RodInNS
02-10-2006 20:11:41
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Re: gear oil in reply to Dan, 02-10-2006 07:07:25
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Ford didn't do anything half assed????? I love Ford tractors as much as anyone, but I'd never say that. Ford, at times, was the master of the half assed short cut, because it saved money. The hydraulic systems on the hundred series tractors would make a good mention in that department, not to be outdone by the S-O-S. Engineering was a constant battle between cost, functionaility, reliability, and manufacturig limitations. Corners are always cut. As far as this debate about tolerances goes.....I don't think I'd agree. A gear, whether it was cut 50 years ago or today, still needs the same amount of backlash to go around without binding. They still react to heat the same way. Many modern tractors that spec TDH exclusively still use a lot of splash lubrication too. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The entire transportation system today is running on SYN 50 in the transmissions and drive axles of heavy trucks. I doubt that you could buy a new heavy truck with mineral oil in these compartments today. Everything is synthetic 50. And they're running a million miles plus before overhauls. You will often find that the most common source of wear in any component is from lubricant deprivation, not from the fluid's weight. Cold starts are ofte fingered in component failures, and operators manuals are full of warnings about not working this or that until it has had time to warm up and circulate properly. I can think of one particular axle I've dealt with that created a lot more misery with gear oil than it did with TDH, and the TDH made it a lot easier to drain the crap out after the heavy gear oil created the wear, due to non movement of oil in cold weather. What makes the oils of today are their additive packages. If those additives break down, then you're left with nothing. But when they perform as expected, and changed within proper service intervals, they will give superiour protection to anything that was spec'd 50 years ago. I simply don't but the heavy oil theory, and there is a massive body of evidence of units in service to support that. Then again, everyone is free to use what makes them happy.Rod
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