Buy 80W-90 gear oil

80W-90 is the classic in the final drive: robust, cheap per litre and designed for hypoid gearing. Found in commercial vehicles, farm machinery, trailer axles and older cars - wherever no particularly good cold behaviour is required.

Typical applications

  • final drives and differentials on cars, vans and commercial vehicles
  • farm machinery, trailer and semi-trailer axles
  • older manual gearboxes, where the manufacturer names this grade
  • power take-offs and industrial gearboxes as specified

The 80W means the oil is more sluggish in frost than a 75W-90. In a final drive that is usually uncritical, because there are no synchro rings to move there; in a manual gearbox you notice it in a stiff first gear in cold weather.

GL-4, GL-5 and manufacturer approvals

As with any gear oil, the performance class matters more than the viscosity. For hypoid axles API GL-5 is the normal case, for manual gearboxes GL-4. In the commercial vehicle field, approvals from the axle manufacturers come on top (MAN, the ZF lists, Volvo, Scania) - on vehicles in commercial use they are a condition, not a recommendation.

For limited-slip differentials the same point applies as with 75W-90: without the LS additive the diff judders.

Mineral is often enough here

Unlike with engine oil, a mineral or semi-synthetic base oil in this grade is not a compromise but the usual construction. Fully synthetic gear oils bring their advantage above all at cold start and at very high temperatures - in the final drive of a farm machine both matter less than the price per litre and availability by the drum.

Containers

1-litre bottles for a single axle change, 20-litre containers and drums for workshops, fleets and agriculture. Larger quantities and special items on request. We take back used oil in the quantity purchased, gear oil expressly included (used oil disposal).

Frequently asked questions

Is 80W-90 the same as 75W-90?

At operating temperature practically the same, at cold start not: 75W-90 stays more fluid in frost and is more pleasant in manual gearboxes. Whether you may swap is decided by the API class and the manufacturer approval, not by the similarity of the numbers.

Do I need GL-5 for the final drive?

For hypoid gearing, as fitted in most final drives, yes. In a manual gearbox with brass synchro rings, on the other hand, GL-5 can attack the rings - there GL-4 is specified.

How often is axle oil changed?

On cars often never, because it is declared a lifetime fill. On commercial vehicles, farm machinery and trailer axles there are real intervals in the maintenance schedule, often by operating hours or annually - there the change is part of routine maintenance.