Brian Dengel’s article in Gear Solutions magazine provides a useful guide to changing oil in gear trains.
He points out that unlike changing the oil in your car, where the recommended specification will be noted in the manual or on the filler cap, gears require different types of lubricant depending on an array of operating factors.
So what are the properties you need to look for in a lubricant?
The article below comprises 9 tables in all to help you arrive at the answer to the above.
Table 1: the properties of a lubricant
Table 2: optimum viscosity
Table 3: application
Table 4: the proper viscosity for enclosed gears as per manufacturer’s recommendations
Table 5: usage conditions
Table 6: reference values for proper viscosity that are recommended in line with strength calculations
Table 7: some representative lubricants suited for use in worm gear pair applications
Table 8: lists the 4 categories of grease suitable for gearing
Table 9: grease products from representative manufacturers
Hopefully, it will help you to select the appropriate lubricant next time you need to change the oil. Read more.