Toyota Reinvents The Limited-Slip Differential

Toyota is suggesting a new kind of differential that consists of a casting, first and second side gears housed and supported within the casting, a gear set that differentially distributes input torque to the first and second side gears, and a differential gear interposed between the casting and the first side gears. The latter’s job is to provide friction between the first side gears and the casting.

There’s also a clutch that brakes the differential between the first and second side gears and an actuator that applies force to the clutch to control everything. All of this is connected to an electronic control device that calculates the correct lock from a selected differential torque ratio.

The electronic control device will then calculate the required torque output needed by each shaft, which the clutch’s actuator will control. Toyota also says the information provided by other ECUs may also be used, including the rotational speed of the axles, steering angle, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and sideslip angle, to name just a few.