential service, various components of your differential system will be checked and possibly repaired or replaced in order to keep your vehicle running efficiently.

    We proudly service the Differential Service needs of customers in Memphis, TN, Jackson, TN, Clarksdale, MS, and surrounding areas.