The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering box lube

What lube should I use for a '36 steering box, having no idea what was used previously.

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

I think it is in the right section. GM said to use a self-leveling heavy oil. Some folks here use corn head grease, however it is not self-leveling. It more or less liquifies under stress/pressure and then turns back to a heavier grease afterward. Cotton picker grease is a 00 grease which liquifies under use and then turns back into grease. These were engineered for farm use and the change in consistency is to help keep them from leaking.

I mix corn head grease with 90 weight oil to get a mixture that can be poured into the access hole on the steering box. It resembles the product GM used to sell but no longer does. Kind of like honey or the old STP stuff but not as "sticky or stringy". I'm not a fan of any product that changes back to grease when it isn't being used or when it gets cold. I've seen several steering boxes that were ruined from using the wrong stuff. You could also use mono-grade SAE 140 oil.

I'm sure there will be some suggestions very soon...

Some people use straight John Deere Cornhead grease.

Others mix cornhead grease in a 50/50 ratio with 90 weight mineral oil (available from tractor supply listed as Ford tractor transmission fluid - it's also the recommended oil for your transmission)

Read this:

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1408894/steering-box-lube.html

Here's a look at some John Deere Cornhead grease I bought around 8 or 10 years ago. About 3/4 of a tube has been sitting in my garage since then. No self-leveling going on at all...in fact it is what in the oil world is called thixotropic. Just fyi. Hope it is helpful.

Since we’ve had a 1948 ½ ton 3100 about 21 yrs of which 16 or so it spent that time in R&R and its steering box condition unknow. After verification of the grease level (years ago) in it we added about 2 spoon full of high temperature axel bearing grease. That said, are you’ll of the opinion that we should remove, clean and apply the Corn Head grease ?
The truck has been on the road no more than 40-50 miles with only one occasion that we weren’t able to shift after stopping. However once we restarted the engine it shifted very well.

Corn head grease, CV joint grease, or any 00 or 000 grade grease is thicker than actual steering box grease. It works just as well but takes a lot longer to leak out. You can mix chassis grease 50-50 with gear lube, or run straight 140 gear lube, or any other combination of lubes as long as it flows. It all leaks over time, the thicker stuff takes longer. Ever see a dry steering box?

I've been using JD Corn head grease for more then 15 years, the gear box is damp and has a drip on it but never makes a mess on the floor, it still steers just as easy as when I put it together. Watch the video from JD explaining their grease.

The later boxes must be different than mine. The '36 box has a grease zerk on it. No way to pour anything in, unless I remove the zerk and try to pour into that small hole. I checked the manual, and the zerk is factory. It says to use a pressure gun with "steering gear or chassis lubricant". I just don't know what's available today that is compatible to who-knows-what was used over the past 90 years.

Also, is anyone out there still rebuilding these old units? The manual says the two pitman arm bushings must be installed and reamed at the same time for alignment. Don't know if that reamer would still be available, so unsure about doing the box myself. Also says a special bushing insert driver must be used to properly locate them. I could probably come up with something for that, but not the reamer unless it's a standard size that's still available. Doesn't specify a size.

Lares rebuilds them

Lares Corporation Remanufactured steering gears (manual, power) cylinders, pumps, etc.
http://www.larescorp.com/index.html

Then and Now Automotive does, too.

Then and Now Automotive
447 Washington St
Weymouth, Ma 02188
Ph: 781.335.8860
Fax: 781.335.1925
https://www.thenandnowautomotive.com/auto-parts-store

Lares did a steering box for me 10+ years ago on a Ford truck. Excellent job. They'll either rebuild the one you send them or take yours in trade for a substantial core deposit ($150 back then) that you get back when they receive the core.

I think you have to go through a third party like Rock Auto or NAPA. I'd call them. Also call Then ands Now since their website is not very helpful.

You may do that if you wish. Everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion. However, here is what I'd do. I would remove the sector shaft cover, the sector gear and shaft, remove the old shaft seal and replace with a new one, polish the pitman arm end of the sector shaft if needed (and it may need it). Sometimes those get cruddy and refuse to seal well after that...use Flitz or MAAS or something, clean the box well and check all the bushing tolerances, make a new sector cover gasket from something like manila folder paper (it is a thin gasket), re-adjust according to the manual, using some thread sealer or non-hardening gasket sealer on the front threads, check to see if the sector adjuster needs shimming, replace the cover and well-sealed gasket you made, adjust the sector gear according to the manual, sealing those threads and then I'd fill it with either 140 mono-grade oil or a mix of 90 weight and corn head grease...somewhere between 70/30 and 50/50. When it is thick and will self-level you will be okay. You can also use an inch-pound torque wrench to see when you hit center on the sector gear. Or you can pay attention when you re-assemble using a bit of masking tape on the top of the pitman arm and frame to show where dead center of the middle tooth of the sector gear is when it is smack dab in the middle of the ball nut so you'll know later...that will be your high spot and where you want things to be for the right straight-on adjustment. Jerry and I have discussed the torque wrench use here before. You will know when you hit the high spot because the needle will start going up and peak around 11 from where it was.

When I rebuilt my '37 gear box, I replaced pitman shaft ( sector gear ) with a NOS piece off e-bay along with bearings and bushings. The '37 box has a steel spacer between the sector seal and the inner bushing for the sector gear. I replaced the steel spacer with a brass bushing cut down to fit. This extra bushing really stabilizes the end of the sector gear, there was no side to side flex or seal leakage. I bought bushings form a local bearing distributor, and the tapered bearings I found on line at one of the truck parts venders. I didn't ream any bushings, might have polished them at the most, but don't really remember having any issues with fitment.

The extra bushing moved the support of the sector out closer to the pitman arm, not sure why they didn't install them to start with, the housing was already machined for them. When new it had a small bushing in the cap and the large bearing just on the other side of the gear teeth, leaving most of the shaft with out any support.

I had no issues installing the bushing, no arbor press or hydraulic press, I used some washers, nuts and threaded rod to pull them into place. But it wouldn't be all that hard to make a stepped driver to support the inside while installing them, I don't remember them being super tight.

'37s had a fill plug, they must have figured out the zerk wasn't that great of an idea.

Joe

Joe, I think Filling Station MIGHT have a sector shaft, if they still have any left. My concern would be a worn worm gear, but I guess I won't know that until I take it apart. Can try to find tolerances and specs, as the manual doesn't contain them.

I could probably just drill out the zerk hole to a larger size, tap it and plug it so as to be able to pour a self-leveling lubricant.

Ron

Ron - Here's a little info I found in the 1936 Chevrolet Truck Data pdf (pictured below) which is the only info I found listing any dimension specs related to the '36 Steering box and pitman arm. The listing is comparing the changes from the '35 to '36 model years to show improvements in the equipment. Nothing listed a far as tolerances go though unfortunately.

Ron - If you are looking for a replacement sector shaft (GM# 262948), here's a couple of current evilbay ads you might go after.

NOS GM 262946 Shaft, Steering Sector 1936 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton (FB) & Utility (RA) = $45.00 + $12.00 shipping

NOS GM 262946 Shaft, Steering Sector 1936 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton (FB) & Utility (RA) = $74.50 w/free shipping

Pictures after the parts book extract coincide with the evilbay ads above.

No need to mess with the zerk fitting, just get your box all adjusted up, then remove the side cover and dump in the lubricant. You shouldn't loose any adjustment this way. One of the side cover bolts goes into the oil, so might be able to fill through that. I pushed the lube into a heavy zip-lock bag, cut the corner off, then squeezed it in, wasn't all that bad to fill it. Mine had a good worm and worn sector, so the new replacement sector really fixed mine up.

I rebuilt my entire box on my 53 3100 except my sector gear. I had to make a longer adjustment bolt but there was plenty of meat left on it. I'm running 250 WT synthetic hypoid oil. I am also running EPAS Performance electric power steering and a Howe 1:1.5 steering quickener.

What is 250W gear oil for ? That is really thick. My uncles Stanley Steamer used steam oil that was really thick, it would make a good steering box oil if you could afford it.

Gear oil uses a different system of measurement to determine viscosity. It is completely unrelated to motor oil viscosity numbers.

250W gear oil is roughly equivalent to an SAE 60+ straight-grade motor oil. It's used for extremely heavy, load-bearing differentials and heavy duty standard transmissions. Think of mining equipment like giant dump trucks.

Ford Model As use 600W gear oil

I use this in my Frankland Quick Change rear end so I have it around. It's probably overkill.