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| | | | Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 | Hello All,
Does anyone know if there is a kit to just put seals in for a box that works great but leaks?
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,212 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,212 | What oil/lube are you using? Where is it leaking? Mike B  | | | | | Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 | Thats a good question! I still need to look up what to use for this thing! I will have to look up close and wont be in front of it til Fri.. :/ [edit] I looked up steering 'fluid' after your clue sir and mainly, it should be filled with a type of grease!  I think someone put power steering fluid in it from the way it looked IIRC!
Last edited by 38_1.5Ton; 04/20/2022 11:03 PM.
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,440 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,440 | If it is a stock ‘38 steering box it uses “Cornhead grease” found at your local Farm Store.
Martin
'62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress)
'47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project)
‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily)
‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence)
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| | | | | Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2020 Posts: 366 | Oh I will try this. Yes it is stock. Thanks guys!
'38 1.5ton; "The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips"
| | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 | You can replace the sector shaft seal with a more modern type (rubber lip seal) for pretty cheap. The original is a felt seal that is pretty much just a strainer. Same as a later model pitman shaft seal SKF 11055.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 2,435 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2022 Posts: 2,435 | You can replace the sector shaft seal with a more modern type (rubber lip seal) for pretty cheap. The original is a felt seal that is pretty much just a strainer. Same as a later model pitman shaft seal SKF 11055. I did the felt seal (which leaked like a sieve even with JD Cornhead grease in the box) to lip seal change on my '52 GMC 150. Left the steering box in place. Removed the Pitman arm. Dug out the felt seal with various small pointy tools and tapped in the lip seal. Not a drop in over a year.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12
'52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2018 Posts: 2,450 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2018 Posts: 2,450 | 38 1.5 ton I think I read somewhere to use 3 drywall screws to pull the old seal out,then put in new seal. Have been using corn head grease works fine. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 | I also removed the pitman arm and installed a lip seal and filled it with 90 wt. gear lube. And it leaked through the threads on the bottom of the steering box where the large adjustment nut is. These trucks are suppose to leak fluid. That's how you know they have some in them! We need to realize these truck were designed in a different time. The original felt seal would also leak. When components stop leaking that when they need checked! | | | | | Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1,004 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1,004 | chris,
i think 90 wt is too thin for the steering box, the original stuff in there would have been like lard on a cold day "self leveling grease"
but i did like you
however before assembling i studied those threads and the bushings and the smaller adjustment bolt thing on the side, and made modifications so that i could fill mine up with 80 wt oil and it doesn't leak anywhere now
the next one i do, i'll just try to find the right stuff to put in it, but i'm probably still gonna seal the thread leaks again to keep dirt out.
-s | | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 | I have all ways wondered how our camp commandant has kept those rear hubs and wheels on his 46 2 ton so white? What's the secret?
Last edited by Chris's 46 / 515; 04/25/2022 1:00 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 | My truck has a spring loaded oil cup to fill the steering box, so the fluid must be pretty thin! Also, I just looked it up in my 1946 Chevrolet truck owners manual. It says use AII Purpose or Universal gear lubricant. Also the manual call out "ALL Purpose" Gear Lubricant as S.A.E. 90. The manual also states there's no need to ever drain the steering box but gear oil can be added. This tells me the factory may expect the steering box to leak! These old trucks where expected to leak. I don't understand why every body says use the JD corn head grease.
Last edited by Chris's 46 / 515; 04/25/2022 12:34 PM.
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