Would anyone like to Educate me on tractor hydraulic oils? Such as AW32. what does the number letters mean and all the other oil specs. Not familiar in any of these.
Tractor oils?
- Thread starter mpack88
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dnewton3
Staff member
Some systems use dedicated fluids. These are often the AW series as they have singular functions. As noted by others, these are singular vis fluids typically reflected by their numbers ... ISO 32, etc.
Most tractors have, for years, used UTHF (universal tractor hydraulic fluid). These are run in a shared-sump system which not only lubes the main transmission, but also is used in the hydraulic circuits for 3-pt lift, FEL (if equipped), and p/s. Many tractor companies have their own proprietary blend of lube, but most of them are reasonably interchangeable.
Most tractors have, for years, used UTHF (universal tractor hydraulic fluid). These are run in a shared-sump system which not only lubes the main transmission, but also is used in the hydraulic circuits for 3-pt lift, FEL (if equipped), and p/s. Many tractor companies have their own proprietary blend of lube, but most of them are reasonably interchangeable.
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MolaKule
Staff member
Hydraulic type fluids go by the ISO viscosity, which is the thickness of the fluid at 40C.
So an AW 32 hydraulic fluid would be an Anti-Wear fluid and would have a kinematic viscosity (thickness) of 30 cSt at 40C and 5 cSt at 100C.
So an AW 32 hydraulic fluid would be an Anti-Wear fluid and would have a kinematic viscosity (thickness) of 30 cSt at 40C and 5 cSt at 100C.
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If a fluid has its kinematic viscosity posted on its PDS of 100 cSt at 40*C, is it safe to assume it’s approximately the viscosity an ISO 100/ SAE 30 fluid?
MolaKule
Staff member
Approximately yes. Also recall that while engine oils, hydraulic fluids, differential gear oils, and transmission fluids may have similar viscosities or grades within certain ranges, they all have much different additive packages.
Thanks for the input. Yeah never had to mess with tractor fluids. I do own a old 1961 Ford 801 powermaster so learning as I go.
Often UTHF will meet GL-4
Those are cool tractors. My uncle had a beat up one when I was a kid (late 90s). It had a loader and the engine was so worn out it would foul the spark plugs every 2 hours of use, he had a bucket of spark plugs he kept on the tractor with a wrench to change them on the go.
. Got a lot of work done with that though.That probably called for 303 back then, which is still made and is a ton less expensive that HyGaurd etc. Tractor Supply sells it in 5 gal cans.
There are better fluids out there today than 303 but most of those old tractors leave enough and don't get used hard enough anymore for it to matter.
