Traveller (TSC) 80W-90 gear oil

[fried1765]

Is it acceptable (satisfactory) to use Traveller 80W-90 (GL-5) oil in the front axle of my 2006 L48 TLB.
I have no idea what the previous owner used.
Perhaps, SUDT, or even SUDT-2 is in there now..
Can 80W-90 ( GL-5 ) be added, or mixed with,...... possibly existing SUDT/SUDT-2?
Or,.......should I just add SUDT-2, assuming that MIGHT be what is already in there?

 

[6869704x4]

What does it smell like?

 

[fried1765]

What does it smell like?

Have not sniffed it yet.
What should it smell like?

 

[6869704x4]

Have not sniffed it yet.
What should it smell like?

Gear oil and UDT2 both have a distinct odor. UDT2 almost smells sweet.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Is it acceptable (satisfactory) to use Traveller 80W-90 (GL-5) oil in the front axle of my 2006 L48 TLB.
I have no idea what the previous owner used.
Perhaps, SUDT, or even SUDT-2 is in there now..
Can 80W-90 ( GL-5 ) be added, or mixed with,...... possibly existing SUDT/SUDT-2?
Or,.......should I just add SUDT-2, assuming that MIGHT be what is already in there?

Yes its acceptable to drain and refill with a Gl5 gear oil. It wont hurt to mix them but personally I would go the replace route. Gear oil will smell.of sulpher and at ambient temperature will appear much "thicker"

Dan

 

[fried1765]

Yes its acceptable to drain and refill with a Gl5 gear oil. It wont hurt to mix them but personally I would go the replace route. Gear oil will smell.of sulpher and at ambient temperature will appear much "thicker"

Dan

Thank you!

 

[Ktrim]

Gear oil will have that distinct nauseating odor to it.
I would use a better quality product back in. Go with Lucas.

 

[fried1765]

Gear oil will have that distinct nauseating odor to it.
I would use a better quality product back in. Go with Lucas.

Just sniffed it!
No nauseating odor.
Seems somewhat lighter weight than 80W-90 oil also.

Must be either SUDT or SUDT-2.
Can't find any...... fill to level..... plug.
Fill point is on top of casting.
Maybe proper full is to top of casting/housing?

 

[85Hokie]

Maybe proper full is to top of casting/housing?

Don't fill IT THAT high.

Fill point should be about 60-70% of a cross sectional area - and I know that will be hard as hell to see - I would say your pinky should go down a bit BEFORE hitting oil - like a good inch before full-full.

 

[whitetiger]

I have no idea what the previous owner used.

Why would you not drain the oil and add a good quality 80-90?
Then you know what you have got.
The FULL point is up to the plug on the back side of the front axle housing, it is a 14mm head plug on the left-hand side.

 

[fried1765]

Why would you not drain the oil and add a good quality 80-90?
Then you know what you have got.
The FULL point is up to the plug on the back side of the front axle housing, it is a 14mm head plug on the left-hand side.

The tractor has EXCEPTIONALLY low hours, so I just want to be certain that the fluid level is where it should be.
Will need to look again for the FULL "plug on the back side of the front axle housing".....left hand side.
I looked, but did not see it!

 

[fried1765]

Don't fill IT THAT high.

Fill point should be about 60-70% of a cross sectional area - and I know that will be hard as hell to see - I would say your pinky should go down a bit BEFORE hitting oil - like a good inch before full-full.

I think that is just about where it is now.
I used a piece of wire for a depth measure, and it seems like there may be about 3-1/2" of fluid.
I have determined that the oil is SUDT-2

 

[The Evil Twin]

Warren Oil would be just fine in a low speed axle. Top it up, change it, whatever. It will mix just fine, but the gear oil will treat you better if (like me) you never take ot out of 4wd.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Forget smell what does it taste like?

 

[whitetiger]

I think that is just about where it is now.
I used a piece of wire for a depth measure, and it seems like there may be about 3-1/2" of fluid.
I have determined that the oil is SUDT-2

The OPM and WSM show there to be a check plug right below the fill plug.
You should use plug #1 in the picture if it is not there. It should be halfway up compared to the axle housing.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Warren Oil would be just fine in a low speed axle. Top it up, change it, whatever. It will mix just fine, but the gear oil will treat you better if (like me) you never take ot out of 4wd.

I second that thought.

SUDT2 is a multi- purpose lubricant formulated to meet the requirements of a SAE 80 GL-4 gear oil. Its the type of formulation that has been used in manual transmissions and low to medium speed spirral bevel gear drive axles for decades.

The Traveller SAE 80W90 gear oil has been formulated and tested to the more demanding API GL-5 service category requirements (hypoid gears operating at high speed and heavy loads). The EP additive treat rate will be roughly twice the treat rate of SUDT2. It may not be the highest performance brand of hypoid gear oil on the market but in the low speed spiral bevel gear front axle on a Kubota its still heads and shoulders above the perfomance level of SUDT2.

AKA "overkill".

Dan

 

[fried1765]

I second that thought.

SUDT2 is a multi- purpose lubricant formulated to meet the requirements of a SAE 80 GL-4 gear oil. Its the type of formulation that has been used in manual transmissions and low to medium speed spirral bevel gear drive axles for decades.

The Traveller SAE 80W90 gear oil has been formulated and tested to the more demanding API GL-5 service category requirements (hypoid gears operating at high speed and heavy loads). The EP additive treat rate will be roughly twice the treat rate of SUDT2. It may not be the highest performance brand of hypoid gear oil on the market but in the low speed spiral bevel gear front axle on a Kubota its still heads and shoulders above the perfomance level of SUDT2.

AKA "overkill".

Dan

I was thinking that to be very likely.
Thank you for the confirmation!
Being a very old, lazy guy, though,.....I think I'll stay with the SUDT-2 that is clean, and already in there.

 

[fried1765]

The OPM and WSM show there to be a check plug right below the fill plug.
You should use plug #1 in the picture if it is not there. It should be halfway up compared to the axle housing.





View attachment 138726

Thank you!
There is no plug on the side of the casting, below the fill plug, even though so indicated in the picture.
Plug #1 is obviously the way to check fluid level.

 

[BAP]

Have not sniffed it yet.
What should it smell like?

You have never smelled gear oil? I thought you were an expert on everything.

 

[fried1765]

You have never smelled gear oil? I thought you were an expert on everything.

Demeaning/arrogant comment received.
As I might have expected, ....only from you.