Although OEMs specify physical, chemical and performance requirements of fluids for use in their equipment, most OEM specifications are self-certifying, which means OEMs do not police claims that oil companies make on their product labels. The result has been the introduction of low-cost, low-quality tractor hydraulic fluids that profess to meet current OEM credentials and performance claims but in reality, do not. Another issue is that some lubricants that do not meet valid OEM specifications will advertise only obsolete OEM credentials such as J20A and 303, which has made it hard for farmers to select lubricants they can trust.

The TractorLife.com Authenticated mark was introduced to overcome this challenge in the marketplace. Fluids endorsed by the TractorLife.com Authenticated contain advanced additive packages that help the fluids meet and often exceed current OEM credentials, providing tractors optimal protection against wear, rust, oxidation, brake chatter, extreme temperatures and, ultimately, premature equipment failure.

TractorLife.com is a website exclusively dedicated to helping U.S. farmers manage the lives of their tractors.  The content is about the life of the tractor, which includes maintenance, tires, technology and more as well as helping farmers select the right fluids for their equipment.

Lubrizol has partnered with Penton Media, Inc. to develop the site and deliver its mission. Penton Media owns and operates several agriculture publications, including Farm Industry News, Corn & Soybean Digest, Beef, Hay & Forage Grower. Penton operates TractorLife.com using the same authoritative editors, who have years of farm reporting experience. In other words, the media company determines and provides the appropriate content for the site based on the TractorLife.com mission. Additionally, Lubrizol brings more than 80 years of lubrication experience to the site, and therefore; the company provides the lubrication content.

Lubrizol says that it recognizes the need for a channel to upgrade the market and steer farmers away from low quality fluids that could damage their equipment. With the TractorLife.com Authenticated program, Lubrizol is doing its part by promoting its customers products that have been extensively tested and validated to meet OEM requirements.

At present there are three companies that have tractor fluids listed as having the TractorLife.com Authenticated mark, those being Petro-Canada DURATRAN, DURATRAN XL SYNTHETIC BLEND and DURATRAN SYNTHETIC; Texas Refinery Corp. (TRC) UNIVERSAL TORQUE FLUID and UTF RED and Federated Co-operatives Limited T-HF and Super T-HF SB (synthetic blend).  OEM/Lube News was told by Lubrizol that this program is in early stages and that a number of other lubricant manufacturers' products are under review and will soon appear on the list.

To get more information on the TractorLife.com Authenticated program and to obtain an updated list of brands that have earned the TractorLife.com Authenticated mark, visit http://www.tractorlife.com/authenticated/