BX24 front axle oil capacity

[RayCo]

The manual for the BX24 states that the front axle holds 5 quarts of gear oil. This didn't seem possible, but I got 5 quarts anyway. At about the 3rd quart, it started overflowing. Is the manual wrong here, or is there something I'm not getting? I drained the old oil out of both drain plugs, as instructed in the manual, so what's going on?

 

[sxs191]

Did you take out the right and left breather plugs along with the drain plugs? My BX25 said it took 5 quarts also but I was only able to get 4 quarts in. Wait a few hours, check it again and top it off if needed. Then check it again in a week or so. As long as the dip stick is registering full you should be fine.

 

[dodge man]

I think its hard to get all the old stuff out. I will find out soon as I will be doing the 300 hour service soon and that is on the list of things to do.

 

[RayCo]

I let it drain for quite a while, and I did it with the axle even, then tilted to each side afterward for a while just for good measure. It was definitely not 5 quarts that came out, and I'm hoping that's because the manual's wrong, not because my level was low. I haven't really driven the tractor since changing the oil, so after I do, I'll have to check the level and see if it'll take the rest. Visually, from the outside, it doesn't look like it will hold five quarts...

 

[thavil]

Reading this post and others like it, can SUDT and gear oil be mixed? Since I know I couldn't drain all the SUDT my dealer put in the front axle, I stuck with SUDT instead of switching to gear oil.

 

[RayCo]

Reading this post and others like it, can SUDT and gear oil be mixed? Since I know I couldn't drain all the SUDT my dealer put in the front axle, I stuck with SUDT instead of switching to gear oil.

Unfortunately, I didn't even think about this... And now that you mention it, I'd say it was SUDT that I drained out, thinking back to what it looked like. Swell.

 

[bp fick]

I have changed my BX front axle to 75w-90 semi synthetic.

I believe it virtually impossible to drain everything, vents open or not, although it helps. My experience was that it won't all go back in at once either. I found that I had to top it off once or twice over the next month of use, and that meant engaging the 4 wheel drive. These BXs are notorious for air pockets in the front axle.

As for "mixing", there is no choice. There just isn't. Most of fluid in mine is now Gear Lube and I love it. Over time, and with 2 more changes, over the next few years, it will all be Gear Lube. UDT, SUDT, Gear Lube, they are all oily stuff and they lube. I lose absolutely no sleep over it. We all tend to way over think this stuff.

 

[thavil]

To be honest, I don't think I am over thinking this. I have been meaning to ask the question on mixing SUDT and gear oil for awhile but kept forgetting to post it. I have read many posts where you should never mix different viscosities, different brands, and even different kinds of grease but when it comes to the front axle, two totally different lubricants are being mixed. I also wonder if this mixture will break down sooner?

 

[bp fick]

To be honest, I don't think I am over thinking this. I have been meaning to ask the question on mixing SUDT and gear oil for awhile but kept forgetting to post it. I have read many posts where you should never mix different viscosities, different brands, and even different kinds of grease but when it comes to the front axle, two totally different lubricants are being mixed. I also wonder if this mixture will break down sooner?

Don't know. Still don't see how it can be helped, if one wishes to switch from any of the three or four possibilities, udt, sudt, gear dino, gear semi, gear syn, as there will always be some residue.

Similar to the issues with "switching" on hydro. The lines of the FEL, etc, always have some left over.

Yeah, I admit I thought about it too. I changed mine at my dealer's suggestion. It has been a year and no issues. Still, I intend to dump my axle annually, not by hours usage, so it is going to get changed over anyhow.

 

[DiezNutz]

but when it comes to the front axle, two totally different lubricants are being mixed.

Not really. They both have a dino base; not as if we're mixing oil and water. My guess is any leftover (S)UDT simply dilutes the gear oil ever slightly.

And lots of people have been replacing one for the other for years without issue. The front axle lube doesn't have constant, extreme heat and contaminants from friction (high rpms) and combustion breaking it down - e.g., at the rate engine oil does - only pressure. The regular replacement intervals are designed to prevent finding out what happens well before it is compromised, if you follow them, which is the most important thing, no matter which lube you choose.

Fair question, but I agree with fick, not worth losing sleep over the mixing.

(Greases OTOH, being not liquids but semi-solid emulsions of a variety of different bases, are a different subject altogether)