Frozen air lines and stiff landing gear

[WD40]

I sure like being retired from truck driving. Don't miss the cold nights broke down on the side of a loney road. Rain, Sleet and Snow coming down. You are showing -40 now, that's way past my Cold factor. LOL

 

[BIG JOE]

I have heard that with dino oil in a rear axle the ring gear will cut a slot through the frozen oil and then burn up from lack of lubrication. I have never tried it but my personal thought is when the gears start getting hot they would heat the oil and start it flowing. Someone should test my theory

I've seen that one happen. When a rear end or Aux trans case would get COLD SOAKED, the Dino Lubes would freeze solid. Because the metal housings were cold soaked they would retain the cold. If a u-joint didn't snap, the ring gear would do just as you said.. cut a slot and wipe it's self, and most times, the pinon gear, out.

By the end of my time down there, we had change all Lubes to Synthetics. Namely a CONOCO product called DN-600. Had the same viscosity at -100 as it did at 100+. CAT did'nt like it tho. Don't know what they use now.


But metal getting COLD SOAKED down there was still a Big problem.

Saw our Field Mech git Pizzed at something.. threw a 3 lb hammer.. it hit a D-8, U-blade.. busted a 12" hole in the face of it, just above the cut'n edges. THATs COLD