Been A While Since We Had An Oil Debate
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Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 595
From: Jacksonville, FL
Been A While Since We Had An Oil Debate
Questions for you all about gear oil
- Redline or Amsoil?
- 75w-90 or 75w-140
- if you’re running the heavier weight, what about the argument that the oil may not flow (protect) the surface like the lighter, recommended weight?
Camel Trophy
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,743
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From: Southwestern Virginia
Gear oil is kind of one of those things that I buy cheap, like as cheap as I can find, and I pretty much use whatever weight I happen to have laying around. A bit heavier isn't going to hurt anything, but lighter isn't (generally) either.
You've got to have a fairly extreme usage case for your gear oil to make a whole lot of difference.Not to say that there is no difference at all, of course there is a difference between the cheap stuff and expensive stuff, but to me the benefit does not out-weigh the cost.
If you are off roading your rig, that is doubly true. You're going to want to feel good about changing your gear oil every time you see water crossings and extended periods in mud holes. Often changed cheap gear oil is 100x better than expensive gear oil with a bit of water in it.
You've got to have a fairly extreme usage case for your gear oil to make a whole lot of difference.Not to say that there is no difference at all, of course there is a difference between the cheap stuff and expensive stuff, but to me the benefit does not out-weigh the cost.
If you are off roading your rig, that is doubly true. You're going to want to feel good about changing your gear oil every time you see water crossings and extended periods in mud holes. Often changed cheap gear oil is 100x better than expensive gear oil with a bit of water in it.
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Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 595
From: Jacksonville, FL
I was talking to Bill at GBR last night. I'll probably get some of the particulars wrong, but he said there are two bearings in a diff and one is smaller than the other. The smaller one gets "splashed" by oil (apparently because it needs less?) and the other gets an oil bath. A lot of people in the forum seem to want to use the heavier weight oil, but I was wondering if doing so would make the "splashed" bearing get less oil causing an earlier failure of the bearing.
Probably over thinking it but with new differentials that appear to be failing, this is the kind of thing going through my head.
Probably over thinking it but with new differentials that appear to be failing, this is the kind of thing going through my head.
Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,170
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From: StL, MO
i like a synthetic 75W-90. my Rovers are sluggish enough with the larger tires, lifts and bumpers. i could feel a noticeable difference the one time i used a 80W-140 gear oil.
my Rovers are all mainly on the road but do see dirt/gravel and forest roads. i like the peace of mind a quality synthetic oil gives me. Schaeffer is my favorite but is a bit pricey.
my Rovers are all mainly on the road but do see dirt/gravel and forest roads. i like the peace of mind a quality synthetic oil gives me. Schaeffer is my favorite but is a bit pricey.
Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,004
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"My philosophy...is...any oil is better than no oil"
AGREED - MY T-CASE BLEW OUT ALL OF THE GEAR OIL ON A TRIP - MELTED BREATHER HOSE THAT FELL ON TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSED PRESSURE AND IT SPUN ALL OF THE GEAR OIL OUT THRU TOP SEAL - NO DRIPS ON DRIVE TO CLUE ME IT WAS EMPTY BUT A "NICE OILED CHASIS" - AN EXPENSIVE RUST PROTECTION EXPERIENCE
AGREED - MY T-CASE BLEW OUT ALL OF THE GEAR OIL ON A TRIP - MELTED BREATHER HOSE THAT FELL ON TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSED PRESSURE AND IT SPUN ALL OF THE GEAR OIL OUT THRU TOP SEAL - NO DRIPS ON DRIVE TO CLUE ME IT WAS EMPTY BUT A "NICE OILED CHASIS" - AN EXPENSIVE RUST PROTECTION EXPERIENCE
