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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,062 Posts1,055,854 Members48,428 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 305 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 305 | What is the correct oil for a 1951 COE steering box? | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,987 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,987 | Some people on here have used John Deere corn head grease in them. Does a good job of lubricating and won't leak out as readily as oil will if your seals are bad. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 476 | My 46 2 ton calls for gear lube, I have good seals on it but it leaks through the threads on the large threaded nut for the adjustment. The owners manual states you never have to change the gear oil but gives instructions to add. Maybe no one cared if it leaked back then!! | | | | | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 601 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 601 | I rebuilt the manual steering gearbox in my Pontiac, back in the early 1990s. Was told to use CV axle grease because it's kinda liquid yet thick and super EP, being designed to keep Rzeppa constant velocity joints alive. I think I put a pint of it in there, but that was passenger car size versus truck size. It worked, too. Buttery smooth steering for years after, and never leaked a drop.
1965 C60 school bus | 1967 GMC 6500 school bus
| | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,046 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: 11,046 | The service manual makes no differentiation between pickup and big bolt steering gears as far as lubrication. It says that added lubricant should be one that's fluid at low temperatures and will not "channel" and which will provide satisfactory lubricant under extreme summer conditions. it says: Steering gear lubricants are marketed by many oil companies and either "Multi-Purpose" or "Universal" gear lubricants are satisfactory to use.
Clear as mud, right? One of the members here drdoug had a supply of NGLI 00 grease he was offering for steering gears. Supposedly Cornhead grease is NGLI 0 so slightly more liquid thicker than 00.
[on edit] I just read that CV joint grease was typically NGLI 1 grade, so thicker than 0 or 00. General purpose grease that's most commonly available for grease guns is NGLI 2
Last edited by klhansen; 09/19/2023 4:35 PM. Reason: corrected thickness of cornhead grease
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 2019 Posts: 41 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2019 Posts: 41 | I us JD corn header grease in all my manual steering gears. I think it works great.
1957. GMC F350
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