Rear Differential

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport, and 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Rotational input from the active on-demand coupling clutch drum is passed to the rear differential pinion shaft and pinion gear. The angles of the pinion gear to the crown wheel drive gear moves the rotational direction through 90 degrees. The transferred rotational motion is passed to the crown wheel drive gear, which in turn rotates the differential carrier. The pinion shaft, which is secured to the casing, also rotates at the same speed as the casing. The pinion gears, which are mounted on the crosspin shaft, also rotate with the casing. The pinion gears transfer rotational motion to the left and right hand sun gears, rotating the left and right 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 halfshafts rotate at the same speed. The pinion gears do not rotate and effectively lock the sun gears to the differential casing.

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 pinion gears rotate on their axes to allow the outer wheel to rotate faster than the inner one.