Early Maintenance of Differentials Extends Equipment Life, Saves Money
You know AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils provide your equipment with superior engine protection, long life and fuel economy. And you know the importance of routine maintenance to keep costs down and equipment running smoothly.
Part of your equipment maintenance should include oil changes in your vehicle engines’ differentials. Four-wheel drive trucks have two differentials and a transfer case that all require service.
Furthermore, most differential wear occurs during the break-in period of the engine. Because differentials are not equipped with filters, break-in metals are suspended in the oil, causing increased wear as the particles mesh between the gears. Hauling heavy loads and towing heavy trailers causes additional stress to the differential during the break-in period and can cause premature differential damage.
Changing the gear lube after the break-in period (about 5,000 miles) greatly reduces wear and extends differential gear and bearing life. Auto manufacturers now recognize the importance of draining abrasive break-in materials. In fact, most manufacturers recommend an initial drain interval between 500 and 3,000 miles.
Most pickup trucks, SUVs and vans operate in severe service conditions such as towing, hauling, climbing steep grades, plowing, racing, off-road riding. Add to that rapid acceleration, frequent stop-and-go operation and high ambient temperatures, and you have a high-pressure, hightemperature environment.
New vehicles such as turbo diesel trucks and vehicles with V-10 engines boast more horsepower and torque than their predecessors, but differential designs have remained virtually unchanged.
Modern gear oils are faced with the challenge of providing adequate wear protection during severe service operating conditions, while also providing maximum fuel efficiency.
Tests on four vehicles demonstrate the importance of changing the factory-fill gear lube within the first few thousand miles. (See chart below.)
| Vehicle | Miles on Vehicle | Miles on Oil | Viscosity | Iron Wear PPM | Oil Brand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6,869 | 6,869 | 14.55 | 493 | GM Factory Fill |
| 2 | 16,766 | 16,766 | 14.57 | 542 | GM Factory Fill |
| 3 | 50,994 | 50,994 | 14.58 | 608 | GM Factory Fill |
| 4 | 146,764 | 18,101 | 14.97 | 83 | AMSOIL SVG |
| Severe Gear Chart | |||||
Oil analysis shows most of the wear in vehicle one occurred over the 6,869 miles shown on the odometer. Despite higher mileages, vehicles two and three only showed slightly higher iron wear than vehicle one. Vehicle four, which had the factory-fill oil changed early to AMSOIL synthetic gear lube, showed a significantly lower level of wear despite significantly higher mileage than the first three vehicles.
Results show the most effective way to reduce wear and damage to differentials is to change the fluid early to AMSOIL gear lube.
AMSOIL Severe Gear™ 75W-90 and 75W-140 Synthetic Gear Lubes are formulated for severe service applications, protecting differential gears for extended drain intervals of up to 50,000 miles in severe service and 100,000 miles in normal service, or longer where specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Formulated with shear stable synthetic base stocks and an extra treatment of additives, SEVERE GEAR™ Gear Lubes provide unsurpassed wear protection and friction reduction, while their excellent thermal stability prevents thermal runaway, a phenomenon caused by a lubricant’s inability to control friction and increased heat under high stress conditions. AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR™ Synthetic Gear Lubes are recommended for turbo diesel pickups, SUVs, vans, delivery/utility vehicles, light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, heavy equipment, 4x4s, tow trucks, race cars, tractors and motor homes.
Complete Pricing on Amsoil Differential Fluids
