The Importance of Proper Gearbox Oil Lubrication to Your Heavy Machinery

Whether you're starting a home building project or doing something on a larger scale, you have to keep a lot of different elements in mind. You have to think about the quality of the contractors you hire, the environmental impact of the materials you select, and the building processes that are used in the project. You also have to think about time and budget constraints. That can be overwhelming, but this blog is here to shoulder some of the burden. My name is Jonathon, and I've been there. I decided to start this blog to provide tips and ideas for others who are dealing with the stresses of planning, starting or managing a construction project.

The Importance of Proper Gearbox Oil Lubrication to Your Heavy Machinery

The Importance of Proper Gearbox Oil Lubrication to Your Heavy Machinery

25 October 2018
 Categories:
Construction & Contractors, Blog


If the gearbox in the heavy machinery you're operating is malfunctioning, there are many possible reasons. Gearboxes are put under a lot of strain, regardless of the vehicle, and need to be looked after accordingly to not be a frequent subject of repairs. One thing that you can do to help increase the gearbox's life length is to make sure you're using proper gearbox lubrication. To get the most out of your choice of gearbox lubrication, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Prepping the gearbox for a change of oil

When changing the oil in your gearbox, it's important that you drain all existing oil from it before adding new oil. If the oil reservoir in your gearbox is enclosed, you should use suction to get as much of the old oil out as possible. If you chose to flush the remainders of the old oil out, make sure you don't use any liquid containing corrosive materials, as this might remain in the gearbox and make it rust. An excessive amount of liquid remaining in your gearbox, whether it's old oil or leftover flushing liquid, might cause the new oil that you are filling to foam, which seriously decreases its capacity.

Changing oil outside the regular intervals

The gearbox oil should be changed often, but there are some factors that might indicate that a change is needed before you think that it's needed. If the oil has started to foam, or if it seems thicker than normal, it has reacted with some substance in the gearbox and needs to be changed. If you're working in dusty environments, some of this dust might have made its way into the gearbox which causes the oil to coagulate. In this case, you should change the oil and reconsider switching the type of oil into thinner oil that won't coagulate as easily. Contamination of oil is a very common cause for gearbox failure, as oil that has thickened unnaturally won't lubricate the gears properly. This might cause you to perform way more complicated gearbox repairs than a change of oil.

Think about your working environment

Depending on what types of conditions you are working in, you might need to change your gearbox oil more often. Dusty environments are one, even if you are using a type of oil that is appropriate for this type of work conditions. Another condition that might force you to change your oil more often is a humid environment. If there's a lot of moisture in the air, this will increase the already common problem of moist forming in the gearbox oil reservoir. Getting moisture in your gearbox might spoil the oil and make it malfunction. The only thing you can do about this is to change your oil as often as possible. 

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The Anatomy of a Perfect Construction Project: Tips for Consumers

Whether you're starting a home building project or doing something on a larger scale, you have to keep a lot of different elements in mind. You have to think about the quality of the contractors you hire, the environmental impact of the materials you select, and the building processes that are used in the project. You also have to think about time and budget constraints. That can be overwhelming, but this blog is here to shoulder some of the burden. My name is Jonathon, and I've been there. I decided to start this blog to provide tips and ideas for others who are dealing with the stresses of planning, starting or managing a construction project.

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