Should I Use Manufacturer's Oils and Filters?

Got a question from Jeff, my neighbor. He's getting ready to change hydraulic oil in his Ford 1920 tractor and he wanted to know how important it is to use manufacturer's oils and filters when doing that task. They are considerably more expensive than what you get at a farm store like Tractor Supply, Rural King, or Farm and Home.

While I've never tested the different oils that manufacturers offer, I respect the wisdom that my father had on this matter. He was very conservative with his money, but he always owned good equipment and used the original equipment manufacturer's oils and filters on every tractor he owned. I'm the same way.

In Jeff's case, he's going to spend about $100 more to buy the factory oil for his 1920. There's a lot of oil in a hydraulic system. While $100 is a lot of money, it's nowhere near the amount you'd spend if you had a hydraulic system failure. So I feel, it's best to know that you have the oil the people that made the tractor recommend. It won't guarantee you'll never have a breakdown, but you might sleep better.

One of these days I'll locate a lab that can analyze the different oils and we'll see who has the best product. My gut tells me there won't be much difference in each of the manufacturer's engine or hydraulic oils, but it would be interesting to see if there really are additives in some of them that justify the higher prices. In the meantime I'll follow the lead of my father and put the OEM stuff in and not worry about it.

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