best gear oil - manual?

currently running a manual 6spd 4x4
RA60F

what is the best gear oil?

I can't find any listed as compatible from known good companies such as Ravenol, Fuchs, and so on
I will check Castrol

I don't see why other good companies wouldn't work, if the weights are similar (75w80, 75w90, etc.) because at the end of the day, I don't see why other brands are any different.
If you take another brand vehicle with a 6-speed, it still has gears.
It still has brass synchros that the fluid must not corrode, and high pressure that the fluid must handle.
If anything, it should have some thinness to have good cold shift properties.

Motul and Redline suck



Amsoil says they offer this to fit the RA60F
I might try it
Who knows if it's good, time will tell
often times, companies will say their product is The Best Ever
even if it's really Hot Garbage

 

Amsoil makes quality lubricants. I personally don't like their marketing but it must work for them. This article, although a bit dated gives a good overview of gear lubes......
http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com/brochures/g2457_gearlube_study.pdf

 

I just put redline MT90 in my new-to-me truck. I noticed a slightly smoother shifting experience?

 

Redline MT90 is a fan favorite, many use it across all brands and manual trans owners.

 

Open the Owner's Manual (OM). Look up the specs for your tranny.

Go buy an oil that meets those specs. You need to consider more than just the viscosity of the oil. There are API GRADE specifications like GL5 or GL4 which need to be matched with OM specifications.

Many good brands are readily available.

What is "best" will be loaded with opinions and anecdotal experience.


In short, the OM will have the API Grade and the Viscosity specifications. Match the OM and all will be good.

 

This is what I use.
Was designed for the GT-40 from what I understand. It is the go to fluid for miata manual trans, and works great in the tacoma too.

$34 Ford Genuine Ford Fluid XT-M5-QS Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid - 1 Quart , black

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Ford-XT-M5-QS-Synthetic-Transmission/dp/B000NUES82

 

Just read the reviews on Amazon.

 

Not sure if I'd use that stuff.

Doesn't list viscosity or API Grade.

I'm sure its good for Ford, its got Ford branding on it.

 

Another vote for redline MT-90

 

Description
Motorcraft Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid is a premium-quality SAE

$30 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90 gear oil recommended by Ford Motor Company meeting warranty requirements. It is particularly recommended for 1995-2011 MTX-75 and IB5 transmissions, and is also recommended for older transmissions including rear wheel drive that recommend GL-3 and GL-4 type gear oils

 

Adding comments to quotes........interesting tactic.

The Amazon link does not cite viscosity or API Grade. Even the label pictures, magnified, don't indicate.

Thanks just the same. Still prefer the description on the label over some market typed description.

Your truck, your choice, your cash.

 

Dude it just didn't post right. I have no idea why it posted like that. I am holding a baby, and he is kinda grabby on the phone.


Seriously look.
Description
Motorcraft Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid is a premium-quality SAE

$30 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90 gear oil recommended by Ford Motor Company meeting warranty requirements. It is particularly recommended for 1995-2011 MTX-75 and IB5 transmissions, and is also recommended for older transmissions including rear wheel drive that recommend GL-3 and GL-4 type gear oils

That or just remain intentionally ignorant. Your mind, your choice.

The spec is available to anyone. It has been the go to performance fluid for bronze syncro transmissions for scca for years and years.

 

Yeah, I thought redline was the go to gear oil for this truck?

 

I ran redline MT90 in a x runner for at least 50 thousand hard miles but what do I know?

 

I use a nice blend of MT-90 and MTL

 

I'm still running Redline in my 2008 X-Runner's diff and transmission. I think it's GL-4 in the transmission, and GL-5 in the diff.

 

i wouldn’t call revving through the gears on a paved road in 2 wheel drive “hard”

see post 1
Redline MT90 sucks
carve it in the wall

 

I got my truck October last year, and I could not believe how notchy the shift was, trying to shift smoothly to third gear was hard and don't even try to downshift

After filling the transmission with Redline MT-90 it got better and after using it for about 2000km it got really quite good compared to what it was

 

I thought this was eye opening.....


"Conclusion
As the testing indicates, AMSOIL Severe Gear ranked highest among all gear lubes tested. It was the only gear lube to score a 4 or better in all performance categories. The high ranking of AMSOIL Severe Gear clearly points to a well-balanced formulation capable of delivering effective, long-lasting lubrication protection to all differential components. Most notable is the superior performance of AMSOIL Severe Gear in the critical areas of extreme-pressure protection and viscosity and oxidation stability. Based on the performance testing, the slightly higher than average price of AMSOIL Severe Gear would be offset by the cost savings achieved through reduced maintenance, longer lasting differentials and extended lubricant life. Some gear lubes tested well in some areas but scored low marks in others. Torco SGO Synthetic scored highest in viscosity index and cold-temperature Brookfield viscosity but sheared out of grade, failing the SAE J306 requirements for SAE

$30 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90 gear lubes. Mopar and Royal Purple scored well in the 4-Ball EP Weld Test, but failed the Copper Corrosion Test and GM, with a good 4-ball EP score, foamed badly after oxidation. This would indicate that too much emphasis in one area of formulation can detract from performance in others. A gear lube is only as good as its weakest link. A well-balanced gear lube formulation, therefore, is critical for differentials in all types of vehicles, both standard and high performance. With more horsepower, more towing capacity, higher hauling limits and changes in vehicle design, more stress than ever is placed on differential gears. High-quality lubrication is essential, and awareness is now necessary to ensure maximum differential performance and to avoid costly repairs. When purchasing gear lube the decision is left to the consumer, yet based on the facts reported in this document, AMSOIL Severe Gear is the logical choice. Note: To further verify the findings, additional testing was performed on AMSOIL Severe Gear. The L-37 Axle Rig Test evaluates load-carrying, wear protection and extreme-pressure properties of gear lubricants. The severity of the test was increased to challenge AMSOIL Severe Gear to the absolute limits in gear lube performance......"