Gear oil is a special class of oil you can use to lubricate gears. The life of the gear depends on the lubrication performance. So, you lose your gears when you don’t pay attention to oil.
A worn-out gearbox can present a serious safety risk and waste your company’s valuable resources. Maintenance costs can escalate quickly and can lead to larger costs down the line.
In this article, we will discuss in detail: Why There Is A Need to Take Note of Gear Oil Aging? What Impact Does A Gear Oil Possess on Final Drive Motor Performance? How Can You Prevent the Gear Oil Aging? If these points sound thought-provoking, continue reading to get such useful information.
Introduction
Gear oil is an emulsion of synthetic base oils that develop resistance against wear properties. It consists of additives that help maintain the proper coefficient of friction.
Gear oils comprise a specific viscosity, such as 10W30, 10W40, and so forth, which signifies their “weight” or density. A higher-grade gear oil you can use to reduce friction. It also allows for faster rotational speeds preventing the heat from rising beyond a specific level.
Gear oil is the lubricant you can use in a machine to reduce the stress on moving parts. Especially the gears and bearings that transmit energy.
What Contributes to Gear Oil Aging?
Multiple things have a lot of influence on the age of your gear oil. Some of the key things are as follows:
High Viscosity
High viscosity indicates less fluidity and oxidation of gear oil. Higher viscosity means that the gear oil is more resistant to flow than dispersing without resistance. High viscosity also indicates that the oil has reached its peak and cannot go any higher. Thus, it makes it hard for the gears to move freely, either with or against each other.
These causes wear and tear over time because the gears overheat, leading to damage. This gear oil then takes the form of sludge or similar to pudding inside your gear hub. It also represents that you have not taken care of proper maintenance measures.
Lubrication Loss
Lubrication is the most important factor facilitating proper gear operation. After all, the gears are not only components but also closely communicate with the rest of the system. Proper lubrication greatly reduces friction within gears and improves gear components’ lifespan.
Lubrication loss occurs when oil does not flow freely in all the parts of a gearbox or bearing. Lubrication loss contributes to a higher level of friction within gear components.
The higher the friction in your gear component. The more difficult it will be for the gears to turn and operate efficiently. This increases wear on the component and leads to premature failure of gears.
Contamination occurs when defective parts move past one another in a machine, spilling dirt or other hard material between them. These further increases friction and may be catastrophic for your excavator components.
Zero Heat Conductivity
When your gear oil flows through the machine. It experiences elevated temperatures and pressures. When the oil temperature gets high, it becomes thin and does not remove heat from the component surfaces. This will lead to rapid wear and tear.
This results in the breakdown of lubricating molecules. When molecular structure alters, it cannot play its role effectively and efficiently. To reduce these effects, heat conductivity is a trait that’s important for every gear oil. It must exchange heat and keep the temperature level under a specific limit.
Depletion of (Phosphoric Acid Ester) EP/ AW Additives
The primary role of EP/AW Phosphoric Acid Ester Additives in gear oil is to prevent wear and corrosion. They contain phosphoric acid ester that acts like a rust inhibitor.
This results in the reduced build-up of sludge associated with wear particles. Thus, making the operation a pleasure by reducing friction. When these additives face depletion. This makes it difficult to lubricate gears effectively, leading to additional wear on parts.
When EP/AW (Phosphoric Acid Ester) depletes in the low-viscosity of gear oil. The viscosity becomes elevated, and oil loses its lubricating ability. The result is a sticky motion at the point of contact, which can lead to friction.
A lack of EP/AW (Phosphoric Acid Ester) decreases heat resistance and rapid wear rate. This can result in premature mechanical wear.
What Impact Does A Gear Oil Possess on Final Drive Motor Performance?
The quality of gear oil is one of the most important factors in final drive motor performance. It can be a very significant factor because it can affect:
- The speed,
- Durability,
- Life cycle
- Quality of your new gearbox
The type of gear oil you will use should be in accordance with OEM. It also plays a prominent role in maintaining pressure/ load distribution between the various gear components.
Severe wear can result from incorrect gear oil, especially if the final drive is continuously under heavy loads.
The key characteristics of gear oil that you must consider for any particular application are as follows:
- Viscosity grade,
- Anti-wear agent content,
- Base stock compatibility and
- End-use
This can save you thousands in maintenance costs throughout vehicle ownership.
How Can You Prevent the Gear Oil Aging?
There are multiple things that you can adopt to prevent the over-aging of gear oil. Some of the key things that are undeniable include:
Check Oil Level
Catching the oil level in your gears is essential for maximum productivity and performance. Optimum oil level in your gears regularly prevents oil aging. It helps you identify leaks and problems as they arise and gives you peace of mind.
You know you’re doing all you can to protect your equipment from damage due to aging engine oil. This helps ensure continuously pumping the right amount into your vehicle’s engine. It ultimately prevents oil aging and replacement intervals.
Replace the Oil on Time
It is essential to replace your gear oil in time. It helps you keep running your equipment at its peak. When you forget to replace your gear oil. It will decrease productivity as well as performance with time. Ultimately leading to decreased working life and overall life.
Verdict
Gear oil is the most important part of any construction equipment. It ensures that it can perform at its best throughout its lifetime. Gear oil plays a critical role in maintaining the smooth running of your machine. It also protects from breakage and enables your machine to generate power efficiently and safely.
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Xugong is a trusted partner for maintenance services and equipment repair or replacement needs. Whether you need small oil gear repair cases to complex oil gear replacement projects.
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