Choosing the right transmission oil

How to choose the right transmission oil?

Ltransmission oil, also known as gearbox oil, is the liquid that circulates in your transmission and in particular in the box to lubricate it and protect its components from premature wear. The transmission oil is chosen according to the type of gearbox (automatic or mechanical) and is drained periodically to maintain its properties.

What is transmission?

Made up of the gearbox, differentials, driveshaft and clutch, the transmission system is therefore essential to the proper functioning of your vehicle. It contains many mechanisms, bearings, gears and shafts that need to be lubricated in order to facilitate their movement, just as the different parts of your engine are lubricated par engine oil.

The transmissions of scooters, mopeds, motorcycles and quads are lubricated with transmission oil. Without sufficient lubrication, the mechanical friction of the gears would simply be far too high. As the oil ages over time and thus loses the necessary viscosity and also becomes dirty due to metal abrasion, the transmission oil should be changed at regular intervals. Service intervals vary by model, manufacturer and driving style.

In mechanics, transmission means transmitting the energy generated.ar the motor to the wheels. Several elements come into play in this process, among them the gearbox and the differential bridge. The force generatedepar the engine is transmitted to the wheels par through a gearbox and one or more differential bridges.

What is the role of gearbox and axle oil?

The oil lubricates the gears and bearings present in the gearbox and/or the axle (differential):

- Traction vehicles: the axle is integrated into the gearbox

- Propulsion vehicles: the bridge is separate

The four-wheeled motrices have two: one for the mo wheelstrices front and the other for the mo wheelstrices back.

The gearbox contains the pinions necessary for the reduction of the desired ratios and par through the differential, drives the wheels. Axle (differential) is a pinion system to drive the wheels with a difference in the speed of rotation of the wheels in a curve or a bend.

Why change the gearbox and axle oil?

Like engine oil, transmission oil has antioxidant and cleansing properties. However, at force to circulate within the transmission, this oil can lose quality over time. It must therefore be emptied regularly.

There are no rules or standards for changing your gearbox oil. It depends on the model and age of your quad, the oil you used. We advise you to look in the maintenance manual for your machine. You must take care to regularly check the level of the transmission oil, regardless of your vehicle or the oil used. Check its level, but also if there is no leak, or if the oil is not clogged. You can also be alerted par several "symptoms" that make you realize that you need to change your transmission oil. Here are some of the most common examples:

- Your gears creak regularly

- You have some difficulty starting cold

- Your clutch slips or sticks

Over time the oil loses quality (lower resistance to heat and loss of viscosity) and becomes saturated with metallic residues linked to the friction of gears and gearbox linings automatic. However, the oil may be missing in the event of a leak in the gearbox seals.

Several clues to help you identify if an oil change is necessary:

Manual gearbox:

- The gears shift poorly when cold: the oil has lost its viscosity but compensates as soon as it heats up

- The gears constantly shift badly: the oil has lost its viscosity

- The gears creak: the gearbox oil is too fluid

- The gears jump: there is a lack of oil in the gearbox due to a leak

Automatic gearbox:

- When cold, the reaction time on starting (from neutral to first gear) is longer: the oil has lost its viscosity but compensates as soon as it heats up

- Starting requires more power: lack of oil linked to a leak

- The gears are slow to shift or even impossible: not enough or no more oil linked to a leak

How to choose transmission oil?

The transmission oil must be chosen according to the type of transmission in question: mechanical or automatic. Particular attention should be paid to the viscosity index of the transmission oil.

The viscosity index measures the speed at which a fluid flows and allows in particular to categorize the oil according to its recommended use.

For a mechanical transmission, this is a thicker oil that is suitable for the gears. The viscosity index is higher. This index is given in a form like 75W90. The first number corresponds to the cold viscosity, the W for winter and the second number to the hot viscosity.

CAUTION: For lubricating oil, the criteria are not the same as for engine oil. Under no circumstances can you use type 5W-30 engine oil for your vehicle. Transmission oils are indeed designated via an international designation. The GL-3 or GL-5 nominations are dominant.

Choosing the wrong transmission oil can cause damage. Thus, we recommend that you inform yourself well about the oil to be used before purchasing.

The correct transmission oil for your vehicle is normally listed in your service book. It is important to follow your manufacturer's recommendations to choose a transmission oil that matches your gearbox.

There are several viscosities of quad gear oils:

- 80WT for boxes and decks of quads POLARIS

- 80W90 for hypoid gearboxes (possessing extreme properties, allowing the operation of gears under heavy loads subjected to high speeds with repeated brutal loads es)

- 75W90 and 75W140 recommended for quad boxes and decks CAN-AM

- ATF for automatic transmissions

- 10W30 for 2 stroke engine boxes

Like engine oils, transmission oils come in different grades, synthetic for the best, semi-synthetic for the medium and finally mineral for the less worked. A good oil with a grade adapted to your machine will bring you more performance with a foolproof protection of force, temperature...

All transmission oils ➜