Differential Repair

A Major Part Of Our Business Since We Opened
Motor Works has been serving their DeKalb and Northern Illinois customers since 1984; keeping them safe and on the road. We are a one-stop-shop offering every conceivable automotive service. An important part of that commitment is offering differential repair and service. We have three ASE Master Certified Specialists on staff.

What’s A Differential?
Simply put, it is a case with gears and lubricant in it. These gears do two things:
1) They transmit power sideways from a shaft to turn either the front and/or rear wheels.
2) These gears allow slippage between the wheels they run, so a vehicle doesn’t skid out around corners.

A Disappearing Art
Internal differential repair requires replacing gears, bearings and other parts that wear out; not too hard. Internal differential repair requires critical adjustments to all the parts you just replaced; these adjustments are measured in thousandths of an inch. YIKES! If the adjustments are off, even a little, the gears can “howl” or break. YIKES x 2! It takes lots of experience to “fine tune” differential components and few technicians know how or like the work. It is as much art as science.

Motor Works Excels At Differential Repair
Our technicians thrive on differential work. They all appreciate the fact that intensive training and experience has placed them among an elite few who can do it well.

Schedule Today!
Customer satisfaction is our top priority. To all the folks in DeKalb and Northern Illinois, we hope you’ll let us prove it. If you would like to schedule an appointment, you can do so online or call us at (815) 756-2882 to speak to our friendly staff.

Cool Stuff
For more detail, an animated illustration and a movie on differential service, please click on the following colored NAPA Service Assistant Link, and then click on Differential Service under the Preventive Maintenance Heading.
NAPA Service Assistant

Two And One Half Quick Stories
1) The first year I was open I had a request to rebuild a differential from a most unusual source. Over time I had developed a friendship with Eddie Melger, the near legendary head technician for our local Mercedes Dealership. He had become something of an automotive mentor to me. Visiting Eddie one day, he asked if I would rebuild the differential in his Dodge Dart? Would I? It would be my honor! No technician was more capable to do his own work than Eddie Melger, but he had asked me. WOW! and DOUBLE WOW! I cherish that remembrance to this day.

2) Years later, Motor Works was asked to install a racing differential gearset in a Nissan 350ZX. This gearset was new to America and this would be the first such fitting in this country. The work was performed by our Master Certified Head Technician Mark Huff. (That lucky dog!) The end product was everything that could be hoped for. It was beautiful, large heat dissipating fins allowed it to run much cooler, and the acceleration improvement was dramatic. Our customer was thrilled!

2.5) I’d love to go on, there are so many more stories to tell, but my ribs have just received a stout elbow from my wife. This generally means STOP NOW, and come to dinner. What goes unsaid is her desire to look after my health, well-being and nourishment. What can one say but “YES DEAR, COMING!”