Hydraulic Fluid - Fact or Fiction?

[speedracer2020]

Sorry to be asking all these questions but I am new to the tractor world. While at an independent tractor repair shop checking on some other issue the topic of hydraulic fluid came up. The mechanic said that with the JD 2040 (and perhaps other models as well) that I needed to ONLY USE JD hydraulic fluid (Dura...?) When I asked him why, he said because the tractor has wet brakes any other hydraulic fluid will, over time, disintegrate the brake lining material and thereby ruin the brakes. I mentioned that I saw a video whereby the presenter of the video is shown pouring in a bucket of hyd fluid (sorry he had a number with it and mentioned he bought it from Rural Tractor or Tractor Supply) into his JD tractor. I asked, so that fluid he was using because it was NOT JD will, in time, destroy his brakes - his answer YES. While he has no horse in this race is this true? IF YES, are there any other fluids that need to be JD ONLY? Thanks for your responses and your patience..

 

[IXLR8]

As long as the fluid you use meets JD specs for that tractor, you will be okay. You don't need to buy the fluid from JD, it just needs to meet the JD specs. The fluid from Tractor Supply is not the best and I wouldn't use it, although others have used it with no reported issues.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

In a gear drive tractor, I have no problem with TSC "premium" hydraulic oil...

BUT, "if" the tractor has the whiner transmission, then I would not use TSC, probably I'd use the makers oil.

SR

 

[MHarryE]

The problem with wet brakes and wet clutch packs on power shift or power reversing transmissions is using gear oil. EP additives in gear oils often contain sulfur which inhibits surface to surface welding at gear contact points. EP additives are especially used in gears with sliding surfaces. Sulfur attacks copper based materials like bronze used in wet brakes and power shift clutch disks. Most tractors use hydraulic oil with anti-wear additives that do not attack the disks. The less expensive universal hydraulic fluids carried by many farm stores do not have the problem causing EP additives. They likely claim meeting the manufacturer spec. However, most major manufacturers oils exceed their spec by a considerable margin but so do better oil company branded oils. The company for which I worked developed their oils with a large oil company that until Tuesday was part of the Dow 30 companies. For every oil we sold under our brand name there was an equivalent oil under their name. Could I tell if a customer switched to a different oil? Yes. I saw pitting at 5,000 hours with generic lube that I rarely saw at 20,000 hours on gearboxes always in the factory fill oil. But are you going to run high loads for high hours like a contractor would? It’s all a trade off.

 

[Tx Jim]

speedracer2020
When you tractor was new JD sold hyd oil that was labeled "303" that contained sperm whale oil. US government outlawed the use of the SW oil so there is no true "303" oil sold today. Today the oil sold by JD is called Hy-Gard & has spec's of J20C. Any hyd oil that meets or exceeds spec's of J20C should be fine for your 2020. Another detrimental thing to wet brakes/clutch discs is moisture. If your tractor hyd oil oil ever has any moisture in it or milky color it needs to be changed to new oil immediately.

 

[dodge man]

I am rarely a big believer in using the manufacturers fluids but when it comes to hydraulic fluid I do. That said I am sure other fluids meet the Hy Gard spec. For some reason I just want to make sure on that one item.

 

[Texasmark]

Well I use TSC Premium, or Harvest King Premium, or other premium oils (JD-20C rated) in my 1988 Ford because of wet brakes, and 2007 and newer tractors due a multitude of goodies requiring such, and regular THD in my 60s model Fords with the "303" marking on the container since they have no facilities requiring the updated additives.

So over the years as my 2007 tractor aged, a geared, shutle shift, wet brake, hydrostatic steered tractor, I noticed a hydraulic whine develop. Thought it was the oil, had been awhile since changing it and the filter, did the change (oil had no milky content and was pretty clear) and whine was still there. Hmmmmmm! One day I was servicing and noticed oil around the rubber hose connecting the pumps to the THD supply line from the main sump. Investigation revealed that the hose had developed cracks that allowed the hyd. pumps to suck air, which in retrospect accounted for slower response of hydraulics, like the FEL. Replaced the hose and guess what.....the whine disappeared, like when the tractor was new.

Moral of the story is.....tain't necessarily the oil causing the whine.......

 

[WranglerX]

The irony here is I was doing some research about hydraulic fluid for my MF GC 1715 and when I when to the page where MF recommended using their Permatran to replace about 20 something brand of fluids for maybe 100 make3s of tractors pretty much seem to say all hydraulic fluids are the same Only thing I would watch is the ISO grade numbering of the fluids...

This page sort of says only use JD fluind is sort of BS....

http://www.uslube.com/pdf/pds/Pib-110.pdf

Probably a bunch of fluid producers that have similar pages....

This may also shed some light on subject...

Guide to Hydraulic Oil - Lubricants for Industrial Equipment | Crown Oil

Dale

 

[Industrial Toys]

I trust and only use JD oil (in everything). Well, maybe not in something that just has a simple pump, isn't too expensive to repair or is really old (or leaking badly).

I do believe they are heavily invested in their oil technology. Maybe I just got sucked in, who knows?

 

[TractorGuy]

Been using Travelers Premium from Tractor Supply in my New Holland AND my JD with no issues. Says right on the label it is compatible with NH134D and Hygard.