SuperTech 85-140W GL-5 - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

EZFEED · 04-18-2009, 22:18

Hey guys, what are your opinions of the WalMart SuperTech 85-140W gear oil? It's says its good for applications where a GL-5 specified grade is required.

The reason I ask is because I just changed the oil in all three axles on my praga and if the stuff is crap then I'd like to know. The manual calls for Shell 90W in all three, I dont have any 90W at the house but I do have a crapload of this brand 85-140W that I use in my Farmall tractors. Since I live out in the sticks I figured I'd change the fluid with this. I figure the axles and bearings have seen some wear and maybe could probably use a little thicker oil. They have to pull the 11.5 tons of vehicle weight plus whatever cargo I may be hauling so wouldn't this be a good thing? I would think so "IF" the oil is a decent oil. I threw about a pint of Molybendum in each housing as well to maybe help out.

Have you guys had any issues with this stuff?
Is this brand crap or is it pretty decent?
Would it have been better to go back with a straight 90W or would you say the 85-140W is a better choice?

Also an oiling question and I know some other axles call for similar funny procedures.

I"m supposed to fill my axles to a certain point BELOW the filler plug........what gives?????

These diffeential housings are about 25" in diameter and the amount they call for in the housings just dont seem like enough. I'd end up only having 3/4 a gallon in each and that just doesn't seem like much given how big they are. Attached are some scans of the front axle, I marked lines on the scans to show the levels.

Line #1 is where I filled it today. This is up to the filler plug, it just seemed right......
Line #2 is where the factory tells you it should be. This doesn't make any sense given that there is plenty of space open for expansion.

Also there is a bushing/bearing on the outside of the front axle that I'm sure needs some juice to hit it from the backside. The rears have a roller bearing and seal in the same location so the oil wont leak into the final drives. These bushings on the front are onlu lubed by the oil that is splashed around by the CV joint. There is a little wall on the backside that retains this oil.

If I fill the housing up to the plug it will only bring it level with the axle tubes. If I fill to factory specs it only takes 3/4 a gallon and that just doesn't seem like enought to lube the lockers and ring and pinion set????

Westech · 04-18-2009, 22:44

well as long as it has the MT-1 rating your good.. I just used it in the rear of my M1009.

I fill the diffs, trans, ect till it starts to come out the hole.. let it stop dripping out and slam the plug in.

EZFEED · 04-18-2009, 22:51

Didn't check that. All I saw was the GL-5 rating. I've got about 40 gallons of this stuff on hand so I used what I had instead of driving 20 miles to the store.

So you put it in your M1009 huh. I would suppose its a serviceable oil and of pretty good quality but if its not a good oil for big trucks then I'll dump it early.

I figure allot of guys on here have used it and sampled allot more and would have formed an opinon of what works best in their green iron.

Westech · 04-18-2009, 23:00

Walmart oil is made by one of the "big" guys. I had a 3 page report on it someplace. It should be good to go in any axle.. from a M1009 to a 10 ton.

bassetdeuce · 04-18-2009, 23:20

The Wal-Mart stuff is ok. I think that the 80w90 stuff even says on the bottle that it protects against copper n bronze (yellow metal) corrosion. I use NAPA 90w GL-1 FWIW.

Trailboss · 04-19-2009, 00:05

Probably the base oil for most of the brands are made by one or other of the big guys, but it is the additive packages that are different. It's good to know the Walmart brand is also compatible.

I've been checking out the different sources of GL-5 and called the technical folks for the Traveller brand GL-5 sold by Tractor Supply to verify it was yellow metal compatible. I haven't checked the Autozone brand yet, but have the distributor's info.

EZFEED · 04-19-2009, 00:22

I want to say the AutoZone brand is Coastal correct?

This SuperTech stuff that I put in today is sure sticky. I mean it really has some clinging properties to it, thats why I like to use it as a gear oil in my Farmalls. All of the axle and PTO seals on them are changed but there is still a very little bit of shaft wear and when I put the lighter stuff in it sometimes tends to seep out a little during the cold months. Not much, just enough to make a couple drops but with this 85-140W it shuts it down.

It also doesn't completley run off either, there will be some residual oil left on the topsides of the gears and I presume thats a good thing. I may add a quart of Lucas to each because like you said Trailboss, I dont think this oil is anything but a straight plain 85-140W oil with no additives.