User talk:71.146.21.163

The Torsen design requires torque at all three ends (1 driveshaft, 2 wheels) to activate, so for example: If one tire is in the air, it has no torque unless it is accelerated, decelerated, or has a brake applied on it. If you touch the brakes while a wheel is spinning and apply torque to the system it will multiply that torque across the differential to the other wheel with traction at a specified ratio (5:1 is a common). So if there is 400 ft/lbs of torque going in from the driveshaft and both wheels are applying 0 ft/lbs then the wheel with traction is not spinning, but the wheel in the air is spinning at double speed. So if you touch the brakes and apply 100 ft/lbs to the spinning wheel, the diff will transfer up to 500 ft/lbs across to the wheel with traction. At that point since there is only 400 ft/lbs going in from the motor and the differential is trying to transfer over 500 ft/lbs, the axle is essentially locked solid and either the wheel with traction turns or the engine stalls. Once the torque is leveled out on all three ends, the gears open up and return to a normal free turning open differential. The system varies depending on torque applied and required; so they operate softly, and quickly sometimes with out anyone noticing that it happened.