Gear oil for enclosed industrial gearboxes is an extreme-pressure (EP) lubricant classified to DIN 51517 Part 3 CLP and ISO 12925-1 CKD, supplied in ISO VG 68 to 680 — with ISO 220, 320 and 460 covering most spur, helical, bevel and planetary units on conveyors, mixers, crushers, extruders, winches and mill drives. Harlow Lubricants Supplies is an authorised distributor for Shell, Mobil, Castrol, Fuchs, TotalEnergies and Klüber, with 35 years in lubricant supply, and we stock Shell Omala, Mobilgear 600 XP, Castrol Alpha SP and Optigear, Fuchs Renolin CLP, TotalEnergies Carter and Klübersynth GEM in 20 L pails, 205/209 L drums and 1,000 L IBCs for UK delivery and export to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
Need a quote or a data sheet? Tell us the gearbox make, the ISO grade on the nameplate and the pack size, and we reply with stock and lead time.
Tell us the gearbox make and the ISO grade on the nameplate and we will confirm the builder approval before you order, not after. Every grade is genuine, manufacturer-sealed stock supplied with its data sheet, and quotes go out the same working day with stock and lead time against them.
Which gear oil grade do I need — ISO 150, 220, 320 or 460?
Use the ISO viscosity grade on the gearbox nameplate or in the manufacturer’s manual. Where none is given, ISO 220 is the most common grade for medium-speed enclosed helical gearboxes at normal ambient temperature, with 150 for higher speeds and 320 or 460 for slow, heavily loaded or hot units. The number is the oil’s viscosity at 40 °C, so a higher grade means a thicker film and more drag.
Both Shell and Mobil cover the full range. The Mobilgear 600 XP performance profile lists ISO VG 68 to 680 with pour points from −27 °C (VG 68) to −9 °C (VG 680) and a viscosity index of 96–101. The Shell Omala S2 G 220 data sheet gives 220 cSt at 40 °C, 19.4 cSt at 100 °C, VI 100 and a pour point of −18 °C.
| ISO grade | Typical gearbox | Genuine EP mineral gear oils we stock |
| ISO VG 150 | Higher-speed helical units, smaller reducers, machine-tool gearboxes | Shell Omala S2 GX 150, Mobilgear 600 XP 150, Castrol Alpha SP 150, TotalEnergies Carter EP 150 |
| ISO VG 220 | General medium-speed enclosed gearboxes — conveyors, mixers, agitators, pumps | Shell Omala S2 GX 220, Mobilgear 600 XP 220, Castrol Alpha SP 220, Fuchs Renolin CLP 220, TotalEnergies Carter EP 220 |
| ISO VG 320 | Slower, heavier-loaded units — crushers, extruders, mill drives, hot environments | Shell Omala S2 GX 320, Mobilgear 600 XP 320, Castrol Alpha SP 320, TotalEnergies Carter EP 320 |
| ISO VG 460 | Low-speed, high-torque and shock-loaded drives — kilns, winches, mining and quarry reducers | Shell Omala S2 GX 460, Mobilgear 600 XP 460, Castrol Alpha SP 460, TotalEnergies Carter EP 460 |
ISO 68, 100 and 680 grades are stocked in the same ranges — ask for the grade on the nameplate.
What is ISO VG 220 gear oil used for?
ISO VG 220 is the default industrial gear oil grade in the UK. It suits medium-speed enclosed gearboxes running at normal ambient temperature — conveyor drives, mixers, agitators, pump drives and general plant reducers — and it is the grade most gearbox builders specify when the nameplate gives no other instruction.
If the unit runs hot, is heavily loaded or turns slowly, step up to 320 or 460. If it runs fast or the reducer is small, 150 is usually the better fit. When in doubt, the nameplate and the manual win over any general rule.
What is the difference between CLP gear oil and hydraulic oil?
CLP gear oil (DIN 51517 Part 3) carries sulphur-phosphorus extreme-pressure additives that stop scuffing between gear teeth under high load. Hydraulic oil (DIN 51524 Part 2 HLP) uses milder anti-wear chemistry and is built for pumps and valves, not tooth contact.
They are not interchangeable. An ISO 220 hydraulic oil does not exist for that reason, and putting an EP gear oil into a hydraulic system can attack yellow-metal pump parts. Shell’s own specifications make the split clear: Omala S2 G is specified to Fives Cincinnati P-74, AGMA 9005-EO2, ISO 12925-1 CKD and DIN 51517-3 CLP, while Tellus is specified to DIN 51524-2. Different standards for different jobs. For hydraulic systems see our hydraulic oil range.
Which gear oil is approved for Flender gearboxes?
Siemens (Flender) publishes an approved-lubricant list, T 7300, and both Mobilgear 600 XP (ISO 100–680) and Shell Omala S2 GX carry Flender approval on it. The Mobil performance profile lists Flender T 7300 Table A-a and E-am, and Shell lists Omala S2 GX as approved by Siemens AG for Flender helical, bevel, planetary and marine gear units.
If your gearbox plate says Flender, either range is the safe choice — we will confirm the current approval status on the quote. Other builder approvals in the same ranges include SEW-Eurodrive, Renk and ZF TE-ML 04F for Mobilgear 600 XP 220, and David Brown and US Steel 224 for Shell Omala S3 GP.
What is the equivalent of Shell Omala 220 or Mobilgear 600 XP 220?
Like-for-like ISO VG 220 EP mineral gear oils to DIN 51517-3 CLP are Shell Omala S2 GX 220 (previously Omala S2 G 220 and Omala 220), Mobilgear 600 XP 220, Castrol Alpha SP 220, Fuchs Renolin CLP 220 and TotalEnergies Carter EP 220 — all stocked here.
Check the builder approval on the gearbox before switching brands, and never mix a mineral CLP oil with a PAG synthetic such as Shell Omala S4 WE or Klübersynth GH 6: PAG and mineral oils are incompatible and the gearbox must be flushed.
Shell’s data sheet notes the renaming — Omala S2 G was previously sold as Shell Omala Oils, and Omala S2 GX has since replaced S2 G — so an old maintenance schedule that says “Omala 220” means Omala S2 GX 220 today.
When should I use a synthetic gear oil instead?
Move to a synthetic where the gearbox runs hot, is hard to reach for oil changes, or is a worm drive. Shell recommends Omala S4 WE (PAG) for highly loaded worm drives and Omala S4 GXV (PAO) where very long oil life or wide temperature swings are needed; Mobil’s equivalents are the Mobil SHC 600 series.
We stock Omala S4 WE 220, Omala S4 GXV 220, Mobil SHC 630 (ISO 220) and Castrol Optigear Synthetic, alongside the Mobil Glygoyle PAG range.
For hot sites in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, a synthetic 320 or 460 often outlasts a mineral oil by enough to pay for itself in fewer changes — ask us to price both.
Do you supply open gear lubricants?
Open gear drives — girth gears on kilns, mills and dryers — need a different product from an enclosed gearbox oil: a high-viscosity adhesive lubricant that stays on the tooth flank rather than draining away. Tell us the drive and the application method (spray, brush or automatic system) and we will quote the right grade from the ranges we carry.
What pack sizes can I buy?
Every grade is available in 20 L pails, 205/208/209 L drums and 1,000 L IBCs, with bulk delivery for regular high-volume users. Prices are quoted per enquiry, the same working day; orders over €10,000 receive a 10% discount and we price-match like-for-like genuine product.
UK deliveries normally arrive within 2–5 business days. We also export gear oil to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa with the data sheet and safety data sheet in the shipment.
Harlow Lubricants Supplies, 405 Hendon Way, London NW4 3LH, United Kingdom. Authorised distributor for Shell, Mobil, Castrol, Fuchs, TotalEnergies and Klüber. 35 years in lubricant supply.
Also supplying transformer and switchgear oil to IEC 60296, in drums and bulk, for substation and transformer maintenance programmes.
Also supplying heat transfer fluid, cutting fluid and slideway oil for the same sites — happy to quote them together on one order.
