Husker Synthetics
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Independent AMSOIL and AGGRAND Dealer
AMSOIL Order and Help Line (402)499-4301 Local (877)760-9048 Toll Free Calls answered 7 Days a week • |
| Unbeknownst to many motorists, most differential wear occurs during the break-in period. AMSOIL Dealers can do customers and prospects a service, as well as earn more sales, by encouraging them to change their gear lube following the break-in period in order to reduce wear and extend differential life. Motorists know when they’re supposed to change their motor oil. They have oil life monitors, oil change centers and commercials all telling them when it’s time for an oil change. Differential oil changes, on the other hand, often get overlooked. Many people don’t even think of the differential when performing routine maintenance on their vehicles and don’t realize four-wheel drive trucks have two differentials and a transfer case that all require service. In fact, according to one quick lube company, only one to two percent of their customers purchase a differential gear lube change. Most differential wear occurs during the break-in period. 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 cause additional stress to the differential during the break-in period and can cause premature differential damage or failure. Changing the gear lube after the break-in period (about 3,000 miles) is a low-cost maintenance investment that provides a significant payoff, including greatly reduced wear, extended differential gear and bearing life and protection for expensive vehicle investments. Auto manufacturers recognize the importance of draining abrasive break-in materials. As seen in Chart 1, some manufacturers recommend an initial drain interval of between 500 and 3,000 miles. Differential internal components consist of six gears (one pinion, one ring, two side and two spider gears), six bearings (two pinion, two carrier and two axle) and sometimes include a clutch setup for limited slip performance. All of these parts require high quality, clean gear oil in order to perform at an optimal level. Most pickup trucks, SUVs and vans operate in severe service conditions, including towing, hauling, steep hill driving, commercial use, plowing, racing, off-road use, rapid acceleration, frequent stop and-go operation and high ambient temperatures. These severe service operating conditions subject the differential to extreme pressures and operating temperatures. 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. Differentials today are subjected to severe duty service and encounter more stress and heat than was seen only a few years ago. Modern gear oils are faced with the challenge of providing adequate wear protection during severe service operating conditions, while also providing maximum fuel efficiency.
Approaches for Optimizing Efficiency and Vehicle Life, “Concurrent with the strong drive toward better fuel economy, consumers have been demanding increased performance, which has required axle lubricants with enhanced durability protection and lower operating temperatures. There has been a 34% increase in engine horsepower over the last decade, while axle gear sizes have remained constant, sump capacities have been lowered, and drain intervals extended. In the light truck segment there has been a 93% horsepower increase since 1981.” Further evidence of stress and increased temperatures during the differential break-in period is documented in a 2005 SAE paper entitled The Effect of Heavy Loads on Light Duty Vehicle Axle Operating Temperature. A light duty GM truck towing 14,000 pounds was driven from Orange County, Calif. to the Nevada state line. The test was conducted with both a new axle and a broken-in axle. Over level ground towing, oil temperature was measured at 230 degrees F in the new axle and 203 degrees F in the broken-in axle. Oil temperature over the most grueling portion of the trip, during which a maximum 6% grade was encountered, revealed the new axle was operating at 350 degrees F and the broken-in axle was operating at 300 degrees F. Laboratory dynamometer test results simulating a truck hauling a trailer provided similar results, with level ground towing temperatures recorded at 266 degrees F with the new axle and 194 degrees F with the broken-in axle and towing temperatures (at a 3.5% grade) recorded at 370 degrees F with the new axle and 295 degrees F with the broken-in axle.
AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR™ Synthetic Gear Lubes are recommended for turbo diesel pick-ups, SUVs, vans, delivery/utility vehicles, light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, heavy equipment, 4x4s, tow trucks, race cars, tractors and motor homes. AMSOIL Synthetic Gear Lubes save motorists money through extended drain intervals, and they also cost less per quart compared to many competing OEM gear lubes:
A test on four separate vehicles further demonstrated the importance of changing the factory-fill gear lube within the first few thousand miles. Oil analysis results revealed most of the wear in vehicle one occurred within the first 6,869 miles. Despite higher mileages, vehicles two and three only showed slightly higher iron wear than vehicle one. Vehicle four was the only vehicle which had the factory-fill oil changed to AMSOIL synthetic gear lube, and despite significantly higher mileage than the first three vehicles, it showed a significantly lower level of wear. The chart and photos below provide visual evidence of the wear materials present in the differentials of each vehicle. The photos clearly show that the heaviest amount of wear occurs early in the break-in period. Wear is significantly reduced when the gear lube is changed to AMSOIL synthetic gear lube following the break-in period.
Many truck and SUV owners personalize their vehicles with aftermarket products such as lift kits, tires and rims, custom grills, paint, wheel well flairs and engine upgrades. While these upgrades and accessories can increase engine performance and add plenty of visual appeal, they do nothing for extending drive train life. Most people perform proper engine maintenance and change their engine oil on a regular basis, but according to one quick lube business, only about 2 percent of its customers purchase differential gear lube changes. Sometimes this out of sight, out of mind differential neglect results in costly gear failure, leaving the motorist stranded on the highway. There are two basic ways to change differential gear lube. The old fluid may be drained or suctioned out and the differential refilled with new gear lube, or the differential cover may be removed to allow more of the old gear lube to drain out and allow access to the magnet inside the differential. Unlike engines, differentials are not equipped with filters. Instead, magnets that are open to the entire gear lube sump are used to catch some of the metal wear particles. When changing differential fluid, the magnet should be cleaned to ensure the new gear lube does not become contaminated. After draining the old fluid and cleaning the magnet, the differential cover should be re-installed and the differential filled with the correct viscosity grade of AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR® Synthetic Gear Lube. The use of cleaning solvents is not recommended. Initial differential oil changes are recommended by some manufacturers after the first 500 to 3,000 miles. Even when vehicle manufacturers do not specify to change the factory-fill gear lube to remove wear particles, it is a good practice to do so. For optimum gear and bearing life, AMSOIL recommends the factory-fill differential gear lube be changed no later than the first 5,000 miles with new or rebuilt gears, followed by 50,000-mile drain intervals in severe service or 100,000-mile drain intervals in normal service when using AMSOIL synthetic gear lubes. AMSOIL recommends any one of three SEVERE GEAR viscosity grades, 75W-90, 75W-110 or 75W-140, for turbo diesel or 4x4 trucks, SUV’s and automobiles. SEVERE GEAR 75W-90 (SVG) replaces competitive 75W-90 and 80W-90 gear lubricants and delivers the optimum fuel efficiency and cold temperature performance of all the SEVERE GEAR gear lubes. SEVERE GEAR 75W-110 (SVT) replaces competitive 75W-110, 75W-90 and 80W-90 gear lubricants and delivers increased fluid film wear protection over lighter viscosity fluids and better fuel efficiency than 75W-140 gear lubes. SEVERE GEAR 75W-140 (SVO) replaces competitive 75W-140, 80W-140 and 85W-140 gear lubes in applications where these viscosities are recommended by equipment manufacturers.
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