Authors

J Whittle
1Shell Research Ltd, Thornton Research Centre, Chester.
Abstract
Extract
Although in the United Kingdom there are still substantial fleets of buses, truc
ks, and taxis fitted with worm-gear axles, the number of new vehicles
fitted with this type of axle is decreasing and vehicle manufacturers are turnin
g to other forms of final drive spiral bevel, hypoid, and double reduction and
foregoing some of the advantages of the worm-gear such as low propeller shaft li
ne and large reduction ratio in one stage.
This decline in the popularity of the worm axle is due to a number of factors in
cluding high initial cost, and maintenance problems arising from the wear
and pitting (which can be severe) of the bronze worm-wheel. In addition, thicken
ing due to oxidation of the conventional mineral oils generally used in these
axles is becoming more of a problem as engine powers, and hence axle temperature
s, increase. Unfortunately, worm-gear lubricants have not received the same
attention from the petroleum industry as, for example, hypoid-gear oils. However
, the work of Merritt (I)
A numerical list of reference is given in the Appendix.
and Watson (2), who have conducted experimental work on disc machines, and also
the keen interest and work of Wilford (3) must be recalled.
There is little doubt that the worm-gear, with its particular advantages, could
be retained for increased duty if a lubricant with qualities superior
to those of a straight mineral oil could be found and used. The basic requiremen
ts for such a worm-gear lubricant would be:
Friction should be lower than with a mineral oil. Low friction implies low oil a
nd metal temperatures and also low power loss which can lead to fuel economy.
Wear and pitting should be less than with mineral oils. To some extent this shou
ld follow from the lower friction but a new lubricant should give inherently
less wear and pitting than mineral oils.
Oxidation stability should be better than inhibited mineral oil. Because rate of
oxidation is a function of oil temperature and concentration of catalyst
(copper from the bronze in soluble form or in the form of small particles) lower
temperatures and lower wear should improve oxidation. The lubricant should
also possess good inherent or induced oxidation stability.
A viscosity-temperature relation as good as, or better than, the normal grade of
worm-gear oil. Worm-gear oils usually have a viscosity index (V.I.) of about
100. This ensures that channelling or excessive oil drag is minimized at cold-st
arting conditions.
The improved lubricant should have no serious detrimental side effects.
Overall it should be economically competitive with mineral oils.
This paper deals with several investigations which have been carried out on the
various aspects of worm-gear lubrication which have led to the development of
a premium grade of lubricant which appears to meet most, if not all, of the basi
c requirements stated above.

Table 1. caption: Temperature rise data on synthetic oil A in worm-gear axles

Table 2. caption: Effect of fat on pitting
Table 3. caption: Test results
Table 4. caption: Mineral oil data
Table 5. caption: Pitting and wear results
Table 6. caption: Mineral oil analysis
Table 7. caption: Pitting times and wear rates
Table 8. caption: Pitting and wear results on wear disc machine
Table 9. caption: Results of endurance test
Table 10. caption: Increase of viscosity, CS at 100F, per thousand miles
Table 11. caption: Axle oil temperature data
Table 12. caption: Influence of oil viscosity upon oil temperature
Table 13. caption: Operating temperatures (C) of two test oils at the beginning o
f the test
Table 14. caption: Data on used synthetic oil A
Table 15. caption: Horsepower and overall efficiency values from tests on indust
rial worm-gear units for 55C temperature rise when lubricated with plain and
synthetic lubricants
Fig. 1. caption: Relation between oil temperature rise and power loss from the a
xle, 7 mile/h condition
Fig. 2. caption: Variation of oil temperature rise with oil viscosity at three t
orque conditions
Fig. 3. caption: Effect of viscosity and compounding upon axle-oil equilibrium-t
emperature rises
Fig. 4. caption: Relation between oil temperature rise and viscosity, 2nd gear c
onditions
Fig. 5. caption: Temperature rises of certain non-mineral oils compared with gen
eral results for mineral oils
Fig. 6. caption: Typical viscosity against temperature data for five oils
Fig. 7. caption: Comparison of churning loss (obtained by towing the vehicle) an
d friction loss in axle of Albion lorry
Fig. 8. caption: Relation between total power loss in a worm rear axle and ZN/P
Fig. 9. caption: Relation between friction power loss in a worm axle and log ZN/
P
Fig. 10. caption: Variation of viscosity at 100F with pressure

Fig. 11. caption: Strip photographs of discs after pitting tests

Fig. 12. caption: High-torque lorry dynamometer
Fig. 13. caption: General arrangement of assembly and controls for lorry and dyn
amometer
Fig. 14. caption: Axle teeth after 400-hour high-torque test on synthetic oil
Fig. 15a. caption: Condition of worm-wheel teeth after 5000 miles on synthetic o
il A
Fig. 15b. caption: Condition of worm-wheel teeth after 5000 miles on SAE 140 min
eral oil
Fig. 16. caption: Typical viscosity-milage curves
Fig. 17. caption: Relation between oil acidity and viscosity
Fig. 18. caption: Relation between corrected oil operating temperature and rate
of viscosity increase
Fig. 19. caption: Results of laboratory oxidation tests at 150C
Fig. 22. caption: Coefficient of fiction curves obtained from disc machine to co
mpare plain mineral oil with synthetic lubricant under the same conditions
Fig. 23. caption: Comparison of load-carrying properties of plain mineral oil an
d synthetic oil A
Fig. 24. caption: Temperature-rise tests on 8 in. centres. Rearaxle worm-gears a
t low speeds with lm power
Fig. 25. caption: Increase in axle oil temperature with distance travelled by th
e test vehicle
Fig. 26. caption: Variation of oil temperature and power loss with oil viscosity
and type. 14 mile per hour condition
Keywords
Automotive engineering