1026R Oils, Greases alternatives

[Noodlez914]

Im sure this has been answered 100 times over, but was curious as to what are some good alternatives to my 1026R's engine oils, transmission, hydraulic fluids, grease, etc. as opposed to always traveling to the John Deere dealer?

I have always been on the fence with other equipment I have owned. ATV's, Snowmobiles, motorcycles......... as to whether spending all that extra money on their brand is really worth shelling out the USUAL price differnece. But I am also the type that likes to do things right.

It's more or less just wanting the convenience to be able to grab my oils and such at more convenient places.

 

[Foxtrot08]

Visit your local oil distributor for all the said products.

The hydraulic fluid / transmission will be general Tractor Hydraulic fluid, but for the new John Deere spec it will have to meet the -44 ultra low pour point. So buying a decent brand is recommended, personally - I would go with Kendall Hyken 052 - probably about the best Tractor Hydraulic on the market.

Engine oil is up to your operating conditions, just make sure it is a DIESEL spec, not an automotive spec. Recommended for my 2305 was a 10w30, however I went with a Synthetic Blend 15w40 instead, mostly because mine is stored inside and I'm not too worried about the cold cranking issues. As well, it provided better protecting in high operating temperatures.

Again, since I'm a Kendall/Conoco fan:

Kendall DXA 15w40 or 10w30 (if they have it), or Kendall SHP 5w40 full synthetic will all work. (I run the SHP 5w40 in my 08 F250)

Any licensed (make sure it's API approved!!!!) 15w40, 10w30, 5w40 diesel spec will, however work. (Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Conoco, etc.)

Greases - a universal 220 weight grease is a great 'all around' grade - 220 weight bright stock is light enough not to cause binding, at the same time still repeals water and has a great protection qualities. If you don't want to grease that much (read: not every 8 hours), step up to a full synthetic 220 or 460 - stick with the EP#2 though.

I use broken cases of what we have around - sometimes Conoco Triton 220, other times Citgo Syndurance 460. Both are full synthetic - both are an EP #2

Remember, color has NOTHING to do with the quality of grease. People who say 'oh that red grease is the best' really have no clue. The color of the grease is just the dye in it. Grease is 3 things: Soap, Bright stock base oil and Dye. Easy as that, as well there are only 4 major manufactures of Grease in the US. Battenfeld in Buffalo NY, Chemtool/Lubrizol in IL, Citgo out of Oklahoma City and still a little bit by Mobil via Southwest lubricants. So whatever brand you buy, it's being made by someone else - including John Deere.

John Deere oils are made by several people - PetroCanada for certain Hydraulics and Engine oils (specifically the full synthetics). Pinnacle Oil out of Indianapolis is a independent blender who has blended and packaged a lot of their oils as well.

When it comes to oil products, you really have to look at who's making the base oil. Long story short, there's only a few major producers of base oil for the US market. But that's another post, for another time.

No, the extra money for "John Deere Brand" or "Polaris Brand" or "Cat brand" isn't worth it. One of my companies largest customers is a CAT distributor, another one is TIMKIN bearings.

 

[Noodlez914]

Visit your local oil distributor for all the said products.

The hydraulic fluid / transmission will be general Tractor Hydraulic fluid, but for the new John Deere spec it will have to meet the -44 ultra low pour point. So buying a decent brand is recommended, personally - I would go with Kendall Hyken 052 - probably about the best Tractor Hydraulic on the market.

Engine oil is up to your operating conditions, just make sure it is a DIESEL spec, not an automotive spec. Recommended for my 2305 was a 10w30, however I went with a Synthetic Blend 15w40 instead, mostly because mine is stored inside and I'm not too worried about the cold cranking issues. As well, it provided better protecting in high operating temperatures.

Again, since I'm a Kendall/Conoco fan:

Kendall DXA 15w40 or 10w30 (if they have it), or Kendall SHP 5w40 full synthetic will all work. (I run the SHP 5w40 in my 08 F250)

Any licensed (make sure it's API approved!!!!) 15w40, 10w30, 5w40 diesel spec will, however work. (Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Conoco, etc.)

Greases - a universal 220 weight grease is a great 'all around' grade - 220 weight bright stock is light enough not to cause binding, at the same time still repeals water and has a great protection qualities. If you don't want to grease that much (read: not every 8 hours), step up to a full synthetic 220 or 460 - stick with the EP#2 though.

I use broken cases of what we have around - sometimes Conoco Triton 220, other times Citgo Syndurance 460. Both are full synthetic - both are an EP #2

Remember, color has NOTHING to do with the quality of grease. People who say 'oh that red grease is the best' really have no clue. The color of the grease is just the dye in it. Grease is 3 things: Soap, Bright stock base oil and Dye. Easy as that, as well there are only 4 major manufactures of Grease in the US. Battenfeld in Buffalo NY, Chemtool/Lubrizol in IL, Citgo out of Oklahoma City and still a little bit by Mobil via Southwest lubricants. So whatever brand you buy, it's being made by someone else - including John Deere.

John Deere oils are made by several people - PetroCanada for certain Hydraulics and Engine oils (specifically the full synthetics). Pinnacle Oil out of Indianapolis is a independent blender who has blended and packaged a lot of their oils as well.

When it comes to oil products, you really have to look at who's making the base oil. Long story short, there's only a few major producers of base oil for the US market. But that's another post, for another time.

No, the extra money for "John Deere Brand" or "Polaris Brand" or "Cat brand" isn't worth it. One of my companies largest customers is a CAT distributor, another one is TIMKIN bearings.

Very useful information, thank you! I'm not one that likes to be ignorant and think that any old oil is any old oil, but I also don't like being played the fool and paying a ton extra for the Products "Own" brand of oil thats only being labeled as theirs and in reality a brand that you can buy off the shelf for several dollars less, which is almost always the case.

 

[suzy]

Yes, thanks! I'm ready to get some summer grease on the loader and put away the winter stuff until the fall...I'll just pick it up at the co-op since I'm driving by there anyway.

 

[John Morgan]

I want to start by saying I don't believe Foxtrots comments are intentionally misleading, however, they are inaccurate particularly relating to grease. First, its true grease is basically 3 components, however, those components are thickener, base oil and additives. There are other thickeners than soap, ie. Bentone and Silica. Lithium and Lithium Complex are the two most common and are in fact soaps.

Secondly, "460" refers to the ISO grade of the base oil. Such a heavy grade of oil is required for some extreme operations that basic tractor operations will never encounter. Base oil can be petrolium, synthetic or a synthetic blend, just like other oils. Some manufacturers continue to use Naphathenic base oils in spite of their poor temperature tolerences and lubricant abilitiy but the majority have gone to paraffinic stock while some use synthetic. The water repelling you refer to when addressing oil base is better talked about when talking about thickening agents. For example, Lithium thickened greases will emulsify moisture while Aluminum Complex is water proof.

While it is true there are only a few producers of base stocks, there are many manufacturers of greases and oils. The grease manufacturers or blenders will buy the base stock and create the grease according to their own set of standards. Whatever proprietary formulas they use is what makes some greases perform better than others.

Finally, I'll address the third component of additives. While again being true the color has nothing to do with the quality, the dye is merely part of an additive package. Friction modifiers, tackifiers, polymers are a few of several additives used in creating grease. Common friction modifiers could be Molybdenum Disulfide or Graphite. Tackifiers are used to reduce sling out. Polymers are used to improve water wash-out percentages and increase dropping points among other things.

Grease is far more complicated than "Soap, Bright stock base oil and Dye." If you want to reduce your grease consumption and have increased protection, then go with an aluminum complex grease with a 3% Moly minimum. That leaves Lubriplate, Schaeffers and TRC. I'm sure there are a few smaller manufacturers that produce A/C grease with Moly, I just can't think of any at this time.

 

[Foxtrot08]

I want to start by saying I don't believe Foxtrots comments are intentionally misleading, however, they are inaccurate particularly relating to grease. First, its true grease is basically 3 components, however, those components are thickener, base oil and additives. There are other thickeners than soap, ie. Bentone and Silica. Lithium and Lithium Complex are the two most common and are in fact soaps.

Sure, if we want to get into lubricant's engineer 101, I can get out the Mobil bible go through every chemical and what it does. But for common knowledge here and commerical off the shelf greases - i.e. stuff that comes in tubes / kegs / etc. Not, made to order 5000lb totes.

Secondly, "460" refers to the ISO grade of the base oil. Such a heavy grade of oil is required for some extreme operations that basic tractor operations will never encounter. Base oil can be petrolium, synthetic or a synthetic blend, just like other oils. Some manufacturers continue to use Naphathenic base oils in spite of their poor temperature tolerences and lubricant abilitiy but the majority have gone to paraffinic stock while some use synthetic. The water repelling you refer to when addressing oil base is better talked about when talking about thickening agents. For example, Lithium thickened greases will emulsify moisture while Aluminum Complex is water proof.

A synthic 460 base oil would be fantastic for any compact tractor. Extremely low water wash out, high timkin OK load tests, great tempture range - Citgo's being from -40 to 195f, Conoco's being rated at -40 to 205f. If you need to go below -40 for a compact tractor, then you're already going to be using special ultra low pour point hydrualic fluids and engine oils.

Napthenics have gotten extremely rare and I would venture say the vast, vast majority of manufacturs today have stopped using napthenics. Especially as the majority of napthenic refineries have closed. The only 'regular' use today of napthenics is transformer oils. Sure, we could talk Aluminum complex vs. Lithium complex vs. Calcium based greases - but again, Aluminum and Calicum based greases are made to order and do not play nicely together. Trust me, I sell millions of pounds of Aluminum, Calcium and Lithium. Do not try to mix them. For off the shelf purposes, lithium is the most common, by far - and to me, the only one I was worried about while writing it.

While it is true there are only a few producers of base stocks, there are many manufacturers of greases and oils. The grease manufacturers or blenders will buy the base stock and create the grease according to their own set of standards. Whatever proprietary formulas they use is what makes some greases perform better than others.

Yeaaah... not really. I'll disagree with this, a lot. Oils? Yes, there are tons of ILMA's out there and compound blenders. However greases? Yeah, no. Battenfeld, Mobil, Citgo, Lubrizol, Chemtool... About it. As for 'proprietary blends' I would disagree with too. Most 'private label' brands - i.e. Tractor supply, TRC, Lucus, etc. etc. Do not buy enough to warrant there own 'blend'. As well, only certain additive manufactures make grease additives. So, you're going to be buying X company's base oil, Y company's additive package and Z company is going to blend it together. I could tell you who make's who's grease, but most of that information is confidential.


[quote
Grease is far more complicated than "Soap, Bright stock base oil and Dye." If you want to reduce your grease consumption and have increased protection, then go with an aluminum complex grease with a 3% Moly minimum. That leaves Lubriplate, Schaeffers and TRC. I'm sure there are a few smaller manufacturers that produce A/C grease with Moly, I just can't think of any at this time.[/QUOTE]

Personally, out of the 3 you just listed, the only one I would buy is Lubriplate. But, I wouldn't user an aluminum complex in a compact tractor. Lithium is more then fine for our purposes, the price range and use. If you were running said tractor in a 24/7 farm - then yes, I would consider aluminum complex. But, for a 1026r? Lithium Complex is my vote.