This section of the RcTek site is devoted to differentials, what they are, what they do and the different types of that can be fitted to radio controlled model cars.
This particular article aims to inform the model car owner about how a ball type differential works.
There are a many different variations of the ball differential, but all use the same basic principle described in this article.
The differential featured in the images in this article is not based on any particular differential and only serves to represent the functionality of a ball differential.
For information about why model cars have differentials and how they work please see the Differential Basics and How Differentials Work articles.
To serve as a reference for this article and others, we have an exploded diagram of a representation of a ball differential above.
If you place the mouse pointer over the various parts, the name and a description will appear of that particular part.
The parts that provide the differential action are shown in the image and consist of a Thrust Race Bearing (yellow), Belleville Washers (green) and a retaining/adjusting screw.
The thrust race allows for the output cups to rotate at different speeds and the belleville washers provide a load to restrict the difference in rotational speed. If implemented, the adjusting nut allows the level of restriction to be altered.
The ball differential offers more than a normal differential as it also has an inbuilt slipper clutch to control wheel spin.
The slipper clutch, the working parts of which are shown in the image to the right, will be more fully explained in a future article but basically works by applying pressure to the ball bearings (grey) through the Belleville washers (green) via the thrust washers (yellow).