15" planer gear box oil

[Anthony Whitesell]

The manual for my Jet says 50w gear oil, but that is seeming nearly impossible to find. I found one synthetical in a gallon bottle, all others are 5 gallons or larger. What gear oil do you use in your 15" planers, such as a Grizzly G1021Z or Jet JWP-15CS?

[Ronald Blue]

I have a Powermatic PM 15. I don't recall what the manual said but I put 80-90 gear lube in it. My biggest challenge was there isn't a "level" hole, dip stick or any indication of how much to put in. So I filled it about 2/3 full. That get's it to the highest bearings and the gears self lube as they rotate. Straight weight gear lubes are uncommon. I can't imagine 80/90 not being acceptable.

[Andrew More]

Got a ShopFox 1742h 15" planer. Also use 80-90 gear oil. This is what's called for in the manual. I think if I was you I'd check with Jet if 80-90 works. I know here in Ohio I can just buy it from the local auto parts store.

[Tom M King]

I run a little of the Lucas clingy oil stabilizer in everything, and never had to replace anything that it's been in. I have a tiller that runs behind the tractor with a chain drive box, and it's done way more work than it would ever have been intended for behind a tractor double the hp rating it has. Some stuff sits for years between uses, and still works fine.

[John Ziebron]

When I installed a shelix cutter head in my Grizzly G0453 planer I also changed the gear box oil. The manual, like others have said here and is probably standard for all planers like this, calls for 80-90 gear oil which is readily available in auto parts stores and sold in containers as small as one quart. And like all my vehicles and equipment that has oil for engine lubrication, gearboxes and hydraulic systems I only use 100% synthetic oil. It costs a little more but better for several reasons including wear. And if you're in a cold climate and use your planer in a cold shop this is also a situation where synthetic is better.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I doesn't look like there is a "standard". The JWP-15CS manual calls for 50w gear oil. The Grizzly G1021Z manual calls for ISO320. The G0453 calls for 80-90 gear oil. Three similar planers, three different oil recommendations.

[Bill Dufour]

Note that 80 weight gear oil is about the same thickness as 30 weight engine oil. I was surprised to find that out. I always thought it would be much stiffer. My Parks 12" plane ruses regular rear end gear oil. Maybe 80 weight.
Be carful about high pressure additives. They can destroy yellow metal. Stay with GL4 and below. not GL5.
Use non-detergent oils in a gear box with no pump and filter.
Bill D.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/yellow-metal-safe-gear-oil.119570/

http://www.hfifluidpowerproducts.com/Pages/Hydraulic-Fluid.html

[Anthony Whitesell]

I'm not seeing any yellow metal in this gearbox. All bearings, no bushings.

[Scott T Smith]

I doesn't look like there is a "standard". The JWP-15CS manual calls for 50w gear oil. The Grizzly G1021Z manual calls for ISO320. The G0453 calls for 80-90 gear oil. Three similar planers, three different oil recommendations.

ISO320 is the same viscosity as SAE 90 wt gear oil.