Eaton has over 100 years of experience in the automotive industry. They are a major supplier in the world of OE parts for Land Rover, Jeep and various military and off-road applications, among others.

Eaton supplies a diverse range of differentials with many different gear ratios. The smaller the gear ratio, the faster the differential can turn (and thus, the faster the vehicle can go), but the slower the vehicle will start up. The higher the gear ratio, the better the vehicle gets off the ground but the lower the top speed. The gear ratio is structured as follows: The lower the number before the '1' in the gear ratio (xx:1), the heavier the transmission and the higher the top speed. The higher the number before the "1", the lower the top speed.

Eaton supplies various differentials, possibly with differential housing.

• Open/standard differential
• Mechanical lock differential (Detroit locker & Detroit NoSpin)
• Electronic lock differential (E-locker)
• Limited slip differential (LSD) (Posi, Detroit truetrac, detroit suretrac)
  

Basically, a differential is a mechanical device that allows a vehicle to take a turn without locking. The forces are properly distributed between the inner and outer wheel in a turn. Without the differential, a vehicle would drive straight ahead. The outer wheels would skid in a turn and cause a lot of wear. In addition, the vehicle becomes unstable.

Standard differential

By the "standard" or open differential, we mean all differentials with no special applications. Eaton can supply various OEM differentials as an original solution to a universal problem.

Automatic Locking Differential

This differential can be split into two types, the Detroit NoSpin and the Detroit Locker.

Detroit NoSpin

The Detroit NoSpin is a differential that automatically engages when cornering or losing grip and does not allow individual wheel spin. This differential is great for solid off-road driving but is less suitable for everyday use. When the differential engages you can more or less feel whether it is working or not. Especially on vehicles with a short wheelbase, it is easily felt because of the small difference between the front and rear wheels and the path these wheels take.

The differential is always connected at the same wheel speed, even if these wheels are not on the ground. When making a turn, the outer wheel "freewheels" and is disconnected from the differential. The inner wheel gets all the power this way. When reversing, of course, this is the other way around. The inner, slower wheel is not driven and the outer wheel gets all the power.

This differential provides maximum traction to both wheels. The Detroit NoSpin is low maintenance.

Detroit Locker

The Detroit Locker is similar to the Detroit NoSpin but comes with the differential housing. These differentials are mostly suitable for large trucks, excavators and the like. They are also widely used in drag racing, off-road driving and rock crawling.

Electronic locking differential (E-locker)

The Eaton E-locker operates as an open differential until it is activated electronically by the driver (via a button in the vehicle) or by an electronic control unit. The competing differentials work with pneumatics, Eaton makes this differential work electronically. The big advantage is that no compressor is needed in the vehicle, as the differential works electromagnetically. This differential is extremely suitable for vehicles that have to tow a lot, off-road driving, rock crawling but also for street use by SUVs.

Limited Slip Differentieel

This type of differential can be divided into three different types; the POSI, Truetrac and Suretrac.

POSI

The POSI differential is a limited slip differential, an open differential with clutch pack. The Eaton limited slip differential prevents wheel slip even before the differential has to engage. This is because there are carbon clutch plates behind each side of the differential, which are preloaded by a central spring. As torque increases, the clamp load on these clutch plates increases. This causes the clutch packs to "grab" the other wheel and transfer the forces. This happens automatically, so the force from the slipping wheel is removed and transferred to the wheel with grip. This is a durable system, made of very strong materials and many replaceable parts. Among other things, the preload on the clutch plates can be adjusted with a different spring. This differential is very suitable for trucks, suvs, mild off-road driving and cars that need a lot of power (performance). The optimized torque ratios maximize vehicle acceleration.

Truetrac

The Eaton Truetrac differential is a 'helical-gear' limited-slip differential that maximises wheel traction and improves handling. The differential is maintenance-free and has smooth, automatic operation. This differential is suitable for both rear axle and front axle applications. Its versatility makes the Detroit Truetrac the ideal solution for practically any type of vehicle. This differential is very suitable for use in combination with ABS and traction control. When not engaged, the differential operates as an open differential.

Suretrac

The Eaton Suretrac is an OEM differential and suitable for very heavy-duty applications. Under normal conditions, the differential performs like an open differential and automatically transfers torque to the wheel with better traction. The Suretrac differential responds automatically in case of a difference in traction. This differential reduces single-wheel slippage and also reduces shock loads on driveline components.

Suretrac transfers torque through a combination of additional friction packs. The special coated friction plates react to the movements between the gears and the differential. The wheel with the least traction is locked and power is transferred to the wheel with the most traction. This differential can handle very large forces (up to 80,000 Nm of torque), making it suitable for the 'big boys', used in the US army, large trucks, off-road trucks and large excavators, among others. The Suretrac GS can be seen as the larger variant of the POSI.

Applications

Eaton differentials can be used for various brands and applications. Various applications are available for various brands including Toyota, Jeep, Land Rover and Ford. Our product specialists can help you choose a suitable differential to suit your brand and requirements.