Hi again
Now I'm having trouble with the gearbox. I started having trouble shifting from 1st into 2nd, hard to get into second gear and is making a groaning noise. Now I am having a difficult time
shifting down into second. The clutch is adjusted properly. I have just changed the oil and I am not sure if I have used the correct stuff. I know that it should be straight run 90 weight mineral oil.
I ended up getting Castrol EPX 80W-90. It is described as an all purpose gearbox and diff lubricant where API classification GL5 oil is recommended. Do not use in worm drive gearboxes or in gearboxes where non-EP oil is recommended. Huh? What in the hell does all that mean.
What do you all use and what have you found to be the best.
Regards
Mike
Hi Mike,
Just did a bit of a search and here is a snippet of info which may shed a bit of light on EP oil (Extreme Pressure) in worm drives.
Sorry others will have more info on your gearbox problem.
Cheers M
Gear Oil Selection
“We would like to standardize on one brand of oil for all our gearboxes but the manufacturer of our worm gears tells us we shouldn’t use the EP (extreme pressure) gear oil we use for our reduction gears for this application. Why can’t you use EP oil for worm gears?”
Many EP gear oils contain sulfurous additives. These additives are designed to chemically bond to the metal surface of the gears and other components under boundary lubrication conditions to prevent welding of asperities on the two opposing surfaces. While vital in preventing metal-to-metal contact in boundary lubrication regimes, they can be corrosive under certain conditions, particularly to yellow metals such as copper, brass and bronze that are commonly used in industrial worm gears and other components.
The best approach to selecting the correct product for a given application is to gain a thorough understanding of the gear type, metallurgy and operating conditions of the component and to discuss these points with your lubricant supplier and equipment manufacturer. The correct lubricant can then be selected based on load, speed, operating temperature and additive requirements.
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