Bad info in 1538 operators manual.

[dickfoster]

I'm doing the 50 hour on my new tractor. The owners manual calls for changing out the front axle oil at 50 hours but it specs filling with regular hydraulic oil like that used in the hydraulics. Sorry but I've done a lot of differential work and that stuff just isn't thick enough nor does it have the right additives for differential gears like those in the front axle. When I looked in what passes for a service manual it calls for SAE 80 gear oil which does sound about right. I'll probably use at least 75W90 synthetic as I've had good luck with that in differentials and gear boxes. I may add a little Red Line Shockproof too.

This is just more proof that Mahindra puts very little effort into their documentation and thought I'd warn others not to fill their front axle with hydraulic oil. I wonder what they'd do if someone did that following the manual then their axle wore out and broke down under warranty. Would Manindra fess up, step up and take care of it or not?

BTW the engine oil filter obviously had been installed with a wrench because I had a very difficult time getting it to break free, especially considering how they buried the thing under all that hydraulic plumbing. The filter can crushed before it finally broke free.

For the oil nuts, I used Valvoline 5W40 heavy duty diesel synthetic in the engine. That should cover the entire range of temperatures that I'll see around here. I found very little in the way of wear particles on the drain plug magnets, maybe a very small pinch of fines on each magnet.

 

[Sysop]

My original oil filter was installed, then they painted everything. If yours was the same, perhaps it was the additional seal of the paint that caused it to be so hard to break loose.

 

[dickfoster]

My original oil filter was installed, then they painted everything. If yours was the same, perhaps it was the additional seal of the paint that caused it to be so hard to break loose.

It could have been the paint but it was pretty dang tight, even tighter than I suspect a little paint would cause.
BTW I've never seen anyone paint fan belts, alternators and wiring. Do they spray them or dip them? Whichever, it's idiotic and they should stop doing it. I think this is probably done in India by the Mahindra engine plant. It's just not something the Japanese would do.

 

[oldpilgrim]

The owners manual calls for changing out the front axle oil at 50 hours but it specs filling with regular hydraulic oil like that used in the hydraulics........................................This is just more proof that Mahindra puts very little effort into their documentation and thought I'd warn others not to fill their front axle with hydraulic oil. I wonder what they'd do if someone did that following the manual then their axle wore out and broke down under warranty. Would Manindra fess up, step up and take care of it or not?

that's what was and is again in mine. You have no problem with the rear end being lubed by hydro oil? All the hst's do it that way.

there is no problem using hydro fluid.

 

[dickfoster]

that's what was and is again in mine. You have no problem with the rear end being lubed by hydro oil? All the hst's do it that way.

there is no problem using hydro fluid.

Then splain why it's different for other Mahindra tractors, other tractors in general, every other gear box I've ever seen and it's called out different in the 1538 service manual.

I've done enough diff work to know that if gear lube doesn't stink with that rotten egg, sulphur smell then it probably isn't any good for gears. This is clearly another Mahindra manual mistake. If not then the service manual is wrong. One of them has to be wrong as both can't be right so I think it's the operator's manual at fault in this instance. Granted neither is done very well nor has either been proof read at least not by anyone who speaks English but in this instance I'll go along with the service manual.

If you have hydro oil in your front diff, I suggest you drain and replace it with gear lube.

 

[oldpilgrim]

If you have hydro oil in your front diff, I suggest you drain and replace it with gear lube.

my manual(s) say hydro fluid, it came with UTF in it. It's already in the rear because of the hst. Are you saying the hst/rear gears should not have UTF in it?

You do what you want but just don't try to create a panic because you 'know' things won't work.

 

[JerryK]

I'd like to have a dollar for every Cummins owner that has complained about over tight/hard to remove oil filters during first oil change, same for Mahindra's.... I over tighten mine, too. I'd rather be on the tight side than have one dump the oil while I was running it. My 5035 took regular gear oil in the front axle per the manual. Your manual might be a miss print or something... or maybe your model just calls for it. I know that I had to make sure the stuff I put in was brass friendly, the latest and greatest, etc... Can't remember the specifics .... but it was 80w90.

 

[dickfoster]

my manual(s) say hydro fluid, it came with UTF in it. It's already in the rear because of the hst. Are you saying the hst/rear gears should not have UTF in it?

You do what you want but just don't try to create a panic because you 'know' things won't work.

No I'm talking about the FRONT axle here not the rear that has gallons of fluid but the FRONT axle that only has a little lube, just over a one gallon for the diff and the hub gearing.

Who's trying to create a panic, I'm pointing out the manual has an error. One of them has to have a error. I'm not questioning putting hydraulic oil in the rear and never did.

Besides #1 point here is that one manual says one thing and the other says another. Now which would you follow, the one that makes sense based on a lot of previous experience or the one that doesn't? Gear lube and hydro lube have different additives and different viscosity requirements based on what's going on. The front and rear axles have different needs and require different lubes with different additives based on those needs.

I never said anything about your precious HST either, I have a gear tractor so maybe all of this is all over your head. LOL

Friggin, ground pounders.

 

[JerryK]

Hey, us ground pounders pounded ground mainly courtesy of the Selective Service System back in the 60's.. Some of us were just too easy and got talked into 4 years instead of the normal 2. Thus, we became ground pounding lighting fast chicken pluckers.... Too stupid to know the difference... [[ ]]

 

[dickfoster]

Hey, us ground pounders pounded ground mainly courtesy of the Selective Service System back in the 60's.. Some of us were just too easy and got talked into 4 years instead of the normal 2. Thus, we became ground pounding lighting fast chicken pluckers.... Too stupid to know the difference... [[ ]]

Hey the air farce talked me into seven years, from 67 to 74 so you can't be that stupid. Those puddle pirates are another story.