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| | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 49 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 49 | I have 1949 chevy pickup with the original steering box but has a 1970 steering column.
There is about 1/3 play in steering wheel before the wheels will turn. It's a real hand full driving this. I plan on replacing it with a mustang II in a few years. Until then is there a way to tighten the steering box up. And what weight oil goes in the steering box.
:confused: | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 | There is a detailed description of the tightening process in the shop manual reprint. If you are planning on doing your own work on the truck it would be to your advantage to get one. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | Replace the king pins, tie rod ends, and leaf spring shackles and bushings and check the wheel bearing tension before you go blaming the steering box for your problems. It may be loose, but adjusting it probably won't cure the loose steering. The steering box uses 600W oil, which is hard to find. 130 weight gear oil is ok if you can keep it from leaking out, or light grease is probably ok.
Paint & Body Shop moderator
A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 49 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 49 | before I spend the money on kink pins and tie rods I will put a mustang II under it. Thanks for all the suggestions | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | 49dream,
It takes less than an hour to follow the Shop Manual procedure for adjusting the steering box (after you spend a little while removing the crud from the box). Buy a $1-$2 fishing scale from WalMart to measure "tension". Worth a try (at low cost) before you move towards more drastic (time & $$$) action.
Penrite lube is about the only equivalent lubricant that people have reported; however, I have used chassis lubricant - it does not leak.
Tim | | | | | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 117 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 117 | I too have a 50 chevy truck,,that wanders all over the road...Man,,i tell ya ,,this is Dangerous!!,,So i too will follow your instructions..(glad i clicked-on tonight) | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 159 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 159 | Hi 49dream, Here is a booklet which may be helpful, Servicing 1949 Passenger Car Steering Gear - MTS-49-16 which is similar to the truck. Another reference is Steering Gear Assembly from the 1949 - 1953 Passenger Car Shop Manual, section 9. Hopefully in a few months, the 1948 - 1951 Truck Shop Manual will be online. Hope these are of help. | | |
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