In a turn the outer wheel travels a longer arc than the inner one, so it has to spin faster. The differential lets it: the case turns at the average of the two wheels, and the small spider gears inside spin to make up the difference. Straight ahead they don’t spin at all. The same trick is also the open differential’s weakness: put one wheel on ice and all the motion goes there, at twice the case speed, while the gripping wheel stops. Dimensions follow the 2022+ Avanza; the final-drive and tooth counts are estimates, marked with an asterisk.
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Open Differential in a Turn
A 3D model of the Avanza front differential: watch the spider gears start spinning as the inner and outer wheels turn at different speeds, from a gentle bend to a full-lock U-turn and one wheel on ice.
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