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It would be easy to assume that the requirements for commercial vehicle driveline lubricants are the same throughout the world, but nothing could be further from the truth. Specifying the right type, grade, formulation and quality of gear oil for axles and manual transmissions in commercial vehicles is essential to ensure the best possible fuel efficiency and maximum durability for gear components. But the stark reality is that there are huge regional differences in the types and quality of fluids used throughout the world, sometimes leading to both inadequate protection of expensive equipment and increased fuel consumption. This may happen because the ideal specification of fluid is hard to come by, or through a desire to save money by using cheap, though often inferior, products. Fluids can also be wrongly applied through habit, or failure to understand the substantial longer-term benefits of using the latest gear oil specification. In the US and Western Europe, the importance of using fluids precisely specified by the vehicle and driveline manufacturers is well-understood. So, too, are the benefits of remaining current with the latest generations of fluids as they emerge. But the story is less encouraging elsewhere in the world. In Eastern Europe, India and Asia, for example, the baseline is set much lower and the step up to using the latest fluids, that much higher. In some instances, operators are even known to use engine oils for driveline lubrication on a one fluid suits all basis. Although providing excellent lubrication in engines, engine oil is totally inadequate for axle lubrication and rapidly changes its viscometric profile during use.
Lubrizol is continually striving to educate and inform commercial vehicle operators of the importance of choosing gear oils carefully, to ensure adequate protection while reducing internal friction in the driveline and improving fuel consumption. This process of enlightenment is made more difficult because the starting point is lower in some markets than others.
without going through the entire approvals process all over again. One thing that all new fluids have in common are greater durability with improved thermal stability, much longer drain intervals, lower viscosity for reduced drag and increased fuel consumption, and reduced cost. Given the potential consequences for heavily-stressed costly gear components, using inappropriate fluids for short-term cost savings does not make much sense.
Ambient temperatures vary considerably in different regions across the globe and modern, wide-span multigrade lubricants have been designed to support these differences under SAE J306 guidelines. When running in a hotter climate, the conventional approach is to use a thicker fluid. In a cooler climate a thinner fluid is more appropriate to flow well at lower temperatures, but it should still be capable of providing maximum protection to the driveline components.
Additive Components
Detergent
Prevent oxidation which produces acid, sludge, varnish, thickening and decomposition of the oil. Combats the main causes which are temperature, catalysis by metal ions, oxygen and NOx.
Corrosion Inhibitors
Factors affecting rust and corrosion include the nature of the metal oxide, the presence of a solvents like water, salts, acids, alkalines and temperature. Inhibitors neutralize acid and prevent the formation of film.
Friction
Friction inhibitors take the form of straight-chain and fatty-acid molecules which reduce friction between the two metal surfaces.
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In the US, the pattern is similar, with approved fluid use reaching 59%, extended drain fluids of some sort used by 36% of the market and only 5% using basic fluids. Japan is best of all, with 85% of the market using an OEM-approved fluid. In Brazil the situation is not so good, with 44% using OEM-approved fluids and 48% using basic API GL-4 and API GL-5 fluids. Only 8% not in the first group are using some sort of extended drain fluid.
(Source: Lubrizol-commissioned market research)
Russia, China and India give most cause for concern. Restructuring of the Chinese industry has a part to play in this. Factories are relocating from the coast to poorer inland areas to take advantage of more favorable labor rates. Small trucking companies are overloading vehicles to try and maintain profit margins because rates for carrying freight have remained fixed, despite the extra distances covered. It also means that owner-operators are forced to compromise on maintenance in order to save money. In Russia, 41% of the market uses OEM-approved fluids, largely due to the influx of Western European equipment. In India, it is thought that only 10% are using the approved fluids, with 70% using basic fluids and 20% extended drain, validated products. The story is similar in China, with 80% using basic fluids, 10% using an OEM-approved fluid and another 10% using a high quality, extended drain fluid of some sort.
(Source: Lubrizol-commissioned market research)
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Manual transmission protected by a typical API GL-4 fluid contaminated by heavy deposits
In North America, a predominant specification for commercial vehicle driveline lubricants is SAE J2360, which today applies to both nonsynchromesh manual transmissions and axles. The Class 8 vehicles are usually subject to the OEMs requirements for performance. In many cases (up to 30% in Western Europe), those fluids are synthetic and certified as extended drain fluids capable of surviving intervals of up to 500,000 miles (800,000 km). Lighter-duty pickup trucks and SUVs are often used by tradesmen for hauling tools and materials, as well as towing trailers and boats, and even for plowing snow. Many of these vehicles undergo severe use and require additional protection. Lubrizols new Towproof technology is an example of how new additive packages are being developed to respond to the needs of both the manufacturers and the end user for service-fill gear oil lubricants used in Class 3 through Class 7 vehicles in North America.
There are, however, key differences between North and South America. In North America, trucks are restricted in weight by law to a gross weight of 80,000 lb, mainly due to safety and in the interest of restricting damage to road surfaces. In other countries, such as Brazil and Mexico, there is no such regulation and it is not unusual for the gross weight of a truck to reach 140,000 lb. This puts a tremendous strain on the vehicle driveline, and is exacerbated by mountainous areas and the high temperatures and humidity. Equipment varies considerably throughout North and South America, too. While North American operators tend to stick to domestic products in their choice of commercial vehicles, European brands have a much bigger role in South America. This widespread range of equipment type makes it even more important to meet the criteria laid down by the manufacturers in such demanding conditions. In common with the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia, operators often focus on price rather than performance, and reliance on simple GL-4 or GL-5 specification fluids leads to a high rate of equipment failure in these countries. Moving to SAE J2360 would improve the situation immeasurably, with the savings resulting from reduced wear and tear on vehicles far outweighing a modest additional cost.
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How Lubrizol Aims to Help Operators Drive Their Maintenance Costs Down
Lubrizol has developed a powerful tool to help vehicle operators see for themselves how correct use of the right driveline fluids can cut their maintenance costs dramatically. The Driveline Fleet Calculator Model calculates the difference in cost between standard fluids and extended drain fluids in real terms, even taking into account the cost of fluid changes and the frequency of changes. It also provides illustrations of cost for higher frequency standard drains and lower frequency extended drains, taking into account their impact on service maintenance costs. This means the operator can look at the overall cost of using the correct, high-quality driveline fluid and compare that to the higher maintenance costs incurred by using inappropriate fluids. It also takes into account the cost of trucks being out of service due to unplanned repairs. For a vehicle covering 100,000 miles annually, maintenance expenses represent 11.9% of total cost. Driveline fluid maintenance costs represent only 0.4% of the vehicles variable costs. Here is an example screen from the Lubrizols unique Driveline Calculator Tool. It will soon become available on Axlefacts.com, so watch this space!
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