Eaton Corporation to supply locking differentials to the Indian OE and aftermarket
After commissioning the commercial vehicle transmission facility at Ranjangaon near Pune, Eaton Corporation is all set to supply the Indian OE and aftermarket with locking differentials. Providing superior traction at low speeds to various types of vehicles, the development of locking differentials is a culmination of over 60 years of engineering for both original equipment and replacement applications. In the Indian market, the company will offer five different types of locking differentials –MLocker, ELocker, No Spin, Gearless and Electro-Hydraulically Limited Slip Differential (EHLSD). Of these, the EHLSD is under development according to Ramchandra Rao, Executive Director (Automotive) at Eaton Industrial Systems. The MLocker, which functions as an open differential in normal driving conditions and gets automatically locked when needed, is already being supplied to export vehicles of an Indian manufacturer.
“We are supplying the MLocker on Mahindra programs for the foreign markets,” says Rao, pointing at the cutaway of MLocker. “The MLocker is thus found on Mahindra Scorpio in South Africa, US and Australia,” he adds. To further penetrate the Indian market, Eaton Corporation is talking to truck manufacturers and SUV manufacturers in India for the supply of MLocker. Explaining that the locking differentials provide OEMs with superior competitive advantages, Rao reveals that his company is working with an SUV manufacturer. Refusing to disclose the name of the manufacturer, Rao draws attention towards the advantages of such a system over a conventional open differential. Locking differentials, he says, provide improved traction, towing and off-road performance. “They also exhibit the ability to outperform a 4WD vehicle's traction performance in certain driving conditions, eliminating the need for 4WD system and subsequently reducing the vehicle weight and improving the fuel economy and significantly reduce cost.” The automatic locking and unlocking offered by the MLocker is smooth and near unnoticeable to an average driver. Applicable on both rear wheel drive and front wheel drive transaxles, the MLocker is compatible with ABS and ESP systems. “The Elocker,” avers Ramchandra Rao, “is manually engaged by the driver by pressing a switch, and is package-able with a transaxle.” Providing a full lock axle at the touch of a button, the ELocker could be fitted on front wheel drive passenger cars – big and small.
The Gearless system, unlike the ELocker remains locked at all times and unlocks itself while the vehicle is turning. The No Spin system, at the other end, operates as a fully locked axle that automatically unlocks when speeds are mismatched. The EHLSD, developed to an extent where it is undergoing trials with manufacturers, according to Rao, provides locking and unlocking on the fly. Providing locking differentials either automatically or on-demand, the Eaton locking differential systems will be made available in the aftermarket too. Especially the ELocker system, which according to Rao, could be fitted on a variety of front wheel drive passenger cars available in the Indian market. The company has currently fitted an ELocker system on the Tata Indica Vista. Hinting at the scope of application of locking differential systems expands much beyond passenger cars, Rao remarks, “Some of the important application areas for our locking differential systems are medium and heavy-duty trucks, construction, mining, agricultural, forestry, defence and specialty equipment vehicles.” Stressing upon aftermarket penetration, he explains that his company is exploring aftermarket opportunities for SUVs and passenger cars. On way would be to have the system fitted by the respective dealers with authorisation from the manufacturer.
This is particularly important from the warranty point of view. For vehicles, which the manufacturer or the dealer does not offer a locking differential as an option, the owner could get one fitted at a workshop authorised by Eaton. Eaton currently sources the locking differential systems from Korea. Explains Rao, “The systems are currently made at an Eaton facility in Korea, and we plan to make them in India.” According to him, the ELocker systems, which could be retrofitted at a set of authorised garages spread across India, could cost in the region of US$ 250.
Coming from a company that is into the manufacture of commercial vehicle transmissions and acquired the valve business of Kirloskar Oil Engines in 2008 with facilities at Nashik and Ahmednagar in Maharashtra for the manufacture of IC engine valves, the locking differential portfolio would be part of the Eaton’s newly structured Industrial Sector, which clocked a sales turnover of US$ 6 billion. According to Ramchandra Rao, the acquisition of Kirloskar Oil Engines’ valve business was actually instrumental in the setting up of Eaton’s auto business in India. Under the Vehicle Group, the auto business, in addition to manufacturing crutonite alloy valves – made from crutonite alloy – would include the differential locking systems and dual lift technology. Eaton would be bringing the dual lift technology to India. “We currently supply the dual lift technology to Chery in China,” concludes Rao.
After commissioning the commercial vehicle transmission facility at Ranjangaon near Pune, Eaton Corporation is all set to supply the Indian OE and aftermarket with locking differentials. Providing superior traction at low speeds to various types of vehicles, the development of locking differentials is a culmination of over 60 years of engineering for both original equipment and replacement applications. In the Indian market, the company will offer five different types of locking differentials –MLocker, ELocker, No Spin, Gearless and Electro-Hydraulically Limited Slip Differential (EHLSD). Of these, the EHLSD is under development according to Ramchandra Rao, Executive Director (Automotive) at Eaton Industrial Systems. The MLocker, which functions as an open differential in normal driving conditions and gets automatically locked when needed, is already being supplied to export vehicles of an Indian manufacturer. 
The Gearless system, unlike the ELocker remains locked at all times and unlocks itself while the vehicle is turning. The No Spin system, at the other end, operates as a fully locked axle that automatically unlocks when speeds are mismatched. The EHLSD, developed to an extent where it is undergoing trials with manufacturers, according to Rao, provides locking and unlocking on the fly. Providing locking differentials either automatically or on-demand, the Eaton locking differential systems will be made available in the aftermarket too. Especially the ELocker system, which according to Rao, could be fitted on a variety of front wheel drive passenger cars available in the Indian market. The company has currently fitted an ELocker system on the Tata Indica Vista. Hinting at the scope of application of locking differential systems expands much beyond passenger cars, Rao remarks, “Some of the important application areas for our locking differential systems are medium and heavy-duty trucks, construction, mining, agricultural, forestry, defence and specialty equipment vehicles.” Stressing upon aftermarket penetration, he explains that his company is exploring aftermarket opportunities for SUVs and passenger cars. On way would be to have the system fitted by the respective dealers with authorisation from the manufacturer. 
This is particularly important from the warranty point of view. For vehicles, which the manufacturer or the dealer does not offer a locking differential as an option, the owner could get one fitted at a workshop authorised by Eaton. Eaton currently sources the locking differential systems from Korea. Explains Rao, “The systems are currently made at an Eaton facility in Korea, and we plan to make them in India.” According to him, the ELocker systems, which could be retrofitted at a set of authorised garages spread across India, could cost in the region of US$ 250.