Generic Hydraulic-Transmission Fluid

[LouNY]

There are many good Tractor Transmission Hydraulic fluids available now days.
Starting with the dealers such as Hy-Tran (IH), or HyGard (JD) or UDT (Kubota),
then you can step up to the latest versions which are either synthetic or para synthetic.
Such as the latest AMBRA (NH) or HYTRAN (CIH) or Super UDT2 (Kubota) and then AGCO has their latest and greatest.
I have been using Cen Pe Co products for a long time and have used the Chevron synthetic transmission/hydraulic fluid.

I have been tempted to try this in at least one tractor some day;

 

[cannuck]

HSTs need clean fluid but don't need special additives. Some (not in tractors) use 10w-30 motor oil instead of hydraulic oil or tractor fluid.
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That is something you should avoid if possible. mulsti vis motor oils such as 10W-30 from non synth base stock uses viscosity index improvers that are very delicate long chain polymers that shear down over time in an easy application (motor oil) but die a horrible and quick death in hydraulics. The VIIs shear down and you have essentially 10 weight oil left.

 

[Vigo327]

My OPINION is that the fluid choice matters more if you actually work the machine in very cold weather. If you don't, I think most people would be surprised how tolerant a lot of these machines would be of different kinds of fluid. If there aren't friction elements in the trans being operated by PWM solenoids, the likelihood of having a functional issue from having a non-original fluid is probably pretty low. I think viscosity is probably the main factor that's going to bite you if you use something that's way off.

 

[RandyT]

That is something you should avoid if possible. mulsti vis motor oils such as 10W-30 from non synth base stock uses viscosity index improvers that are very delicate long chain polymers that shear down over time in an easy application (motor oil) but die a horrible and quick death in hydraulics. The VIIs shear down and you have essentially 10 weight oil left.

Tell that to the lawnmower hydrostat manufacturers then. they use 5W20, 10W30, 10W40, 15W40, 20W50, And the only one I know that recommends synthetic is Tuff-Torq with their 5W50. Know of one Hydrogear unit that calls for 20W20 hydraulic fluid, and JD recommends their Hy-Gard Low Vis, and Cub cadet uses own special fluid, along with a few mower manufacturers,

Most of those units are oil filled for the service life of the transmission. The ones with the external filter and recommended oil change interval are 400-450 hour recommendation. You don't let the motor oil run that long in your engines in most cases.

 

[Jean-Paul]

Pretty much all HST tractors share the Hydro fluid between HST and the other hydraulics. Gear tractors often have a separate transmission fluid reservoir. Lots of info about fluid on this site...

Thank you very much. I'll browse the site posts about this topic.