Benefits of high viscosity open gear lubricants

What are the benefits of high viscosity open gear lubricants such as Mobil SHC™ Gear 22M/46M over those open gear lubes containing graphite additive?

Mobil SHC™ Gear 22M/46M are zinc and lead-free synthetic oils that are environmentally friendly compared with conventional solvent-based asphaltic open gear lubricants. The high viscosity of Mobil SHC Gear 22M/46M oils makes them effective for high load conditions and boundary lubrication regimes. There is no solvent added to 22M/46M, so they provide stable viscosity and film thickness to protect the gear.

The Mobiltac™ series of open gear lubricants contains solvents to help them flow at room temperature, but the viscosity increases with the evaporation of the solvents. The viscosity can vary based on the time in use.

Another advantage of Mobil SHC Gear 22M/46M lubricants is that they are transparent, which facilitates gear inspection. Typically open gear lubricants, such as Mobiltac and Mobilgear OGL, are not transparent; so cleaning of the gear before routine gear inspections is required.

A final consideration: The selection of open gear lubricants should be based on the working condition as well as the application method. Spray, splash, brush or circulation – different methods determine the exact lubricant to use in the field.