The content of the article:
- What is hypoid oil
- Features of hypoid mixtures
- Using hypoid oils
- What you need to know about hypoid mixes
- Criteria for the selection of hypoid mixtures
- Most popular brands of hypoid oils
Every day, millions of car owners turn to search engines in the hope of finding information about hypoid oils, their features, advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, there is very little information that gives an answer to all the questions posed and it literally has to be collected bit by bit. That is why we decided to simplify the life of car owners by collecting data on hypoid oil in this material.
What is hypoid oil
Hypoid oil is a specialized lubricating oil that can withstand ultra-high mechanical stress. That is why it is actively used in cardan shafts, as well as gearboxes for cars and trucks, helicopters and various industrial equipment.
Moreover, it is used in every piece of equipment with a hypoid gear.
To determine the significance of hypoid mixtures, it is necessary to consider such an element as a hypoid type transmission, which is responsible for the transmission of rotational thrust due to the engagement of several gears equipped with curved teeth. These teeth have a minimum point of contact, due to which the specific pressure force on a single point increases greatly, as a result of which so-called seizures can form that can damage the gears.
To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to use a special mixture - hypoid oil, which forms a stable protective film, due to which the contact of parts occurs with minimal friction.
Features of hypoid mixtures
The composition of oils of the hypoid type necessarily contains at least 3-4% sulfur, which simultaneously has a negative and positive effect on hypoid elements. On the one hand, sulfur prevents the seizure of iron under ultraload, and on the other hand, it becomes the cause of its oxidation.
Therefore, in order to equalize the described processes, special additives began to be added to the oil composition. For example, one of the most popular additives is MOLYVAN L, which significantly increases the protective properties of lubricants.
This additive is added to almost all engine oils, where its concentration can reach 5%. In addition, the presence of the MOLYVAN L additive prevents the lubricant mixture from freezing to a temperature of minus 30 ° C.
Using hypoid oils
Hypoid type oils are actively used in hypoid axles, which some time ago were actively installed on most modern vehicles, both passenger cars and trucks. It is also worth noting that the popularization of hypoid gears in freight transport was facilitated by the emergence of the so-called worm-type gears.
In the mid-50s of the last century, Western countries began to develop lubricants that would be suitable for any vehicle. At the same time, the standards of the UK and the USA were used as a starting point, where hypoid oils contained a large amount of sulfur, as well as phosphorus and chlorine compounds.
At the same time, Germany decided to take a slightly different path, focusing on bench tests, the main goal of which is to create the most wear-resistant oil. Recently, however, car makers have been using hypoid axles less and less, which has significantly reduced the need for universal GL-6 class GMs.
At the same time, new types of lubricating mixtures began to be actively used, ideally suited for use in high-speed hypoid gears. In addition, a special phosphorus and sulfur-containing additive VIR-1 appeared, intended for use in various types of gear oils.
What you need to know about hypoid mixes
One of the key characteristics of all hypoid oils is their viscosity. Currently, all engine oil companies use the SAE classification, which includes 7 viscosity grades, of which 3 are summer and 4 are winter.
Summer oils are labeled as follows:
- SAE 90;
- SAE 140;
- SAE 250.
The letter W is additionally used in the name of winter oils:
- SAE 70W;
- SAE 75W;
- SAE 80W;
- SAE 85W.
It should be noted that the use of seasonal oils is not rational, since during the season they rarely exhaust the resource laid down by the manufacturer. For this reason, hypoid mixtures with special markings are more popular among motorists - for example, SAE 80W-90.
In addition to the viscosity class, hypoid mixtures differ in API characteristics, in total 6 groups are available - from GL1 to GL6. The higher the last digit, the more additives the oil contains. As for hypoid oils, they can belong to one of the last three groups - GL4, GL5 or GL6:
- GL4 - designed for gearboxes with hypoid or canonical gears, where the contact voltage does not exceed 3000 MPa, and the maximum temperature is not higher than +150 degrees.
- GL5 - used in hypoid gears subject to shock loads, where the contact voltage exceeds 3000 MPa. This type of oil is widely used for lubrication of devices with limited slip differentials.
- GL6 is a versatile blend that has largely declined in popularity.
Important: Oils of class GL4 contain a minimum amount of sulfur-phosphorus additives, therefore, the use of fluids of class GL5 and GL6 in gearboxes, where the manufacturer recommends the use of mixtures of a class below, is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, there is a high probability of the appearance of metal chips and premature wear of the mechanisms.
Criteria for the selection of hypoid mixtures
Unfortunately, it is not possible to say with certainty what criteria the GM should meet. The right choice will be the mixture that takes into account the functional conditions and features of specific units and elements of the car. Hypoid transmission of one vehicle can be radically different from a similar nodal element of another vehicle. That is why it is worth considering several factors at once, including:
- torque;
- axial displacement;
- force of shock loads;
- rotational speed, etc.
In order not to miscalculate with the choice and not to harm your "iron horse", you must adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations, which are voiced in the vehicle operating manual.
When choosing a hypoid oil, it is worth remembering that it has a limited shelf life, since over time it noticeably loses its protective properties.
Most popular brands of hypoid oils
Now the market for manufacturers of hypoid oils is extremely large. At the same time, it is impossible to indicate the most optimal product, since it may be different for each car. However, experts especially the following products:
- ZIC G-F TOP is a Korean mixture for transmission elements, recommended for minimizing gearbox noise and additional protection of its main components from scuffing.
- Liqui Мolу Нyroid Getriebeoil is a specialized small for hypoid gears with excellent fluidity and excellent performance characteristics.
- Mobil Mobilube is a transmission mixture with high viscosity and thermal stability.
- Motul Gear-300 is one of the most popular brands of oils with the highest scoring performance.Its only drawback is its low fluidity when used in subzero temperatures.
Conclusion
When choosing a hypoid oil, do not forget to read the operating instructions for the machine, where the manufacturer announces the most appropriate type of hypoid fluid.
For hypoid gears, it is permissible to use exclusively hypoid oil - the classic transmission mixture is dangerous for such vehicle components, since it can cause extremely negative consequences.
