Which Lubegard, if at all?

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I'm gonna start using Valvoline Maxlife ATF in my 2007 Tacoma with the A750F transmission. I currently have a mix of WS and Maxlife in there, but will be doing an annual drain/fill with Maxlife. I've heard a lot of good things about Lubegard, but I'm not sure which kind to use. There are 2 types as far as I'm aware, the regular red stuff and the LG Platinum. Which one should I use with the Maxlife, if I should even use it at all?

If you have any success or failure stories as far as lubegard goes, I'd like to hear it. I'm not sure if it's even necessary but some absolutely swear by the stuff.

My truck has 83K miles, tranny was flushed around 60k, then drained and filled at about 80k. The fluid that's in there looked and smelled perfect when I drained/filled it in April. I also have a remote spin on filter installed, its a 10 micron hydraulic filter(napa 1269). I changed it after 20k(60-80k) and it had minimal debris in it. I have a thread in the transmission filter subforum, if you wanna see the filter cut open.
 
I've had more luck with Lubegard Red than not. Mostly, I've used it on older cars running Supertech DEX III with the intention of fortifying it, with good results. The only outlier is a '93 Olds 98 where I noticed issues with slippage after using it. But that could have been an issue waiting in the wings. Since Maxlife is fully synthetic now, and no longer a blend, I don't see a huge benefit to using it if you've fully replaced your ATF. Doubly so if you have a transmission cooler besides the one in your radiator (tow package, self-installed).
 
Use the Lubegard Red.

It is more aligned with your situation than the extra modifiers in the platinum.

I would also drain the PS reservoir at the same time and top it up with fresh atf and an ounce of the Lubegard - good maintenance. I have seen real rsults from using Lubegard in various places, engines (the biotech) too. The ester technology is not snake oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Oro_O
Use the Lubegard Red.

It is more aligned with your situation than the extra modifiers in the platinum.

I would also drain the PS reservoir at the same time and top it up with fresh atf and an ounce of the Lubegard - good maintenance. I have seen real rsults from using Lubegard in various places, engines (the biotech) too. The ester technology is not snake oil.

The PS has been flushed 4 or 5 times, the fluid is in good shape, but the rack and pinion is starting to seep a little, just enough to wet the bottom of the boots. It's been seeping for 4 or 5 years, but I don't have to add fluid between flushes so I'm not gonna replace it until it's actually leaking. This isn't our road trip vehicle anymore and I rarely take it more than a couple hours from home. Lately I've only been putting about 5k miles per year.
 
In that case, I would add more Lubegard to the ps reservoir. The esters could help the seals in the rack. Or use some of their ps fluid in lieu of atf in it.
 
Was looking at a bottle at AZ ~ then I said: “self ~ you have a drain plug and a shelf full of synthetic Dex VI”-
So, is this any better than doing an extra 4 quart drain/fill in addition to my annual Fram XG16 change?
(8 quarts this year instead of the normal 4 quarts)?
 
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Was looking at a bottle at AZ ~ then I said: “self ~ you have a drain plug and a shelf full of synthetic Dex VI”-
So, is this any better than doing an extra 4 quart drain/fill in addition to my annual Fram XG16 change?
(8 quarts this year instead of the normal 4 quarts)?

That's kinda my dilemma as well, I'm not sure if it really makes any difference. I already have fresh fluid in there, which is more than most people can say. I don't wanna mess with the frictional characteristics of the fluid much, this truck is used to tow and haul a lot of the time. My transmission runs way on the cool side, usually not more than 130°F, 185° or so towing in the summer, 200°F tops. The truck is short tripped daily though, less than a mile with several stops in-between, so if the lubegard would help protect the solenoids and valvebody from excessive wear from all of the starting and stopping that would be a plus.
 
Save some money and save your anxiety for something more important. Your tranny will be as good as you're likely to need it to be, for as long as you need it to be, if you just use the MaxLife ATF, and change it periodically, like every 30K. Every "tough guy" with a truck, doing "tough-guy truck stuff" thinks their use of the tough truck meets or exceeds whatever the tough guys in the commercials for "taking-care-of-tough-trucks stuff" are doing to theirs. Probably not.
 
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
The truck is short tripped daily though.... protect the solenoids and valvebody from excessive wear from all of the starting and stopping that would be a plus.


This is absolutely of no consequence.

"short tripping" is harmful to ENGINES..... not transmissions.
 
Do you know what your filter micron rating is … I find having a drain plug and external filter (superior to the pan filter) makes things very quick/easy once it is set up . My filter case catches some good airflow too …
 
Yep skip it, those are stout transmissions and 30-40k drain and fills are all they need to outlive the body of the truck
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
The truck is short tripped daily though.... protect the solenoids and valvebody from excessive wear from all of the starting and stopping that would be a plus.


This is absolutely of no consequence.

"short tripping" is harmful to ENGINES..... not transmissions.

I disagree, transmissions need more frequent maintenance if they have a severe duty cycle, which Allison specifies as more than one stop per mile. I have 3-4 stops per mile minimum a lot of the time. I recognize that my transmission isn't an Allison, but they are a reputable mfg of a similar piece of equipment. My average speed is around 13 MPH. More shifts does equal more wear, it has to.
https://www.kwds.at/fileadmin//user_upload/Downloads/Service/FluidIntervals-Allison.pdf
 
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
The truck is short tripped daily though.... protect the solenoids and valvebody from excessive wear from all of the starting and stopping that would be a plus.


This is absolutely of no consequence.

"short tripping" is harmful to ENGINES..... not transmissions.

I disagree, transmissions need more frequent maintenance if they have a severe duty cycle, which Allison specifies as more than one stop per mile. I have 3-4 stops per mile minimum a lot of the time. I recognize that my transmission isn't an Allison, but they are a reputable mfg of a similar piece of equipment. My average speed is around 13 MPH. More shifts does equal more wear, it has to.
https://www.kwds.at/fileadmin//user_upload/Downloads/Service/FluidIntervals-Allison.pdf


Makes sense to me. Frequent 1-2 shifts have to be hard on many automatic transmissions, especially for those who tend to come up to 2,000-3,000 rpm very quickly. For that very reason I try to keep my 1-2 shifts under 1600-1800 rpm. I usually have to do 5-6 shifts from 1st gear for the first 2-1/2 miles from my home. My typical 15-20 mile trip into town probably just about averages a stop every mile.
 
I personally use Lube Guard Red in the Ram & Acura in signature. Both trannys shift very smoothly & I believe the Lube Guard Red is beneficial.
 
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
which Allison specifies as more than one stop per mile.


I do NOT believe quantity of shifts trumps quality of shifts, unless doing a lot of towing.

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
especially for those who tend to come up to 2,000-3,000 rpm very quickly. For that very reason I try to keep my 1-2 shifts under 1600-1800 rpm.


A transmission that shifts at 1,600 rpm will last 100X times longer than one always shifting at 3000 rom.

Again, quality over quantity.

The pressure of your right foot/RPM's affects trans life far more than "number of shifts per mile".
 
I called Lubegard today, they said to use red with Toyota WS for sure. They said the platinum or red could be used with the Maxlife, she said if it shifted firmer with the Maxlife than I liked that I should go with the platinum because it has more friction modifier in it, she also said that the Platinum has more antiwear additives. But she said that either would work fine.
She said the red does have friction modifier in it as well as antiwear additives, just not as much as the Platinum.
 
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