Gearbox and Driveline Services

Having a transmission service is a key component for your car to continue running smoothly. The transmission is a part of your vehicle's drivetrain. Its function is to change the gear ratio from the engine to the differential and then to the wheels. Without the transmission, you’d be stuck to one gear, and if you’ve ever had to drive a car with a broken clutch, then you may know that this isn’t very enjoyable. Essentially the car would be very difficult to get up to speed, and at top speed the engine would nearly be burning itself out, resulting in a very reduced lifespan. It is thanks to the transmission that you can enjoy the easy acceleration and top speeds of all modern cars.

Initially, a transmission was only available in a manual selection, but over time the automatic transmission was developed. While it was more expensive in earlier cars, with the modern cars they are almost standard as they are easier to drive and the cost has come down significantly.

A vehicle transmission is similar to an engine, in that it has many moving parts. If some of these parts fail, you can have a terrible time getting the car from point A to point B. At Lube Mobile our mobile mechanic will come to you; we can perform a car service and check over your transmission for any problems. We’ll check the transmission fluid and make sure that is still performing properly. With a quick check of the consistency of the fluid, we can determine if it needs to be replaced and then complete this service for you.

Is a transmission service necessary?

A transmission service should be a part of your regular scheduled car maintenance. The transmission can easily be overlooked, as it is often not considered important. Unfortunately, this is not the case, the transmission needs to have fluids changed regularly to perform at the best it can.

There are many moving parts inside a transmission, and having these serviced is important for it to keep functioning correctly. While transmissions are reasonably sturdy and don’t often break. It can over time (especially with hard drivers) wear down gears and cease to function. By performing regular servicing you’ll keep your transmission in the best condition possible.

Some indications that you need a transmission service outside of your normally scheduled service are, fluid leaking (especially from the middle of the car), gears grinding or slipping, and the car not moving forward as it should when you put it in drive or reverse. If you are finding any of these warning signs, you should get your car inspected by a professional immediately. At Lube Mobile we can inspect your transmission and determine what course of action is required to make sure it functions normally.

How often should you do a transmission service?

As a rough guide, and this depends on how many kilometres you run the car in a year, you should have a transmission service at least once a year. Based on average use this equates to around once every 20,000km.

However, if you’re driving the car with heavy loads regularly this can prematurely wear your transmission, and you should get it serviced more often. When you service your transmission regularly it can stop you from having a complete transmission rebuild – which can cost thousands and see your car off the road for many days.

One of the most important things that will be covered in any manual or automatic transmission service is that the oil will be changed. Over time, the transmission oil will collect minute particles of metals and this can add to the wearing of the gears inside the transmission and shorten its life.

What is a diff repair?

Your vehicle’s diff – or differential – is a set of steel gears which send the power from your vehicle’s engine and transmission to your wheels. What kind of car repair or diff service that you require will depend on the type of car that you drive. Your diff will work slightly differently depending on whether your vehicle is a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or a 4WD.

he differential is essentially responsible for both changing the direction of the torque – the turning force - transmitted to the drive wheels and it allows the drive wheels to turn at different speeds. The torque that your engine is producing goes to your transaxle (for front wheel drive cars) and the differential is responsible for directing that force in the best way possible for your driving.

So, how do you know if your vehicle needs a diff repair or a diff replacement?

Your car’s differential is an incredibly hard working piece of equipment and they are specially designed to take a lot of punishment over the life cycle of your car. Generally speaking, this part will be one of the most reliable engine components on your car but that doesn’t mean that it won’t need a diff service or a diff repair at some point. Common issues that may indicate your vehicle requires a specialist mechanic to take a look at your diff include:

• Noisy engine – keep an ear out for a whine or howling noise coming from underneath the car. If the pitch or the volume of the noise increases the faster that you drive, you may well have a problem with the diff.

• Strange smells – usually smells from your vehicle will be related to low fluid levels like gear oil in the differential case or deteriorating fluid. A burning smell or sharp odour coming from under your vehicle may indicate the need for diff reconditioning.

• Trouble controlling the vehicle – when the differential really needs seeing to, you may notice very loud grinding noises or even changes in the car’s responsible when turning. It may feel jerky, signalling power issues to your axle or badly disintegrating wheel bearings. If you are experiencing trouble steering your vehicle while driving, then it’s definitely time for a mechanic to take a look.

• Failure to move – if you can’t actually move your vehicle at all this may indicate that there is a problem with the gearbox or the axles. If the differential is actually broken and requires a rebuild, you won’t be able to shift your vehicle anywhere under its own steam. Fortunately, Lube Mobile mechanics have everything they need to ensure that you can book a mobile diff repair specialist to attend your location and carry out the work required on your drive shaft, gears and differential immediately. No need to arrange a tow truck to get to you to your local service centre or search for a mechanic near you. Lube Mobile travel anywhere.

How much does a diff rebuild cost?

Generally, early warning signs of a worn out diff or the need for a diff service will be hard to ignore if it’s been a slow decline in your vehicle’s performance. The noises, smells and the feel of the car will usually alert a vehicle owner to the need for a visit to your local shop. In this case, diff builders can use differential spares to carry out a successful diff repair and get your car back on the road sooner rather than later. Replacing bearings and seals – carrying out a diff repair – will usually cost you between $400.00 and $650.00. If the problem is the transaxle then you’re looking at twice that cost.

If you have ignored the early warning signs or the differential has actually blown up entirely and you’re not mobile at all, then you’re likely looking a full diff replacement cost. A complete overhaul, including to replace your diff, is likely set you back between $1,500.00 and $2,800.00 inclusive of both parts and labour.

First things, first. If your vehicle is displaying any signs that it’s in need of a diff repair or a diff service, then book online now for a local Lube Mobile mechanic to attend. Our fully qualified vehicle specialists will undertake a detailed analysis of what’s wrong with your vehicle, quote you the repairs necessary to get you back to working at optimal performance and then carry out the works you need on site, wherever you are.

We’re the mechanics that come to you, working to ensure that your vehicle repairs and servicing is quick, painless, convenient and affordable. Book online today.