Guidelines for Selecting Gearbox Oil

“My question is regarding lubricant selection for a heavily loaded, slow-speed gearbox that faces dropping viscosity and increasing wear issues. The gearbox is used in a steel melt shop and has a forced lubrication system with an operating temperature of 52 degrees C. The manufacturer’s recommendation is a 680 viscosity grade (VG) mineral oil, but should we choose a 1000 VG polyalphaolefin (PAO) oil or a 1000 VG mineral oil with plastic deformation (PD) additives?”

 

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Guidelines for Selecting Gearbox Oil

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