For torque the second-to-last stop before reaching the tires is the differential. Once upon a time all that mattered was a strong, tough differential that could handle horsepower, but these days smarter differentials go a longer way towards performance than sheer brute force. The amount of technology that goes into a differential these days can be hard to appreciate from the outside though.

Luckily famed differential makers Eaton have put together a video offering an exploded look at their Truetrac limited-slip differential, a helical gear-type limited slip differential that is low on maintenance but big on performance.

The Detroit Truetrac was the first helical gear differential ever introduced into the automotive aftermarket as an Eaton brand. It remains one of the leading helical gear-type limited slip differential in the industry. Detroit Truetrac’s proven helical gear design eliminates the need for wearable parts, resulting in maintenance free traction recognized not only for its toughness, but its smooth and quiet operation as well.

You might be asking “What is a helical-gear setup?” It is a V-patterned gear, difficult to manufacture but incredibly tough, eliminating the need for differential maintenance. The wear-free gears can handle tremendous amounts of horsepower, while also properly shifting traction between the rear tires to ensure the optimum amount of grip.

For us, seeing an exploded view of a complicated part like the differential really helps us grasp just what is going on in our cars. It can be hard to explain how certain parts work without visual aids like this video, but thanks to Eaton we’ve got a better idea of what is going on.

• Smooth operation
• Performs open until needed
• Fully automatic limited slip