75W-85 GL-5 Gear Lube?

[btanchors]

Hello all,

I am in the early stages of considering purchase of a 2011 Toyota Tacoma V6 4WD. As part of the research into this possible purchase, I downloaded a copy of the owner's manual and read through it. I was surprised to see that Toyota specifies 75W-85 for the Differential. I thought this was interesting. I know Red Line makes a 75W-85, but I am not aware of any other offerings in this weight range. I believe Toyota is still recommending 75W-90 for the transfer case and front differential. Will 75W-85 become an increasingly common viscosity range? Do other vehicles out there specify this range?

 

[dparm]

75w85 isn't totally unheard of but 75w90 and even 80w90 are more common. If you go for a thinner 75w90 it would be close to 75w85.

 

[webfors]

I'm sure you can use 75w90 in the diff. Strange viscosity for them to recommend.

 

[dparm]

I've heard of guys mixing to thin it down a bit.

Not sure what factory fill fluids they use, but you can always just stick with what the dealer stocks.

 

[Jim Allen]

I read a little on that oil and it's something you can buy at the dealer. The goal was to degrease rolling resistance and increase MPG. Lubrizol has been working with some low-vis gears oils and wonder if this isn't something they concocted.

 

[unDummy]

Toyota has been using the 75w85 GL5 in various rear-ends for over 5 years now. After seeing dozens of diff drain plug magnets with 75w85, they can keep their 75w85. I'll recommended any full synthetic 75w90 GL5 gear oil.

Many 75w90 gear oils will shear into a 75w85 anyway, and is why it is what is being used by almost all DIY'ers.

Just make sure you use a full synthetic 75w90 GL5 so you don't end up working against molasses when its really cold out.

Toyota's gotta squeeze every last drop of that CAFE fleet MPG.

Anyone thinning down a GL5 gear oil should be careful. Not too many GL5 products out there that you can safely thin a 75w90 into a 75w85.

I'm still waiting for Amsoil, Redline, RoyalPurple.... to come out with a real GL5 75w85.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

Fwiw Redline does have a real GL-5 75w-85. It has been out for a couple months.

My personal experience is that Toyotas 75w-85 is weak stuff. Every diff I have used it on produced excessive buildup on the drain plug and it was nasty as all heck after 30K. Pretty pathetic. Switched to Redline 75w-90 and having changed it twice (both at 30k respectively) I can say the difference was night and day. Now I have pretty much nothing on the drain plug when drained, and the fluid is really clean.

 

[unDummy]

Redline's 75w85 at 10.2cst is a SAE 80. They relabeled their lightweight GL5 gear oil. But, I could speculate and see the Toyota 75w85 shearing into the 80 weight range.

http://www.lubrizol.com/DrivelineAdditives/AutomotiveGearOil/J306Specifications.html

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=40&pcid=4

Notice Redline's 75w90:
http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=133&pcid=4

If I were to use the Redline 75w85, I'd mix it 50:50 with their 75w90. By itself, its too thin.

I think that Toyota's 75w85 is too thin and is pushing the visc limit for a rear-end under stress, whether it has a fancy additive package or not.