50 hour service better late than never

[DeereMann]

Sure we can cherry-pick data for support - an engine will sieze in minutes without oil (please don't ask how i know), and I know the immediate topic is gears. The point is that longest life is achieved with highest quality lubrication - this is supported by wear tests. And also performance (fuel consumption, torque, etc.)

Sure, lots of guys don't wear out their equipment, but so what? It's more than "feeling" better, I KNOW better.

 

[Coyote machine]

Fact is: Lubricants that meet OR exceed manufacturer's specifications based on standards available at time of manufacture cover the warranty related claims that otherwise could be denied IF an owner used a lubricant that did not meet specifications. If Kioti says one can use UTF or 80-90W gear oil in it's front end axles then one is good to go within those parameters. Vegetable oil or used flax oil might get a denial of warranty repair by the dealer/manufacturer, as but one for instance.
If one chooses to spend additional monies for higher grade lubricants that is a personal choice, not a requirement by any means.

 

[krazsk]

This has been a question I have been pondering or a long time. Is there someone out there in -10 degree F weather that uses gear oil in the front axel? If you do I would love to here your experience and time doing so. All the posts here are great. You are all pondering the same as me and some with far more intelligence than I have. My front axel is by far the most abused part of my tractor. By past experience gear oil does not work in a hydraulic system at cold temps. Would love to hear from someone that has a lot of hours using hydro in the front axel at low temps. Canadian friends what do you use?

When it gets colder than -10 F, everything and everybody complains. But I can't say I noticed the front axle whining anymore than everything else until they warm up. It's the same gear lube as in the rear end of my pickups. I'm answering but not answering your question. I guess I've never considered changing out the gear lube anywhere because of how it performed in cold weather. Although I had a 76 Toyota corolla that I had to warm the engine up about a minute before I could even let the clutch out with the transmission in neutral, or it would kill the engine. Most recent issues I've had at the below zero temps is #2 fuel gelling. Note: winter gelling additives must be matched to the diesel for best performance. How to do that, I don't know. I guess you have to ask other people what additive worked with what fuel. Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

[Coyote machine]

When it gets colder than -10 F, everything and everybody complains. But I can't say I noticed the front axle whining anymore than everything else until they warm up. It's the same gear lube as in the rear end of my pickups. I'm answering but not answering your question. I guess I've never considered changing out the gear lube anywhere because of how it performed in cold weather. Although I had a 76 Toyota corolla that I had to warm the engine up about a minute before I could even let the clutch out with the transmission in neutral, or it would kill the engine. Most recent issues I've had at the below zero temps is #2 fuel gelling. Note: winter gelling additives must be matched to the diesel for best performance. How to do that, I don't know. I guess you have to ask other people what additive worked with what fuel. Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Here in the north, the fuel dealers cut the fuel, (diesel) at a certain time of year, usually late fall before winter, and that continues until spring. I believe it is done at the distribution center before being shipped to the dealer.
At -10 to -? things freeze up no matter what fluid you're using for most any application. Even anti freeze freezes into a mush/frozen state at some point. Unless you absolutely have to wait till things warm up to a balmy 0^ before using valuable equipment.

 

[blucoondawg]

I prefer to not even start my tractor in that cold weather as I don't have a heated shop to park it in. Usually if it is below zero we don't get any snow to have to plow anyways.

 

[WilliamBos]

This has been a question I have been pondering or a long time. Is there someone out there in -10 degree F weather that uses gear oil in the front axel? If you do I would love to here your experience and time doing so. All the posts here are great. You are all pondering the same as me and some with far more intelligence than I have. My front axel is by far the most abused part of my tractor. By past experience gear oil does not work in a hydraulic system at cold temps. Would love to hear from someone that has a lot of hours using hydro in the front axel at low temps. Canadian friends what do you use?

How about -40 to -50? i am of the same train of thought as you, when in FWA, the tractor is working hard.

We run 75W90 full synthetic in our front axle, and have not had an issue. Bought new Nov 2009, 540 hours and counting, 490 running synthetics in front diff.

 

[CJONE]

Sure we can cherry-pick data for support - an engine will sieze in minutes without oil (please don't ask how i know), and I know the immediate topic is gears. The point is that longest life is achieved with highest quality lubrication - this is supported by wear tests. And also performance (fuel consumption, torque, etc.)

Sure, lots of guys don't wear out their equipment, but so what? It's more than "feeling" better, I KNOW better.

How many times have you see a gear set that was worn out? To date if it has had clean gear lube in it and a bearing did not fail I have seen 1. It was a full out drag racing gear set that a gentleman was running on the street. The set was [soft] to stop fracture and that was the reason it failed. I have seen many fail from fracturing and bearings fail but just the 1 from wear and it was being used 100% against the recommendation. I have seen a few that wore prematurely by being incorrectly lashed either too tight or pinion depth set wrong or water in the oil but that was a easy to figure out why. So I do agree with you but to a point. If a 2 dollar a quart oil will get the diff to outlast the machine what would be the point in a 20 dollar a quart? Like Coyote said that would be a personal choice. Heck I have 1 customer that drains the synthetic out of his new $100,000 Kenworth tractors and puts regular Dino oil back in his transmissions!! To each his own. CJ

 

[CJONE]

oops!