Best Gear Oil in 2023: Top Brands Review

Sometimes it might be quite difficult to find the best gear oil. With every niche market offering so many different products, it makes sense that this is the case.

Unfortunately, this very fact can make it incredibly difficult to find the item that best suits your needs, which is why we’ve put together this gear oil buying guide.

Our 15 Recommendations:

#	Preview	Product
1		Valvoline High Performance SAE 80W-90 Gear Oil 1 QT	Check Price
2		Lucas Oil 10046 SAE 80W-90 Heavy Duty Gear Oil - 1 Gallon	Check Price
3		Lucas Oil 10042 Heavy Duty High Performance SAE 85W-140 Gear Oil - 1 Quart	Check Price
4		Valvoline SynPower SAE 75W-90 Full Synthetic Gear Oil 1 QT	Check Price
5		Stens Lucas Oil LUC10043 Oil SAE 80W-90 Heavy Duty Gear Oil - 1 Quart	Check Price
6		Valvoline Flexfill SAE 75W-90 Full Synthetic Gear Oil 1 QT, Case of 4	Check Price
7		Lucas 10045 Heavy Duty 85/140 Gear Oil - 1 Gallon	Check Price
8		STAR BRITE Synthetic Blend Lower Unit Gear Lube 80w 90w - 1 GAL (027200)	Check Price
9		StarFire Full Synthetic 75W90 Gear Lubricant 5 Gallon Pail	Check Price
10		Triax Synergy Gear MAX 75W-90 GL-5 Limited Slip, Ultra Long Drain 500k Miles, Manual Transmission,...	Check Price
11		Triax HD Gear Premium LS 80W-90, GL-5 Limited Slip Ready, Manual Transmissions, Hypoid Gear Systems,...	Check Price
12		Lucas 10122 75/140 Synthetic Gear Oil - 1 Gallon	Check Price
13		Lucas Oil 10048 SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Transmission and Differential Lubricant - 1 Gallon	Check Price
14		Royal Purple 01300 Max Gear 75W-90 High Performance Synthetic Automotive Gear Oil , 1 Quart (32...	Check Price
15		Quicksilver 80W-90 Premium Gear Lube - Marine Engine - 32 Ounce	Check Price

The 15 Top Gear Oil Reviews:

SaleBestseller No. 1

Valvoline High Performance SAE 80W-90 Gear Oil 1 QT

• Protects Against Severe Temperatures To Help Extend Service Life
• Formulated With Extreme-Pressure Additives To Minimize Gear Wear From Shock Loads
• Helps Protect Against Gear Wear From Scuffing, Scouring, Corrosion And Pitting
• Recommended For Conventional Hypoid Differentials And Non-Synchronized Manual Transmissions In Passenger Cars, Light Trucks, Sport Utility Vehicles, Vans And Heavy-Duty Trucks Where An Api-Gl5 Or Gl-4 Fluid Is Specified

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Bestseller No. 2

Lucas Oil 10046 SAE 80W-90 Heavy Duty Gear Oil - 1 Gallon

• Affordable Solutions
• Provides rust protection
• Ideal for shock loading applications
• Can be used in limited slip differentials

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SaleBestseller No. 3

Lucas Oil 10042 Heavy Duty High Performance SAE 85W-140 Gear Oil - 1 Quart

• Affordable Solutions
• Provides rust protection
• Designed for hypoid gears
• Ideal for shock loading applications
• Fit type: Vehicle Specific

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SaleBestseller No. 4

Valvoline SynPower SAE 75W-90 Full Synthetic Gear Oil 1 QT

• Formulated to maintain excellent low temperature fluid protection
• Helps provide outstanding thermal stability for cleanliness and longer service life
• Contains special additives to assist in protecting gear teeth from rust and corrosion and reduce chattering in limited-slip differentials
• Recommended for conventional and limited slip differentials and non-synchronized manual transmissions where API GL-5 or API GL-4 fluid is specificed

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Bestseller No. 5

Stens Lucas Oil LUC10043 Oil SAE 80W-90 Heavy Duty Gear Oil - 1 Quart

• Contains special anti-wear and lubricity agents
• Helps to control heat
• Excellent for high performance and heavy-duty applications
• Fit Type: Universal

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SaleBestseller No. 6

Valvoline Flexfill SAE 75W-90 Full Synthetic Gear Oil 1 QT, Case of 4

• Works in tight spaces and makes gear oil easier to use
• Full Synthetic formula for exceptional high and low temperature protection
• Contains an extreme pressure additive for better load carrying capacity and wear protection
• Excellent thermal stability designed to protect oil from high temperature breakdown

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Bestseller No. 7

Lucas 10045 Heavy Duty 85/140 Gear Oil - 1 Gallon

• Fit type: Vehicle Specific
• Package Dimensions: 31.0 H x 15.0 L x 15.0 W (centimeters)
• Country of Origin : China
• Package Weight: 7.892 pounds

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SaleBestseller No. 8

STAR BRITE Synthetic Blend Lower Unit Gear Lube 80w 90w - 1 GAL (027200)

• Special extreme pressure and anti-wear additives
• Recommended for all engines over 100 hp
• Protects against rust & corrosion; great thermal stability
• Recommended for all engines over 100 hp Protects against rust and corrosion

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Bestseller No. 9

StarFire Full Synthetic 75W90 Gear Lubricant 5 Gallon Pail

• Provides excellent protection against wear under extreme pressure and high torque operation
• High resistance to thermal breakdown
• Helps prevent foaming, rust, and corrosion
• Smooths and quiets operation
• Protects against oxidative degradation

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SaleBestseller No. 10

Triax Synergy Gear MAX 75W-90 GL-5 Limited Slip, Ultra Long Drain 500k Miles, Manual Transmission, Gear/Differential Lubricant (1 Gallon)

• EXTREME DRAIN INTERVALS - 500,000 miles for heavy duty trucks and passenger cars. 750,000 miles for Class 8 highway trucks.
• PROFESSIONAL GRADE: Unrivaled shear stability and longevity. Meets and exceeds API GL-5 and Limited Slip requirements and a very wide range of specifications across multiple OEMs.
• EXCELLENT WEAR CONTROL - Up to 62% less wear vs OEM Specifications across various standards. EXCEPTIONAL LOAD BEARING CAPACITY - Exceeds the highest load test rating, Stage 14.
• WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS - Hypoid and Ring Gears, Differentials, Limited Slip - Heavy Duty Highway, Passenger Cars, Heavy Duty Off-Road, Racing / Drifting. Will not shear under extreme torque. Features exceptional power transfer under extreme conditions. GREATLY EXCEEDS EP AND AW TESTS FZG AND L-37 - Proven protection far beyond spec requirements, delivers excellent EP (extreme pressure) and AW (anti-wear) performance in a wide range of LS and NON-LS gear systems, with hypoid and other gears.
• TRUE SYNTHETIC WITH PAO - This is a true synthetic formulation with PAO base oil. Dont be fooled by cheap products which advertise themselves as Synthetics but have a VI Index below 160 and freeze at -30F and a very limited specification range.

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Bestseller No. 11

Triax HD Gear Premium LS 80W-90, GL-5 Limited Slip Ready, Manual Transmissions, Hypoid Gear Systems, Differentials, NATO Military Approved, Widest OEM Specification Range (1 Gallon)

• WIDEST SPEC RANGE ON THE MARKET: widely compatible with a very large number of hypoid gear systems, differentials, transmissions and axle assemblies.
• SEVERE SERVICE MAX: Exceptional shear stability and oxidation resistance. Polyphosphate EP proprietary additive system offers substantial improvement in performance over previous generation, low cost, gear oils
• BUILT IN LIMTED SLIP ADDITIVE - Does not require "additional" LS additive. Its built into the product, optimized for all limited slip differentials, including those with built in wet brakes.
• OUTSTANDING SCUFFING PROTECTION - Superb gear and syncron protection, facilitating extremely long transmission life. Exceeds Load Stage 13 extreme pressure requirements beyond 120,000 lbs / sqi.
• SHEAR STABLE - Excellent thermal stability and high load capacity without viscosity breakdown, facilitates excellent film strength under high loads, high temp and high shear conditions.

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Bestseller No. 12

Lucas 10122 75/140 Synthetic Gear Oil - 1 Gallon

• Fit type: Vehicle Specific
• Package Dimensions: 30.48 H x 16.51 L x 16.51 W (centimetres)
• Country of Origin : China
• Package Weight: 3.447 kilograms

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SaleBestseller No. 13

Lucas Oil 10048 SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Transmission and Differential Lubricant - 1 Gallon

• Fit Type: Vehicle Specific
• Package Dimensions: 31.75 H x 15.24 L x 15.24 W (centimeters)
• Country of Origin : United States
• Package Weight: 3.447 kilograms

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SaleBestseller No. 14

Royal Purple 01300 Max Gear 75W-90 High Performance Synthetic Automotive Gear Oil , 1 Quart (32 Ounces)

• For best performance, follow the manufacturer's recommendations in your vehicle owner’s manual.

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Bestseller No. 15

Quicksilver 80W-90 Premium Gear Lube - Marine Engine - 32 Ounce

• Provides maximum protection against excessive wear, corrosion and pitting for extended gear life in marine applications
• Contains additives to protect gears if water enters the gearcase or lower unit
• Recommended for use in outboard motor gearcases and marine lower units in applications below 75hp
• 80W-90 viscosity
• 32-ounce bottle (pack of 6)

Check Price

Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to find the best gear oil?

Here, we’ll be going over a number of factors that you can use to ensure that you’re purchasing the best gear oil for you.

Regardless of which type of item you’re looking to buy, chances are that there are existing buying guides on the internet, all of which aim to give you good gear oil recommendations.

Despite these recommendations, however, it’s always a good idea to do your own research. In addition to this research, asking yourself the following questions is also super helpful:

• What features does the gear oil need to have to be perfect for my needs?
• What is my budget?
• Do I need to purchase a certain brand?

Once you’ve answered these questions and have a good idea of what you’re looking for and the buying process becomes much easier. Keep in mind that when looking for the best product, there’s no need to rush. In fact, very rarely are the ideal products found by choosing the first one you see or by basing your decisions on only one factor. Take your time and enjoy the process!

Now, with the answers to the previous questions in mind, we urge you to use our upcoming buying guide for gear oil to find what you’re looking for:

Brand

In some cases, the brand of gear oil is very important. For example, if you’re looking for an item that works in tandem with another, you might very well need both products to be the same brand. If this is the case, it’s vital to pay attention to this factor, as choosing the wrong product can mean the difference between wasting your money and buying a great product that functions as it should.

Features

The features in any given gear oil are important because they can dictate which version of an item you need and how much money you need to spend. Consider all the key features that you want your item to have and don’t settle for anything that doesn’t check at least ¾ of your boxes.

Reviews

Customer reviews about gear oil are crucial – especially when you’re buying a product that costs a lot of money or serves a big importance. Luckily, most products can be found online, which means that it’s common for there to be scores of customer reviews from those who have already purchased any given product.

Pay attention to these reviews. Take note of the pros and cons that they mention, and factor these into your big decision. In some cases, you’ll be forced to sacrifice one con in order to gain a particular pro, but being aware of the potential con is going to be beneficial in either case.

Quality

Of course, quality is key. You don’t want to purchase a low-quality product. If you do, you run the risk of your item breaking, not working properly, or otherwise proving to be very disappointing, as well as a waste of money.

You can compare gear oil quality by researching what your potential purchases are made from, contrasting the individual items against each other to discern which one is made of the best materials.

Warranty

Warranty isn’t always going to be important, but it definitely can be. This is especially true if the item in question is tech-related or expensive. A good warranty will be valid for an extended time after purchase and cover a variety of problems ranging from item defects to random accidents, water damage, and other miscellaneous events that could ruin your product.

Conclusion

The quest to find the best gear oil can be daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. It can be made much easier by asking yourself a few simple questions and then thinking critically about the items you want to buy. Consider their features, quality, brand, warranty, and customer reviews and you’re more likely to make a great purchase.