Gear oil for Jet planer

[Joe Federici]

I've got a new to me jet 15 inch planer that's about 10 years old and I'm guessing the gear oil was never changed to the low use from the previous owner. The manual says 50w gear oil but for the life of me I can't find anything that weight.

Anyone have a source or used something else? 75w is the what I put in my truck ;-)

[Neil Brooks]

LINK

What's next ?

[Ruhi Arslan]

You can pick it up from your local AutoZone or such too...

[Bruce Wrenn]

A couple years back, either here or over at ----net.net, there was a couple of threads on choosing gear box oil for 15" planers. If I remember correctly, there is one type of grease that should be used because of the brass gears. Unfortunately, I had it bookmarked on my old computer that died a sudden death.

[Joe Federici]

Thanks guys. I went to two auto stores, napa and pep-boys and neither had it guess I should have tried auto zone. Doh!

Bruce I've searched a number of threads about replacing the oil and it seems Jet changed the type over the years. I have the manual and mine says 50w gear oil. It would seem many people just switch it to 75-90 and do OK. Since I have the manual and can get the 50w local I'll give that a go.

Joe

[James Baker SD]

I am far from an oil expert, but I think gear oil weight scale is not the same as the motor oil weight scale. Gear oil does not have additives to help it resist high heat (as needed in motor oil) but does have different additives that allow it to tolerate extreme pressure (as when it is squashed between the meshing teeth of gears). I think if you keep looking you will find it at a good hardware store or a auto supply store (not all of them of course). Ignore the clerks who says they don't have it and look for yourself. It would more likely be with transmission fluid, fuel additives, etc rather than with the motor oils.

[Mike Goetzke]

I found some at my home improvement store - Menard's.

Mike

[mickey cassiba]

Delta used to sell a super duper top secret special gear oil formulated just for planers...turned out to be 75 GO...available at any bearing supply, or Fastenal

[Myk Rian]

Go to Autozone.com and search for gear oil.
I use 80-90 API service GL-5 for my Delta M/W band saw.

[Curt Harms]

It might depend on how much you need but I bought a Grizzly metal cutting bandsaw fo' cheep and wanted to change out the gear "oil". What was there was much closer to gun grease. Only needed a cup so took a small jar to a local car repair place that we use. I got a cup of synthetic gear lube that he uses in differentials & transfer cases. That stuff really sticks to the gears as they rotate.

[Joe Federici]

OK, so after reading a few more posts, I did a little digging and the short answer is Yes there is a difference between gear oil and motor oil. They weights scale gear and motor oils use are not the same and also it seems the weights current manufactures use are more a reference then the actual weight. So I'm going to call the Jet tech department and see what they said.

I've read on a few other google searches most people use 75-90 gear oil which from what I was reading is the same actual weight as 20-50 motor oil the differences being all the additives.

[Joe Federici]

Just got off the phone with the tech guy at Jet / Walter Meiers in TN 615 793-8905 he said running regular 75-90 or 80-90 gear oil would be fine and not to use 50w engine oil.