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This paper will pertain mainly to the gear lubrication of heavy duty off-road equipment and industrial applications. In the past, lubricants were purchased strictly on the basis of cost per pound and/or gallon. Labor, equipment and replacement parts were inexpensive. Lubricant disposal costs were nil. The pound or gallon cost is not critical but how cost effective it is in use is critical. In the past, gear lubricants for industrial use and for use in off-road equipment were not always highly refined. The chemistry was Pb, S, Cl and the cost relatively low. The life of these lubricants was short and lubricant changes of three to six months were recommended. When subjected to temperatures over 120°F for long periods of time, lubricants would solidify into a greaselike mass, causing gear and bearing failure. The lead acted as a pro-oxidant, resulting in this solidification.

Synthetic lubricants are not new breeds of fluids which were suddenly developed because of scarce petroleum oils. They have been available for many years and utilized as lubricants for diversified ranges of specialized applications. These specific fluids were developed with tailored physical and chemical properties best suited to the severe demands of equipment operating under wide temperature ranges and other hostile environments. This paper will cover applications on earthmoving equipment such as gear lubrication, hydraulic and torque convertor fluid, engine oils and greases exposed to wide temperature ranges and, especially, low temperatures. Large, heavy duty earthmoving equipment is being exposed to very low temperature environments, as low as -65°F in some remote areas of the world. This demands lubricants that have better low temperature properties than found in petroleum base types.