LT230 Transfer Box Oil
LT230 transfer box oils for Defender, Discovery 1, Discovery 2 and Range Rover Classic, bringing Ravenol MZG 80W-90 and VSG 75W-90 together in one section.
MZG is our traditional mineral LT230 oil, while VSG provides the premium fully synthetic route. Both are deliberate LT230 choices despite their different viscosity grades and API GL classifications; the complete lubricant formulation matters more than the GL number alone.
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Choose the Right LT230 Transfer Box Oil
The LT230 has traditionally been serviced with mineral 80W-90 gear oil, but that does not make mineral 80W-90 the only suitable approach. Ravenol MZG gives us the conventional mineral route, while Ravenol VSG provides a more advanced fully synthetic 75W-90 alternative with excellent cold-flow behaviour and very high viscosity stability.
| Job | Best place to start | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional LT230 service | Ravenol MZG 80W-90 | Our conventional mineral LT230 oil with a traditional SAE 80W-90 EP formulation. |
| Premium fully synthetic LT230 service | Ravenol VSG 75W-90 | Fully synthetic 75W-90 with excellent low-temperature flow, very high shear stability and a stable lubricating film under load. |
| Smaller VSG quantity | Ravenol VSG 75W-90 1L | The premium synthetic formulation in individual 1L bottles. |
| Larger VSG pack | Ravenol VSG 75W-90 4L | The same VSG formulation in a larger pack for servicing work requiring more oil. |
MZG or VSG for an LT230?
Ravenol MZG 80W-90 is our traditional LT230 oil. It is a mineral EP gear oil with strong load-carrying performance, corrosion protection and oxidation stability, making it the conventional choice for routine LT230 servicing.
Ravenol VSG 75W-90 is our premium fully synthetic LT230 oil. Its formulation gives much stronger low-temperature performance and very high shear stability while maintaining a stable lubricating film under heavy load. VSG is also our main Defender Puma MT82 gearbox oil, making it particularly useful where the same high-quality 75W-90 lubricant can legitimately cover more than one drivetrain service job.
| Feature | Ravenol MZG | Ravenol VSG |
|---|---|---|
| Twinwoods role | Traditional mineral LT230 oil | Premium fully synthetic LT230 oil |
| Viscosity | SAE 80W-90 | SAE 75W-90 |
| Oil type | Mineral | Fully synthetic |
| API classification | GL-4 | GL-4 and GL-5 |
| Main reason to buy | Traditional, straightforward LT230 service oil | Cold-flow performance, shear stability and premium synthetic formulation |
GL-4 and GL-5 Are Not the Deciding Factor
MZG and VSG demonstrate why LT230 oil should not be selected from the API GL classification alone. MZG carries GL-4, while VSG carries both GL-4 and GL-5, yet both have formulations suitable for LT230 service. Yellow-metal compatibility, additive chemistry, viscosity behaviour, load protection and the complete lubricant formulation matter more than treating GL-4 as automatically correct and GL-5 as automatically unsuitable.
Confirm the transfer box
This section is specifically for the LT230. Later electronically controlled Land Rover transfer boxes use dedicated specialist fluids and should not be treated as LT230 applications.
This section is specifically for the LT230. Later electronically controlled Land Rover transfer boxes use dedicated specialist fluids and should not be treated as LT230 applications.
Traditional mineral service
Ravenol MZG 80W-90 is our conventional mineral LT230 oil.
Ravenol MZG 80W-90 is our conventional mineral LT230 oil.
Premium synthetic service
Ravenol VSG 75W-90 is our fully synthetic LT230 oil with stronger low-temperature and viscosity-stability performance.
Ravenol VSG 75W-90 is our fully synthetic LT230 oil with stronger low-temperature and viscosity-stability performance.
Service quantity
Confirm the required fill quantity for the exact LT230 and service job before ordering the number of bottles required.
Confirm the required fill quantity for the exact LT230 and service job before ordering the number of bottles required.
Related Gear Oil Sections
| Section | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Gear Oil | The wider manual gearbox, transfer-box and differential oil range. |
| 80W-90 GL-4 Gear Oil | Ravenol MZG grouped by its traditional 80W-90 GL-4 specification. |
| 75W-90 GL-4 Gear Oil | Ravenol VSG grouped by the GL-4 side of its dual GL-4 / GL-5 specification. |
| 75W-90 GL-5 Gear Oil | VSG alongside other 75W-90 oils where GL-5 performance forms part of the specification. |
| Special Transfer Box Oil | Dedicated fluids for later electronically controlled transfer boxes rather than the LT230. |
