This article is sub of “Differential”
The Torsen differential is a type of differential that supplies the same amount of torque to each of the wheels of a vehicle.
Differentials are used on all modern cars and trucks, including AWD and 4WD vehicles. Differentials serve the purpose of enabling the wheels of a vehicle to spin at speeds conducive to turning and changing directions. This usually requires that the wheels on the outside of a turn must spin at a faster speed and travel a further distance to keep up with the inner wheels and to accomplish the turn successfully. The differential is a device consisting of grinding meshes that enable this. It also provides torque or power from the engine to the wheels.[1]
Designed by Torsen and used primarily for AWD vehicles, this type of differential utilizes the functions of an open differential in the sense of dividing the torque between each wheel. When traction is lost in a wheel, the Torsen differential acts to produce a torque bias ratio that can provide for up to as much as five times the torque, depending on the design. Similar to viscous coupling, it transfers torque to the front or rear wheels as needed but goes even further in that it predicts when this is needed. One disadvantage to this is that, like other differentials, if a wheel leaves the ground, all wheels share the torque of that one, which is zero.[2]
Other types of differentials include: limited slip differential, open differential, viscous coupling, and locking differential.
