Recognize the problems and you should expect a solution.

I often feature or write about our 2nd and 3rd tier products we sell in the Omaha store as with the economy everyone compares via price. But when it comes to the cost of equipment that uses hydraulics the premium maintenance items including fluids can really pay off in the long run. I’ve gotten the calls of praise how well it worked surprising the owner who wasn’t expecting the major drop in temperature.

The big farm supply stores sell a lot of hydraulic fluid that basically “works” but even there you aren’t getting what you pay for. Back around 2002 AMSOIL had some breakthrough formulations occur which launched their industrial division into stardom. The Anti-Wear Hydraulic oil was one of them. I had a manufacturing company in California order a drum of our AMSOIL ISO 32 100% Synthetic Anti-Wear Hydraulic Oil (AWH) for a press used in the manufacturing of these tollway cards which pressed in the tonnage these plastic badges. He said he tried everything but the fluid temperatures caused the machine to shut down constantly. The hoses were nearly red hot. With the AMSOIL that suddenly came to an end and the machines had more power overall. This also meant reduced energy costs only for the added cost of a dozen cheeseburgers.

Hydraulic Oil Problems

Heat and contamination present serious challenges for hydraulic oils. If the system becomes too hot, the oil’s viscosity can thin to the point where the pump is damaged or seals are destroyed. Because conventional hydraulic oil is often less expensive than synthetic hydraulic oil, it is important to understand the benefits and cost savings AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oils provide.

Heat Reduction – The synthetic construction of AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oils can reduce heat in hydraulic systems, leading to better viscosity retention, less varnish build-up and oxidation, reduction in component wear (including hoses), longer seal life and better overall system performance.

Cold-Weather Performance – AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oils have much better cold-temperature characteristics than many petroleum oils. This can be seen by comparing the viscosity index, Brookfield viscosity and pour point numbers of a conventional oil to the corresponding viscosity AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oil.

Because mobile equipment often sits out in the elements while on a job site, conventional hydraulic oils can thicken in the cold and lead to damage, such as excessive pump wear due to cavitation, blown hoses, broken shafts or extended warm-up times that waste fuel. Use of the proper AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oil viscosity helps reduce or eliminate many of these issues.

All-Season Functionality – To eliminate some of the problems associated with temperature changes, many mobile equipment owners switch viscosities with the seasons. They may run an ISO VG 22 viscosity oil in the winter and switch to an ISO VG 32 or 46 oil in the summer. AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oils are high-viscosity-index formulations that can eliminate the need for seasonal changes. It’s possible to run an ISO 32 or ISO 46 successfully year-round in all but the most extreme cold conditions.

Hose Life Preservation – Because many equipment operators consider blown hoses, leaky seals and loss of hydraulic fluid an unavoidable problem, they may not initially be interested in investing in more expensive hydraulic fluid they believe will just end up on the ground.

If hoses are snagged, chafed or damaged externally, the situation must physically be corrected. However, cold and heat wreak havoc hoses and seals causing pressure spikes and deterioration. The superior cooling and flow properties of AMSOIL synthetic hydraulic oils help preserve hose integrity.

Hydraulic Systems where Problems Occur

Hydraulic systems are really straightforward, consisting of a sump, a pump, hoses, valves and either pistons or hydraulic motors.

  • Sump – The hydraulic system’s sump is responsible for holding the oil, providing time for the transferring of heat, and a place for contaminants, including water, to settle.
  • Pump – The hydraulic system’s pump produces the fluid flow that creates pressure. In most cases, it is the most expensive part of the system. Hydraulic oils are subjected to pump tests to prove their ability to protect pumps under normal operating conditions. Hydraulic systems can have many different types of pumps, but the three most common are gear, vane and piston pumps. Gear pumps are often found on lower-pressure systems and are simple and reliable. As positive displacement pumps, they pump a fixed amount of fluid for every revolution. Although variations exist, a good example is an automotive oil pump.Vane pumps are common on mobile equipment and can be variable or constant displacement. Piston pumps can be found on higher-pressure applications and are more complex and sensitive to contamination than vane or piston pumps.
  • Hoses – Hoses carry hydraulic pressure and flow to various components and are often the weakest link in any hydraulic system. Maintenance is often ignored until a problem develops. Hoses can fail due to heat, cold, repeated flexing, physical damage and exposure to the elements.
  • Valves – Valves control the route of the hydraulic flow within the system, sending flow and pressure to components to operate them. Pulling a lever back may route fluid to one side of the hydraulic system, causing it to extend a piston, while pushing it forward may cause it to retract. Varnish presents a major problem with valves, causing them to stick or not allowing them to seal properly.
  • Pistons/Hydraulic Motors – Pistons and hydraulic motors convert the hydraulic flow and pressure into work. Pistons provide linear motion, allowing bulldozer blades to lift and backhoe buckets to tip, while motors convert hydraulic flow and pressure into rotational force, allowing drills to operate.

Common issues associated with pistons and hydraulic motors are internal or external leakage. External leakage results in loss of fluid and contamination issues, while internal leakage results in lost efficiency. For example, a bottle jack with its valve only partially closed requires furious pumping to lift an object off the ground and won’t be able to keep it there.

Hydraulic systems are everywhere, including:

  • Bucket trucks
  • Dump trucks
  • Garbage trucks
  • Tow trucks
  • Backhoes
  • Excavators
  • Feller bunchers
  • Forklifts
  • Front-end loaders
  • Automotive, Textile and other manufacturing
  • Mobile cranes
  • Mobile shears
  • Mobile hydraulic power units
  • Mobile well-drilling and ore-sampling equipment
  • Piling rigs
  • Printing
  • Skidders
  • Skid Steers
  • Snowplows
  • Tractors and agricultural equipment

Maintenance intervals can be reduced in any hydraulic equipment with Synthetic Hydraulic Oil. An easy upgrade!

 

Reducing heat alone will save the life of the majority of parts but the added output power from a lack of fade is the bonus! Reduced energy, noise and maintenance costs!! AMSOIL’s top tiered Anti-Wear Hydraulic Oil addresses this. Call us and we can have it in at the Omaha store. 605-274-2580 or 402-933-3902

Currently we do keep the Multi-Viscosity and the new Commercial Grade which are at the top of the other two grade tiers in the market. The Anti-Wear blows them all off the map for those who demand the best.

 

 

Why use High End Hydraulic Oil? Does it Pay?