Final drive Synthetic lubricant

[jack345]

Considering the cost of final drives would it be wise to use Mobil one, Amsoil or other synthetic gear oil in final drives? Thanks.

 

[06Pete]

I just replaced it in my 315 finals and when I went looking for 50wt like it called for I could only find it in semi synthetic or Amsoil the Amsoil was $10 more but I think well worth the value. It was $150 for 5 gal bucket but consitering it should last 2-3 times as long as conventional oil I think it is worth it. I also use it in alot of engines and so far it has worked out well as with sampeling oil I have extended drain intervals to as mush as 4 times and then the oil was still good But I changed it anyways. So I do think if you are going to keep a machine for a long time it is worth it oil is cheep parts and mechanics are expensive.

 

[pp13bnos]

You guys think about using it in a dozer? Hmmm...

 

[Nige]

Dozer or excavators - makes no difference. Final drives in operation generate large amounts of particles, especially if you track your machine long distances. The particles can be metal from wear or dirt getting in via the seals. Either way they don't do the system any good and should not be left in there any longer than is humanly possible.

The final drive has no filter so IMO it's better to change the oil more frequently than less. A regular TO-4 SAE50 is fine as regards lubricating properties, so I would go for a straight mineral oil and change it more often to get the particles out of the system. I can't believe it's hard to get a straight mineral SAE50 oil.

We actually cut the oil drain interval in our excavators in half when our operation changed from moving machines from one end of the job site to the other using a lowboy to walking them, just because oil condition deteriorated so much more rapidly when they were walked long distances. If we go back to using lowboys again we'll go back to the original oil drain interval.

 

[Canadian_digger]

The final drive has no filter so IMO it's better to change the oil more frequently than less. A regular TO-4 SAE50 is fine as regards lubricating properties, so I would go for a straight mineral oil and change it more often to get the particles out of the system. I can't believe it's hard to get a straight mineral SAE50 oil.

QUOTE]

I agree with Nige. I would rather put in cheaper oil and change it more often for the reasons stated above.

 

[jack345]

Great info . Thanks

 

[Nige]

I would also point out that in colder ambient temperatures a TO-4 SAE30 oil might be recommended instead of a 50 in excavator final drives. Dozers all generally use 50. Have to check the manufacturer's recommendations before buying.

 

[buckfever]

We cut all our drian intervals in half no matter what. Seem to work for us, have machines with 15,000 hours and more with all the original engine parts.

 

[buckfever]

But it is a deere so that may have something to do with it

 

[rare ss]

CAT's Komatsu, Hitachi we would sample at 500Hr and change at 1000hr, or earlier it required, the only machines we had issues with were sumitomo diggers which require a higher spec oil, Castrol GOJ90 in lew of 80W-90
mind you most machines would get walked alot, in quarry jobs the main digger would get 2000hrs from the final drives easily

 

[Nige]

I would go further and say that even if you cut change intervals by half or by any other percentage that works for you, it's not necessary to throw the oil away. If you get hold of a filter cart with an on-board storage tank it would make sense to drain the oil and then filter it. At that point it would be fit to go again.

 

[rare ss]

afew of the older guys I've worked with used to run used trans oil in grader tandems, it was just the done thing back in the day, drop out the trans oil and replace the tandem oil with the used trans oil

if you have a good sample program and record keeping is the way to go IMO, magnetic plugs for final drives are a must also..