Open Differential

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2011 Jaguar XKR, 2011 Jaguar XK, 2010 Jaguar XKR, and 2010 Jaguar XK. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Rotational input from the drive shaft is passed via the input flange to the pinion shaft and pinion gear. The angles of the pinion gear to the drive gear moves the rotational direction through 90°.

The transferred rotational motion is now passed to the drive gear, which in turn rotates the differential case. The planet gears rotate with the differential case and transfer rotational motion to the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) sun gears, which rotate the rear drive halfshafts.

When the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, the torque applied through the differential to each sun gear is equal. In this condition both rear drive halfshafts rotate at the same speed. The planet gears do not rotate and effectively lock the sun gears to the differential case.

If the vehicle is turning, the outer wheel will be forced to rotate faster than the inner wheel by having a greater distance to travel. The differential senses the torque difference between the sun gears. The planet gears rotate on their shaft to allow the outer wheel to rotate faster than the inner one.