Alternate Transfer Case Fluids

[JOblenes]

I am going to service my front/rear diffs and transfer case this week. I used the search tool and only came up with a few threads on using fluid other than ATF+4 in the TC. One fellow mentioned using 10W-30 synthetic someone else mentioned using Royal Purple Synchromax, still one other mentioned using one of the Redline products. Most of the threads were a year or two old, so does anyone have any updates? i. e. after using these alternate fluids for two years your experience was??? I am leaning to using the RP Synchromax myself (what I put in the NV5600 after installing the PTO) but just wanted to get some feedback.

 

[mberry]

I used Amsoil's universal ATF fluid. I wouldn't use anything other than ATF fluid in it since that is what it is designed for. I personally would not use DC fluid only because I feel there are better products out there. I would have no problem using Royal Purple or Redline or someone else's fully synthetic fluid as long as it is high quality stuff.



Hope this helps Jonathan.



Mark

 

[keimmmo]

I have used synthetic 5W-30 motor oil for about 3 years and 100k miles now... all is well. I made this choice based on the logic that a transfer case DOES NOT need friction modifiers, it just needs lubrication. I have read here on the site that 5W-30 is about the same viscosity as ATF. I couldn't think of anything that would lubricate better or tollerate more heat, so I started using it. The transfer case shifts very smoothly!!! Really, I would hate to go back to ATF.



Steve Keim

 

[nickleinonen]

my t-case fluid is getting changed out next engine oil change. it will get mobil1 atf. . [and engine will get fresh 0w40]

 

[JAlderman]

My special blend in my Ford transmission is 3qts of mobile 1 0w20 syn and 3 qts of mobile 1 syn atf and the same for the transfer, it works great everything is a hell of a lot smoother.



Only reason I'm using the comparison between the trucks is that Ford and Dodge both use identical transfer cases. There have been a few posts in the past on TDS stating transfer case problems with the shift fork because the ATF was not doing an adequate job of lubrication.

 

[DPKetchum]

I used Amsoil Atf in mine.

 

[JOblenes]

Going to go for it

Thanks for the replies. It seems like substituting a conventional oil for the ATF+4 in the TC is probably low risk. I am going to try the RP Synchromax myself, I will let people know in a year or two how it worked out!! Why would I do such a thing? I just think it is a pain in the a** to have to use dealer only fluid (expensive) and if I can carry only one fluid for both transmission and TC when offroading it would be nice.

 

[keimmmo]

How heavy is the fluid you are planning to use? I honestly have never seen it and do not know. You DO NOT want something heavy like gear lube! If it is about the weight of ATF, fine.



I would see no problem with putting different fluids in the trans and transfer case but carrying only one oil when you go off road. That oil is for emergencies only. If something happens and you have to mix oils, you will probably be fixing damage and changing oil again when you get home anyway.



Steve Keim

 

[JOblenes]

The RP Synchromax is very close to ATF in viscosity, in fact the Royal Purple literature lists transfer cases as one of the applications it was designed for (in addition to manual transmissions) so it should be OK, at least I am convinced enough to try it.

When offroad I like to carry one change of fluid for each device (engine, transmission, TC, Diff, etc. ). With these big trucks this can be a lot of fluid in the toolbox so anything I can do to eliminate some bottles would be nice (i. e. use same fluid for TC anmd transmission, i guess hoping that you don't ever need to change both at the same time in the field).

 

[keimmmo]

Sounds good to me...

 

[cwbyinjeep]

Drained all my fluids last night and at 23k on the odo I was surprised at the condition of the Transfer case fluid. It was definitely on the used up smelly/filthy side of things compared to the transmission and diff fluids. I replaced with Redline C+ATF and noticed alot smoother shifting in my NV5600 with the Redline MTL fluid swap. I get dealer pricing on Redline and I still almost choked at the cost of all the synthetic fluids for the drive train. Oh well, its all done for another 30-40k now.

 

[amsoilman]

I am going to service my front/rear diffs and transfer case this week. I used the search tool and only came up with a few threads on using fluid other than ATF+4 in the TC. One fellow mentioned using 10W-30 synthetic someone else mentioned using Royal Purple Synchromax, still one other mentioned using one of the Redline products. Most of the threads were a year or two old, so does anyone have any updates? i. e. after using these alternate fluids for two years your experience was??? I am leaning to using the RP Synchromax myself (what I put in the NV5600 after installing the PTO) but just wanted to get some feedback.

ATF fluid is about the same Viscosity as a SAE 20.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[Johnstra]

Check out Specialty Formulations. This company specializes in high-end lubrication products. The owner is a chemist/tribologist that goes by the handle Molekule on BobIsTheOilGuy.com. The product you'd want to use for ATF applications is their SynchroGlide. I used the SynchroGlide in the transmission (ZF6) and transfer case - both of which called for ATF - of the Ford I drove before and I'm using some of their other stuff in my 12-valve.

-john