SEAL-WIPER 3540725 - Caterpillar

Differential with Differential Lock
Illustration 1 g01424977
(1) Pinion gear (2) Spider gears (3) Differential ring gear (4) Side Gear (5) Differential Carrier (7) Side Gear (8) Spider shafts A differential allows one wheel to turn at a slower rate than the other wheel. Also, a differential divides power flow and the differential will equalize torque between the wheels.When the machine moves in a straight direction with the same amount of traction under each drive wheel, the same amount of torque on each axle shaft holds the side gears. The pinion gear (1) turns the differential ring gear (3). The differential ring gear (3) is bolted to the differential case (5). The differential case (5) turns the spider shafts (8). The spider shafts (8) turn the spider gears (2). The spider gears (2) turn the side gear (4) and the side gear (7). The side gears turn the left and right axles. The same amount of torque is sent through the final drives to each wheel.When the machine is in a turn, the inside wheel is more resistant than the outside wheel to the turn. This resistance causes different torques on the opposite sides of the differential. The outside wheel begins to turn faster than the inside wheel. The pinion gear (1) turns the differential ring gear (3). The differential ring gear (3) is bolted to the differential case (5). The differential case (5) turns the spider shafts (8). The spider shafts (8) turn the side gear (4) and the side gear (7) through the spider gears (2). One side gear will turn faster than the other side gear in order to turn the machine. This action causes the spider gears (2) to turn around the gear shafts (8). As the spider gears turn, the spider gears move around the side gears. This action allows the outside wheel to turn faster than the inside wheel. The same amount of torque is sent through the final drives to both the inside wheels and to the outside wheels. This torque is only equal to the amount of torque that is necessary to turn the outside wheel.When one wheel has more traction than the other wheel, the operation of the differential is identical to the operation of the differential during a turn. The same amount of torque is sent to both wheels. This torque is only equal to the amount of torque that is necessary to turn the wheel with the least resistance.