Modern lubrication for modern tractors

Modern agricultural and construction equipment face harsh conditions and require superior lubrication.

As technology evolves in the world of agricultural and construction equipment, more is expected of the fluids used to lubricate these machines.  According to the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, more than 62 million gallons of universal tractor hydraulic/transmission oil is sold annually in the United States.  Most is used to lubricate agricultural and construction equipment, facing high loads, high operating temperatures and generally severe operating conditions.

Most medium and large tractors have at least one hydraulic pump, which delivers up to 45 gallons of fluid per minute at pressures ranging up to 2900 psi. Up to five ports or control valves on the tractor connect and regulate the fluid's flow to implements and othet devices. Cold starts, dirty conditions, water ingress, large loads and high operating temperatures are common conditions endured by modern tractor hydraulic/transmission fluids.  In addition, they must meet the performance criteria for multiple applications and perform a variety of tasks, including cooling and lubrication wet disc clutches and wet brakes, lubrication the transmission and final drive unit and performing in continuously variable hydraulic transmissions and a variey of hydraulic applications.

Considering all the diverse and complex duties of a tractor hydraulic/transmission oil, only a top-of-the-line lubricant will deliver efficient operation and reduced downtime.  Mating surfaces in the lubricated parts of a tractor, including brakes, pumps and transmissions, often have parts made from yellow metals or synthetic resins.  Although these materials can deliver significant performance benefits, certain lubricant chemical additives and degradation  products can attack and damage them.

Lubricant manufacturers face significant challenges in combining effective antiwear and extreme pressure performance with low reactivity with surfaces made of yellow metal or synthetic resin.  Too strong a chemistry can lead to component degradation, while too mild a chemistry leads to premature wear and scoring problems.

One common tractor problem over the years has been premature pump failure attributed to yellow metal degradation.  The tractor's lubricant can either escalate yellow metal degradation problems or remedy them though their inherent chemistry, through additives and/or through superior friction and heat reduction.

Another common problem in modern tractors is brake chatter.  Unless external damping factors prevent it, tractor bakes vibrate at a certain frequency.  Friction within the system can either dampen or excite the vibration.  A tractor's lubricant plays a large role in controlling friction-induced vibrations, and it is up to the lubricant to suppress vibrational tendencies of the mechanical components wherever possible.

AMSOIL   Synthetic   Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Oil (ATH) provides superior lubricating protection and performance in modern agricultural, construction and industrial equipment.  It is formulated specifically to meet the tough application requirements of heavy-duty, hydraulic-powered operations and exceeds the performance requirements of virtually every piece of modern machinery, significantly reducing wear, resisting friction and heat, suppressing brake chatter, protecting against rust and corrosion and effectively extending both fluid and equipment service life.