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Shop Talk Blog

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The Real Cost of Running on Bad Hydraulic Fluid

You probably maintain your tracks, filters, and attachments, but did you know that hydraulic fluid quietly destroys pumps and final drives when it’s neglected? Bad hydraulic fluid won’t fail overnight. Its effects are slow, causing excessive heat, accelerated wear, and power loss, until your equipment comes to a complete stop.

In this Shop Talk Blog post, we're looking at what it costs you to keep running your compact equipment on bad hydraulic fluid ... and the price is more than you budgeted for!


Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find interesting:

A Deeper Dive into Petroleum-Based Hydraulic Fluids

by Dr McCaslin | Mar 06, 2025 |

hydraulic fluid

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Skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, and mini-excavators typically use petroleum-based hydraulic fluids. How much do you know about the hydraulic fluids you work with every day? Let's see if we can share something you don't know yet!


Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find of interest:

Understanding ISO 4406: The Basics

by Dr McCaslin | Nov 21, 2023 |

Contamination, hydraulic fluid, ISO 4406

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Your compact equipment and final drives depend on the smooth flow of hydraulic fluid to transmit power and control motion. However, the presence of contaminants in the hydraulic fluid can adversely affect not just system performance but its longevity as well. And that is where ISO 4406 comes into play.

In this Shop Talk Blog post, you’ll learn why cleanliness codes should be important to you, followed by what the ISO 4406 digit codes represent.


Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find helpful ...

Basics of Synthetic Hydraulic Fluid

In our last blog post, we talked about the three different categories of hydraulic fluid: petroleum-based, synthetic, and water-based. Our focus for this post will be an overview of synthetic hydraulic fluid. 


Here are the other Shop Talk Blog posts in this series:

3 Basic Types of Hydraulic Fluid

by Jim Strong | Mar 12, 2022 |

hydraulic fluid

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There are a ton of different hydraulic fluids on the market -- how do you know which one is the right one for your equipment? In this Shop Talk Blog post, we're going to look at the three basic types of hydraulic fluid. And expect some more blog posts on the subject!

 


Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might be interested in:

Restoring Water-Damaged Compact Equipment

by Jim Strong | Sep 09, 2021 |

hydraulic fluid, hydraulic flush, planetary flush

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If your compact equipment was damaged by floodwaters, here are some tips on how to address the damage.


Here are some additional Shop Talk blog posts you might find interesting:

Water Contamination: Ingression, Removal, and Prevention

We've talked about foaming hydraulic fluid, but what if it's cloudy? Then your problem is water contamination. Read on how to learn its effects, how it gets in, how to remove, and how to prevent it.

 

Here are a few other blog posts you might find of interest:

Entrained Air: Basic Facts You Need to Know

The most problematic form of hydraulic air contamination is entrained air. In this post, we talk about why it's a problem, what causes it, and how you can prevent it.

 

Foaming Hydraulic Fluid: What You Need to Know

Foaming hydraulic fluid isn't a big deal, right? Well, you might want to think again. If left unaddressed, it can lead to problems that can even affect your final drive motor. Here are the basics on foaming and what you can do about it.

This is the second of a multi-part series about air contamination of hydraulic fluid.

Here is Part 1: Types of Air Contamination in Hydraulics


Here are a few other Shop Talk Blog posts you might find helpful:

Commonly Asked Questions About Hydraulic Fluid Analysis

Quite a few things can happen to the hydraulic fluid that powers your compact equipment, including contamination and aging. Even if you don’t have a fleet of equipment you’re responsible for, you still need to know the basics about hydraulic fluid analysis. To that end, here are answers to five commonly asked questions about hydraulic fluid analysis.


Here are a few other blog posts you might be interested in ...

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