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JCB oil equivalents?

csthompson12

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Joined
Nov 25, 2010
Messages
208
Location
usa
Hello, I have a 2006 JCB 215e that I would like to change some of the fluids on. I am quite a ways from a dealer, but I have Napa and Tractor supply nearby..

For the transmission I have the 4 speed syncro shuttle.. The book calls for "JCB Extreme Performance 10W EL4117"
I'm not sure if the parts stores would have an equivalent to this?

Axle oil is "JCB Special Gear Oil Plus"
I have plenty of gear oil, but wonder if it should be an oil made for the wet brakes in the rear axle?

Hydraulic oil is listed as JCBs ISO VG46
I assume any 46 Hydraulic oil will do? My oil is a little cloudy like there may be water contamination...

Trying to decide if I should make the trip to the dealer or not.. Thanks!
 
Last edited:

Nige

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Jun 22, 2011
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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Not necessarily to the dealer, but my 2c is to stay away from parts house brands or anything with "tractor" (designed to appeal to farmers) in the name. Any decent brand-name lubricant company should be able to supply suitable equivalents to what is specified in the manual.

I'm sure one of the forum JCB experts will be able to give you more detailed information regarding acceptable alternatives.

Meantime here is a link to Castrol products for a JCB backhoe that you may find useful. https://rego2oil.castrol.com/en_au/...hoes_/44346_3CX_Sitemaster_S_N_2000000_up_4WS
 

skata

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May 10, 2007
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midwest
Jcb really tries to push you to the dealer with all these special fluids...
Like mentioned above, don't use the cheap universal tractor fluid that costs $30 for a bucket.
I actually looked into this for a bit. Then I found my dealer prices weren't as high as I thought.
But from what I saw available locally, I'd use the Rotella HD tractor fluid in the trans and the axles. And aw46 hydraulic fluid for the hydraulics. In the hubs, you can probably use regular gear oil. Though jcb says you can use their gear oil, but their gear oil is not really a gear oil like 75w-90 or sae 90. Jcb gear oil looks more like trans fluid.
 

Power Tan

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Aug 15, 2016
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Location
Reno,Nv
Occupation
Heavy equipment mechanic
The rear axle oil is special. It does have friction modifiers to prevent brake chatter. You are best off just buying from the dealer. As far as the rest go to a commercial oil supplier should be able to get you what you need.........Jim
 

skata

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May 10, 2007
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midwest
The rear axle oil is special. It does have friction modifiers to prevent brake chatter. You are best off just buying from the dealer. As far as the rest go to a commercial oil supplier should be able to get you what you need.........Jim
The shell hd does have friction modify additives, and is for use with wet brakes.
 

Nige

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The rear axle oil is special. It does have friction modifiers to prevent brake chatter. You are best off just buying from the dealer. As far as the rest go to a commercial oil supplier should be able to get you what you need.........Jim
Or you could add anti-chatter additive to a "normal oil". Available from many places, including Cat dealers.
 

csthompson12

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Nov 25, 2010
Messages
208
Location
usa
For hydraulic oil.. Oil supplier says they have valvoline ISO 46 in zinc based formulas or non-zinc based oils... Does it matter? Does anyone know what is better to use in my application?
Thank you
 

Nige

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A zinc-based anti-wear package for hydraulic oil is by far the most common one. The only manufacturer that I know requires a zinc-free (aka "ashless") additive package in their hydraulic oil is Hitachi.

Hopefully one of the JCB experts will confirm what type of oil it is. JCB's own literature https://www.jcb.com/~/asset/14/26615.ashx gives the impression that it is conventional zinc-based anti-wear package as opposed to ashless, because if it was ashless INHO it would clearly say so......
 

Cmark

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Jan 2, 2009
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Australia
In a previous life I ran an extensive testing programme evaluating zinc vs non-zinc hydraulic oils in sundstrand hydraulic pumps and motors. The results were definitive. In that application a zinc based additive package provided better anti wear properties.
 

LN Pipeline

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Feb 21, 2019
Messages
157
Location
Montana, USA
My local oil distributor told me that Universal Tractor Transmission Fluid can be used as an alternative in the rear differential.

I’ve been using it with no issues and the brakes work good.
 

Chordaroy

New Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2020
Messages
2
Location
Australia
Hi,
I've been given Agritrans UTTF 10w20 Gulf Western oil to use. The data sheet says it meets the API-GL-4 JCB oil specs. I have a JCB Project 12 (1996?-2002)3CX Sitemaster. Haven't used the oil yet, still getting around the machine as I've only had the machine a little while and new to the tractor game.
http://www.gulfwestern.com.au/product/agritrans/
 

csthompson12

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Nov 25, 2010
Messages
208
Location
usa
Hi,
I've been given Agritrans UTTF 10w20 Gulf Western oil to use. The data sheet says it meets the API-GL-4 JCB oil specs. I have a JCB Project 12 (1996?-2002)3CX Sitemaster. Haven't used the oil yet, still getting around the machine as I've only had the machine a little while and new to the tractor game.
http://www.gulfwestern.com.au/product/agritrans/

The Agritrans would meet specs, but I dont have that in the US.

I did end up finding most of the equivalent oils locally...

ISO 46 for the hydraulics
Tranmission - I found Citgo Transguard TO-4 10W drivetrain oil
Rear axle and final drives - I used Mobilfluid 424 which is API GL-4 rated and made for wet brakes

I haven't found the brake fluid yet... It is an light ISO 15w hydraulic oil. Locally I only see ISO 32 as the lightest oil. I have read that some people have used ATF. Not sure if that would be good or not?
 

Nige

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I haven't found the brake fluid yet... It is an light ISO 15w hydraulic oil. Locally I only see ISO 32 as the lightest oil. I have read that some people have used ATF. Not sure if that would be good or not?
Try Googling "ISO viscosity versus SAE" and you'll see that SAE 15W is actually in a very similar range to an ISO 32 oil. TBH I'd use the same SAE 10W Citgo Transguard that you mentioned above in the brakes. In the brakes it is required to perform as a hydraulic fluid rather than a TO-4, but the TO-4 additives should not do any harm to the internals of the hydraulic brake system. They'll just sit there quietly doing absolutely nothing.

SAE 15W is not really "light" as viscosities go, when you can actually get down to an SAE 0W (equivalent to somewhere between an ISO 15 and a 22).

upload_2020-6-6_14-55-5.png
 

csthompson12

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Location
usa
SAE 15W is not really "light" as viscosities go, when you can actually get down to an SAE 0W (equivalent to somewhere between an ISO 15 and a 22).

Ok that chart helps.. So it actually calls for ISO 15 hydraulic oil in the brake reservoir. Looks like that would be fairly thin like SAE 0W..
 
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