Power from a diff to wheel of least or most resis?

homebay, Jun 8, 12:40am
Can some tell me what wheel on the rear axle of a vehicle with a diff the power goes to!

I have a new mobility scooter that brags a differential and am wondering if I get stuck in a gutter with one wheel off the ground - will the power go to the wheel on the ground and get me out - or will it be like the others with all power going to the spinning off ground wheel!

Any advice would be MOST helpful!

Cheers
pandai, Jun 8, 12:41am
I imagine the power would go to the wheel in the air
homebay, Jun 8, 12:46am
Sadly U R probably right. Thats what happens if you get stuck in sand with a car. But for the life of me I cannot work out what happens when you drive a car around a corner under power when the outer wheel has to travel further than the inner.Which wheel would the power go to!
richardmayes, Jun 8, 12:59am
Unless your scooter brags a limited slip differential, yes the wheel in the air will spin around and around, as a car would do in the same situation.

When you drive in a straight line, the torque is distributed equally between both driven wheels.

When you drive around a curve, the inside wheel receives more torque than the outside wheel, this is because of the effectively lower final gearing of the inside wheel (because inside wheel is driving a round a smaller arc (=shorter distance) in the same time that the outside wheel is rolling a greater distance.)

The difference in torque applied to inner and outer wheels is in the same proportion as the lengths of the arcs they are rolling around.
quickbuck, Jun 8, 1:14am
LOL, love it.
Maybe there is a market for an Air Lockers in mobility scooters.
crzyhrse, Jun 8, 1:21am
The power goes to each wheel equally. until one loses traction and with a standard or open differential most will then go to that one.

On a mobility scooter I would think an open differential would normally be a liability rather than an asset.
crzyhrse, Jun 8, 1:23am
And is INVERSELY proportional to the distance each travels, as power is the same.
homebay, Jun 8, 3:46am
hehehe.GOOD one :) But if you had been stuck in gutters on one you would know what I am on about!

Cherrs and thanks to all above
kellrae, Jun 8, 4:11am
This is the first time that i have heard of a scooter with a diff. but even with individual electric drives they will get stuck in driveways. the only suggestion I have is to make sure you hit the drive either straight on or with enough momentum to get you over the hump.if you hit it at pace the ride can get a bit bumpy though
richardmayes, Jun 8, 6:15am
Maybe.

When I get old and grey, the market for mobility scooters that can run electric indoors but then switch to a go-kart motor once you get out of the house will increase by exactly 1.
mrfxit, Jun 8, 8:09am
All depends on which rotation the drive shaft & which way the diff head is driven from.
Can't remember which which is which now but do remember that certain cars tend to spin the left 1st & others the right 1st
mrfxit, Jun 8, 8:11am
Mate of mine has 1 & it was factory fitted with a 400w motor so he fitted a 600w motor & now keeps up with the slower traffic on the road.
Peeves off the locals when he's going around roundabouts.
sr2, May 20, 11:08pm
I was initially thinking the same thing; a RWD car with a North / South motor that runs clockwise will usually spin up the right wheel with an open diff.Most Mob scooters have the engine and gear drive in one unit so I suspect the torque reaction wouldn??