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When it comes to household names in high performance lubricants and additives, Lucas Oil Products Inc. stands head and shoulders above the competition. With product variety ranging from fishing reel oil to extreme duty lubricants for the most abusive of motorsport applications, Lucas Oil has a high quality product offering to suit virtually any need. Join us as we take a dive into what makes these products tick and examine ten great uses for Lucas Oil products for 4×4 and off road use!
Off Road Racing
The strain on off road racing components is arguably the highest of any motorsport application, and the level of competition is both fierce and strenuous. The rigorous demands and destructive forces introduced by the wide variety of racing conditions coupled with ever escalating horsepower levels creates a huge need for super premium lubricants that will provide the necessary cushion and durability for the high-dollar components that constitute today’s off road racing vehicle.
Lucas Oil has developed several products designed specifically for the rigors of extreme duty off road motorsports and competition applications. Their Synthetic SAE 140 gear oil is an excellent choice for the axle assemblies used in popular short course racing vehicles. This special synthetic formulation has been engineered to create a barrier coating on the surfaces of the gear teeth. The barrier coating helps absorb impact generated by the extreme shock loads encountered in short course racing, thereby significantly reducing wear in the axle components while also protecting against abnormal wear conditions such as pitting and scoring of the gears and bearings.
All of these oils have been tested and subjected to most adverse racing conditions prior to being commercialized. Mark Negast, Lucas Oil Products Technical Director
As an intriguing point of interest, the Lucas facility “top secret” department has also successfully engineered a proprietary front differential fluid specifically for extreme high horsepower desert racing applications. Sources were tight-lipped on this particular product, stating that it is not commercially available to the public at this point, seemingly indicating that this particular product may very well be a highly coveted “secret weapon” among the elite of off road racing teams.
The Dual Purpose Vehicle
With the wide-spread popularity and availability of trucks today, more and more enthusiasts are driving their off road-capable vehicles on a regular or even daily basis while enjoying recreational off road use and even mild competition use on the weekends. Lucas Oil offers an array of excellent products for these types of applications, including Synthetic SAE 75W-90 and Synthetic SAE 75W-140 gear oils, premium DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids, and a wide variety of petroleum, semi-synthetic, and full-synthetic engine oils (among many other products).
A person with a dual purpose daily driver/off road machine may wonder how they’re ever going to get 100,000+ mile reliability out of their wheel bearings when they’re constantly submerging their wheels and axles in mud, water, dirt, and sand on the weekends. Enter Lucas Oil Red “N” Tacky Grease NLGI #2. Lucas really went to work in designing this product, coming up with a formula that offers superior water resistance.
Starting with red lithium complex grease base, Lucas incorporated a plethora of rust and oxidation inhibitors, and then added in their proprietary extreme pressure additives. All of these premium ingredients combine to provide a grease compound that is superior in mechanical stability and that offers superior resistance to wash-out. Red “N” Tacky is also able to withstand extreme loads over extended operating intervals as compared to more conventional commercially available wheel bearing grease.
The “Barn Find”
Ever run across that too-good-to-be-true classic 4×4 that’s been sitting neglected and unused for years in somebody’s shop or barn? Maybe it looks like you could just throw a battery in it, dump some gas in the tank, and it would come right back to life!
Before you go overboard in enthusiasm to light that old engine off and go crashing through the gears, you’ll exercise much wisdom in servicing all the fluids. Lucas Oil has some unique products that will help resurrect that diamond in the rough.
One of their most unique and versatile products is their Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer. While this product is most commonly associated with use in engines, thanks to its unique pure petroleum composition this additive will actually blend with virtually all automotive-based lubricants, including synthetic fluids.
Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is a tremendously useful product in engines to help eliminate dry engine starts. The corresponding increase in oil viscosity will help raise oil pressure and reduce oil consumption, thereby increasing engine oil longevity. Another positive effect associated with use of this product is an increase in fuel efficiency thanks to improved lubricity and reduced friction within the engine.
While this product is most commonly associated with use in engines, thanks to its unique pure petroleum composition this additive will actually blend with virtually all automotive-based lubricants, including synthetic fluids, making it ideally suited for use in manual transmissions and differentials. You’ll also notice reduced noise as well as reduced wear in the gear train, all while enjoying greater control over heat management thanks to improved thermal stability offered by this unique additive.
The “Beater”
Maybe you have that trusty, rusty, beat-up old 4×4 pick-up or Jeep that just seems to keep running no matter how much you abuse it, neglect it, and put it through its paces whether you’re blasting through a mud pit, crawling over rocks, or using it to pull an old tree stump out of your yard. More often than not, these beaters typically have fluid leaks and copious wear in the power train to match their “colorful” exterior.
Not to worry… Lucas Oil has your back with some killer products to help keep “old reliable” from puking its guts all over the trail (or your driveway). One particularly popular product is their Engine Oil Stop Leak. While many of these types of products are typically written off by many as “snake oil”, this Lucas product actually does indeed perform as claimed.
Lucas formulated a proprietary blend of unique Lucas-engineered additives combined with proven base stocks to come up with a product that actually helps restore old and hardened engine seals, there by reducing and/or eliminating pesky oil leaks. This product also increases oil viscosity which will pay off dividends in the form of increased oil pressure, wear reduction, and a reduction in potential oil consumption.
Noisy lifters? Not a problem… Engine Oil Stop Leak will generally reduce engine noise and even help free up old sticky valvetrain components. Lucas even claims that this product can safely be used in automatic transmissions to help stop leaks!
Speaking of old worn out and leaky automatic transmissions, Lucas also produces Automatic Transmission Fluid Conditioner. This is a product that has been specifically designed to help recondition the seals in an automatic transmission in order to minimize and even stop leaks.
How so? Lucas blended together high pressure additives with a foam inhibitor, topping it all off with a special conditioning agent that, when combined, will not only stop leaks, but also will help a worn automatic transmission shift more smoothly. By basically softening and swelling the lip seals on the pistons and sealing rings on the servos, the clutches and bands within the transmission will be applied more quickly and efficiently, effectively reducing or even eliminating slipping and shuddering during the gear change. The best part is that it blends with virtually all commonly available petroleum and synthetic automatic transmission fluids!
Improved Heat Management
Virtually every truck, Jeep, Scout, Bronco, and every other off road vehicle imaginable can benefit from improved cooling system performance, especially when taking into consideration the extreme environments that we tend to operate these vehicles in. Enter Lucas Super Coolant.
Super Coolant is an additive that can be installed in virtually any automotive-based cooling system with any commonly available antifreeze/water mixture. This formula has been designed as such that provides a unique coating on the internal metal surfaces of the cooling system and coolant jackets within the engine.
Any time air bubbles form on the internal metal surfaces, the surface area where coolant comes in contact with the metal is reduced, thereby creating localized hot spots throughout the cooling system and ultimately reducing cooling system performance. The coating provided by Lucas Super Coolant helps prevent the formation of air bubbles on the metal surfaces within the cooling system.
Furthermore, Super Coolant helps eliminate the formation of rust and corrosion within the cooling system, as well as prevents damaging electrolysis from taking place in aluminum cooling components.
Keep That Slush Box Alive!
Back in the day a manual transmission was virtually the only way to go in an off road vehicle. However, massive advances in torque converter and automatic transmission technology over the years have resulted in the automatic transmission becoming the gear box of choice for a large percentage of off road and 4×4 enthusiasts. The potential problem is that torque converters produce heat… sometimes LOTS of heat!
A well designed premium automatic transmission fluid goes a long way towards preserving the life of an automatic transmission and converter, as well as helps to properly manage operating temperature. Two of the most effective fluids out there are the Lucas Semi-Synthetic ATF, commonly known as Sure Shift, and the Lucas Marine ATF.
Both fluids offer exceptional protection and noticeably improved shift quality for transmissions through the use of extreme high pressure additive packages, anti-foaming agents, and friction modifiers. Torque converter efficiency is improved through superior anti-shearing properties engineered into each of these fluids. Reduction of fluid shearing not only pays dividends in converter efficiency, but also radically decreases the amount of heat generated within the converter.
Lucas Marine ATF typically gets the nod for those seeking a full synthetic fluid that offers the ultimate in thermal stability and durability in extreme duty and abusive applications, especially where horsepower levels are extremely high and torque converter stall speed is elevated such as in Trophy trucks and desert racing applications.
Preventative Maintenance and Long-Term Storage
Chances are we’ve all dealt with the relatively poor quality of gasoline as delivered from the pump these days… gasoline that quickly turns into varnish and damages fuel system components once it sits unused for any significant period of time. Lucas Fuel Stabilizer can help put an end to those issues when it’s time to park your 4×4 over the off-season. This product will not only help prevent the degradation of fuel as it sits in storage, but it will actually help clean and lubricate fuel system components such as the fuel pump and carburetor (or fuel injectors) once you pull your vehicle out of storage and get it running again.
Lucas recommends their Tool Box Buddy product to help prevent rust and corrosion on areas of the vehicle where metal may be exposed to the environment. This product is particularly effective at preventing various fasteners from seizing over time.
Lucas Oil Slick Mist Speed Wax will enhance the appearance of the paint on your truck or SUV while providing UV protection, effectively enhancing the life span of painted surfaces on your vehicle. You can also keep mud, bugs, and tar from sticking wherever you apply Slick Mist on your vehicle’s exterior.
Diesel Application
Not all engine oils are created equally. Diesel engines are one of the more popular options in trucks today, and these high compression power plants require robust engine oil that is capable of withstanding the extreme cylinder pressure generated within these engines.
Lucas 15W-40 Magnum High TBN CI-4 oil is the answer off road and 4×4 enthusiasts who rely on diesel power. This oil incorporates additives that generate a protective film on all internal engine components. This film significantly reduces wear, especially on start-up. Lucas 15W-40 is also more resistant to fuel dilution and oxidation as compared to conventional diesel engine oils. Users can typically expect upwards of double the oil life by using Lucas 15W-40 in their diesel engine.
Lucas offers a couple of fuel additives that are particularly useful in diesel-powered applications. Their Fuel Treatment product chemically alters the fuel on a molecular level in order to provide improved atomization of the fuel as it is injected into the cylinder. This improvement in atomization helps contribute to a more complete combustion event. Any time you can burn fuel more effectively you’re going to increase fuel efficiency while reducing exhaust gas emissions, all of which makes this product a no-brainer for your diesel truck.
Their Anti-Gel Cold Weather Diesel Treatment is a great product for those of you operating diesel engines in cold climates. This product will help remove water from fuel systems, and is specially designed to prevent thickening and gelling of diesel fuels. It even works in bio-diesel!
Advanced Protection For High Performance Engines
Who doesn’t like horsepower?? Elevated horsepower levels are easier to attain than ever these days thanks to modern engine technology, even when applied to vintage engine designs. Do our trail rigs and rock crawlers need high horsepower power plants? Nope. Do we want more horsepower anyway? The answer is almost always YES!
High performance engines demand high performance engine oil, and Lucas delivers on this front with their Hot Rod & Classic Car series of engine oil. Offered in 10W-30, 10W-40, and 20W-50 configurations, this series of oil is manufactured with high concentrations of phosphorous, zinc, and molybdenum.
These additives extract maximum component durability within a high horsepower/high torque engine, as these additives improve lubricity while also helping maintain integrity of the oil film between components when subjected to high pressures and/or high RPM. This holds especially in engines equipped with flat tappet valve trains, as these additives help significantly reduce friction and improve lubricity between the face of the lifter and the camshaft lobe, there by preventing premature wear and even failure within the valve train.
Their Engine Break-In Oil Additive contains a concentrated dose of the same great additives found in their Hot Rod & Classic Car engine oils. This additive is a great choice to enhance virtually any commercially available engine oil if you’re interested in decreasing the potential for premature component wear within your engine.
Improved Suspension Performance
Shock absorbers are arguably the most highly stressed component in an off road vehicle, especially in competition use. Like the rest of the components that make up your vehicle, your shocks can benefit from premium oil.
Lucas offers two varieties of their Racing Suspension Fluid. The S1 formula features a 2.5WT viscosity rating, while their S2 formula features a 5WT viscosity rating.
This fluid was designed as a low viscosity, low drag formula that capitalizes on the use of extreme friction reducers within the fluid. Anti-wear agents are incorporated to insure maximum longevity of the piston, valve mechanism, and seals. Lucas also utilized anti-foaming agents during the design of this fluid in order to prevent aeration and cavitation within the shock absorber.
All of these fluid features add up to helping a shock absorber provide significantly more responsive handling, smooth damping ability, and increased consistency of the rebound range.
That About Wraps It Up
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the diverse offerings of Lucas Oil Products. Through the use of superior lubricants and additives, you too can enjoy increased performance and maximum durability from your off road machine!
