I was wondering what kind of oil I should use for the final gear case on my 220. In the book it says to use SAE 90 only.(kawasaki brand) Can I use a different kind of oil in the final gear case or does it have to be that type of oil. I need to change the oil in the gear case and the manual says to use only the same type of oil that was in it before and not to change it. What do you think?I really don't like to drive all the way to my dealer to get that oil. thanks in advance.

 

I think your Bayou is brand-indifferent regarding final gear case oil; just make sure you use SAE 90.

One wonders, does Kawasaki use a secret ingredient in its SAE 90? Does the Bayou final drive gearing pose unique requirements for that secret ingredient? I think the answer to both the questions is the same; "No."

I believe any reputable refiner's SAE 90 will work fine.

Tree Farmer

 

I have a Bayou 300 4x4, a Bayou 400 4x4, a Honda GL650 street bike, and a Kawasaki Concours street bike. So I have six gear cases to deal with.

I have used the very expensive Bel-Ray SAE 90W gear oil, and the very inexpensive Wal-Mart Tech-2000 brand SAE 85W-140 gear oil. Whether I use it in the quad of the motorcycle, I can detect no discernable difference in their respective abilities to provide adequate lubrication that stands up under high pressure. As long as the gear oil you buy is marked as being made to API specification GL-5, you'll be getting a top quality product.

With six gear cases to feed, I buy the Wal-Mart Tech-2000 by the gallon and save a significant amount of money over the Bel-Ray. Try it, I'm sure you'll be pleased.

Army Man

 

Hi Bud, It's me back again, with the service manual. It says above 41 degrees F to use 90 weight and below 41 to use 80 weight. Both need to be API GL-5 Hypoid gear oil(thats a mfg spec that most good gear oils would comply with). I notice that you live up where it gets cold in the winter. When I ran a 220, I used Red Line synthetic gear oil. It meets the GL-5 spec, but is a synthetic and doesn't get thick in the cold. I buy mine from IMPARTS in St. Louis.(Sorry I don't have their web or 800 number handy, but I'm sure that you can find the number or web address.) Take Care.

 

Hey thanks again for your help. I'll most likely just go to the local Wal*Mart and see what they have. I'll most likely get synthetic so that it's less wear on the tranny. I'm also going to start using synthetic in the motor sometime soon. thanks everyone!!

 

Dan,

Do NOT use synthetic oil in the engine of your 220. It would be great for the transmission, but real bad for the clutches. A friend of mine did that with his Lakota & the clutches started slipping real bad. Had to change the oil about 3 times to stop the slipping. Take Care!