What type hydraulic fluid is everyone using on their tractor

[rScotty]

5030, I agree with your take on the front axle and diff lubes.

But not the advertising. Come on now..... Call 'em like they really are. Chevron is fine, and so is UDT...but their advertising might as well be written by politicians. At least Chevron - probably - refines their own product. Kubota has it done by small time contract refineries and periodically gets a load of bad stuff.

The aren't any performance standards for trans/hydraulic oil. So there is no target to shoot at and no way for one oil to "beat" another. The only spec that exists is for the simplest form of flash point and viscosity....even though they all try to make it look like more than that. So just how does one product "beat" another on either of those?

 

[4570Man]

5030, I agree with your take on the front axle and diff lubes.

But not the advertising. Come on now..... Call 'em like they really are. Chevron is fine, and so is UDT...but their advertising might as well be written by politicians. At least Chevron - probably - refines their own product. Kubota has it done by small time contract refineries and periodically gets a load of bad stuff.

The aren't any performance standards for trans/hydraulic oil. So there is no target to shoot at and no way for one oil to "beat" another. The only spec that exists is for the simplest form of flash point and viscosity....even though they all try to make it look like more than that. So just how does one product "beat" another on either of those?

I was adding some drivetrain oil to my Cat dozers. The old one is basically getting the any oil is better than no oil treatment. The nicer one I bought Cat fluid for. The cheaper oil was an amber color like oil typically is. The cat oil was much clearer. Like almost as clear as water. I don’t know what difference the color amounts to but I’m guessing it’s refined more. The Kubota hydraulic oil is also more clear than the generic replacements. The Cat oil was $30 for a 1 gallon jug which isn’t much different from other generic brands.

 

[5030]

5030, I agree with your take on the front axle and diff lubes.

But not the advertising. Come on now..... Call 'em like they really are. Chevron is fine, and so is UDT...but their advertising might as well be written by politicians. At least Chevron - probably - refines their own product. Kubota has it done by small time contract refineries and periodically gets a load of bad stuff.

The aren't any performance standards for trans/hydraulic oil. So there is no target to shoot at and no way for one oil to "beat" another. The only spec that exists is for the simplest form of flash point and viscosity....even though they all try to make it look like more than that. So just how does one product "beat" another on either of those?

I agree Scotty. I believe (not 100% sure) that Warren Oil produces Sudt for Kubota whereas Chevron refines their own. Chevron, being a commercial / industrial supplier really don't advertise their THF a lot and why it's kind of hard to get. Chevron don't 'hype' it al all. Just plainly states on the label it meets or exceeds the Kubota published specification for UDT and SUDT and nothing more and I'd bet that Chevron being as big as they are, they tested theirs and Kubota before putting that on the label.

One thing I do know from real world experience in the dead of winter up here and that is, the THF cold flows excellently and cold hydraulic response is very good. Not that I don't pre warm the cab tractor prior to moving snow, because I do, but I've never plugged it in, no matter how cold it is and it starts effortlessly with a pre heat of the glow plugs. Part of that I'm sure is I run well maintained starting batteries and change them out at least every 5 years and keep everything clean and corrosion free.

I always run commercial starting batteries with the maximum CCA I can get.

I agree but I also have 'real world' experience.

I believe Kubota (and maybe others as well) run hydraulic oil in the front assist axles just to not have to have another lubricant to deal with but again, real world experience in my case tells me gear oil provides better shock resistance and the specific additives in gear oil prolongs the life of those gears inside as well.

Years ago (I'd like to find the test article but I cannot, the now defunct EMD in McCook, Illinois, ran a first article test (they had a very extensive dyno testing facility) with ordinary hypoid geared axles. They ran one with just plain motor oil, one with no oil and one with hypoid gear oil (Shell btw) and ran them loaded to specification at a set rpm until they failed. The axle with the Shell (Donax I believe) gear oil outlasted the other 2 and when they took it apart, there was very negligible wear. That pretty much sold me on running hypoid oil in my front drives.

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

UDT2 WORKS WELL.

 

[chim]

SUDT2

 

[5030]

Neither SUDT nor SUDT2 has the impact shock resistance that GL4-5 85-140 0r 85-90 has and in my situation that is of paramount importance. Interesting to see Discount Hydraulic Hose is a paid advertiser on here. I've purchased WOG valves from them in the past but when it comes to hoses, I get all mine from the local Parker store as they make them to order with whatever fittings I require, on the spot, so no waiting and down equipment or little down time, which is always important to me....

 

[masscity]

Just changed my transmission oil to SUDT2 again and also did my front axle to Mobil 1 75w-90 again.

The manual on my 1978 B7100DT said to use gear oil in the transmission. Sometime after I bought it I got a notice in the mail that said the manual is wrong.

Letter said to us UDT in it. It now has SUDT2 in it.

 

[5030]

I don't fully understand the difference between SUDT and UDT actually. Both are clear and hard to see on a dipstick and both smell the same as well. Only the price seems to be different.

 

[masscity]

I thought UDT was regular dino and SUDT2 was synthetic or half synthetic.

When I check the dipstick, I hold it horizontal and towards a light and it's easy to see.

Somebody a while back said that he's not going to change his trans fluid at 400 hours, because it's still clear on the dipstick.

Dump it into a white pail and see how black it is. The main reason is that the additives have depleted.

 

[5030]

I thought UDT was regular dino and SUDT2 was synthetic or half synthetic.

I have no idea simply because I don't use it, but I have smelled it before and they both have the same odor. I do use it (SUDT2) in my F series front mount mower simply because it's a hydrostat and Dennis at the dealership told me to. I would prefer using the Chevron THF but Dennis said no so I won't when I change the fluid. THF is much easier to see on a dipstick anyway as it's dyed 'orange' of all colors.