The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Steering Box Lube

I have now tried several different lubes in my rebuilt steering box -- from 90 weight gear oil to chain saw bar oil. All leak out.

A friend recommended John Deere Corn Head Grease (available at your local JD dealer) -- he says the guys over on the Power Wagon boards recommended it, he's tried it and so far, no leaks.

Anybody else try corn head grease?

Regards,
John

I tried to buy it, the dealer said he would have to order a case, & I didn't want that much. Brian

any grease is the thing John, oil always runs out - I've had good luck with some moly grease and a dab of molyslip every couple years

Bill

I used Alemite Hi-temp #2, pert # 9025-01. It's more like a really thick gear oil that a grease, so it will flow, but thick enough that it doesn't leak. Works well in U-jounts, too.

Gee I'm glad you folks brought this up.
I just checked all my fluids and topped up the old steering box.
Guess what - it leaks !

My steering box leaks badly and needs the seals and gaskets changed. However, I have it from an old mechanic that worked on these trucks at a Chevy dealership that the best thing to use is STP oil treatment or "engine honey". He says its is viscous enough to be effective and due to its purpose, reduces or elimenates leaks. It has helped. The only downside is that when it does leak it stinks something awful when it gets on the engine block.

donot use chassis lube as it will cavity out and not lube,,JD cornhead lube is the item if you have a box that leaks..If you cannot get it see what STP will do,,the lube has to flow so anything you can mix or buy to get this will work...doc

Doc, what you’re saying about using chassis lube makes the most sense. It does not seem logical that the grease would become warm enough to properly lubricate the recirculating balls in a steering box. One of the problems I see with lubing the steering box is that it is a combination of Gears and Ball bearings. This was probably why there was a specially formulated lube for it. Grease used in a wheel bearing on the other hand, becomes warm enough for it to flow and lubricate the balls or rollers, as does a high fiber wheel bearing grease. Although the Chevrolet service manual does call out the use of gear “oil” as the proper lube for the U-joints, I have always used chassis grease to lube U-joints, and it was the practice when I worked as a greaser at a Chevrolet dealership in the late 50’s; also I guess my reasoning to justify using it here is that the U-joint, like the wheel bearings generate enough heat for the grease to flow. I do not intend on using JD AN102562 "Corn Head Grease" in my steering box, but I did pick up a tube just to see what everyone has been talking about and play around with it some. I talked to the dealer about its flow characteristics and on the tube it says that it is "Formulated not to leak from the Corn Head Gearcase or drain from the gears during idle periods."
What I wonder about is, why the steering box should leak if it has been properly rebuilt? If the sealing surfaces are in good shape and the gaskets and seals are properly installed I see no reason for the gear to leak.
The proper steering lube is available from one of the vendors and has been mentioned in previous discussions before. Right now I can’t recall the vendor’s name, maybe one of you all can, but I do remember that the cost was not out of line. I’m gonna have to make a note to pick up some next time the source surfaces so when I “rebuild” my leaky steering gear, I’ll have the proper lube to top it off.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I took my steering box apart, cleaned and inspected it all, decided that the bushings were OK, put a new seal in and installed it. After filling it with 90W, it leaked. I then had it rebuilt and was advised to fill it with 80W lube because that is what it was tested with. It doesn't leak at all with the 80W lube.

Maybe you could get lucky and find a tube of GM Steering Gear Lubricant. They discontinued it a few years ago, but I found a couple of tubes at a small town dealer a couple of years ago. GM part# 1052182

Bob

I've not tried the JD grease but the guys over at VCCA swear by it.

There are a couple of greases that I have heard are similar to JD Cornhead grease. One is a pourable grease product made by Valvoline that is sold outside this country for lubing track vehicles. The other is sold by a company in England-I think that's the one you're trying to remember, Denny Graham, and I can't remember the name of it either. I believe it is for the old steering boxes on MGs. I think we can all agree that chasis lube of any kind is a bad idea as it will not flow. I also think that most of us who have these old steering boxes can testify to the fact that no matter how well rebuilt it is, you are going to leak out gear oils, whether they be 80W, 90W, or 120W. It seems to me that this is to be expected, as by all accounts, the original lubricant used in these steering boxes was a pourable grease not a heavy oil.

I finally got a couple of tubes of Cornhead Greese last year when I was visiting my mom in Idaho. I got them at a JD dealership in Eastern Washington on my way home (little side detour to other relatives in Spokane). The JD dealerships in Northern California had never even heard of it.

We need someone from KS or IA to set the rest of us up w/some cornhead grease. Anyone tried Snapper 00 lawnmower grease or marine lower unit grease?

There's a JD dealership about 10 miles from here. If I stop by & check if they have it, how many of you would want a tube?

I'd be up for one, maybe 2-how many to fill the usual box?

Penrite Steering Box Lube from Restoration Supply Company

Another Penrite Supplier

Penrite is an Australian Company with UK and USA branches for marketing of specialty lubricants for classic vehicles.

Penrites steering box lube:
"A high viscosity "self-levelling" grease containing non-corrosive extreme pressure additives to provide film strength."

sounds like a good description of moly grease to me

Bill

I'll have to second the STP ... When I had the steering box out of the 41', I flushed it out and replaced the seal and filled it with STP. Going on four years now. Still no leaks.

Corn head grease (what the heck is a greased corn head?? I guess that is where you find ears of corn!) on the JD website is offered in cases, pails, and "kegs." In either case, a BUNCH of grease.

An online merchant sells it by the tube for $2.56 each. You can save the $9 shipping charge if you pick it up locally. They are in Fulton, Illinois.

Bill

Does the name "moly grease" tell us anything about its viscosity? The key term is "self-levelling".

If all moly grease was self-levelling, you'd have to be careful using it in bearings.

Lum, they never heard of it cuz all ya grow up thar in No California are grapes and whacky weed, they probably think corn grows out of a can. Just pullin your jeeber guy.
I live smack dab in the middle of corn country and the JD parts man had to search the shelves to find a tube.
That’s the guy I was thinking about Tim, “Restoration Supply Company” out of Escondido, CA, page 9 of their catalog www.RestorationStuff.com. Penrite Steering Box lube 1200W, 500ml bottle, (bout a pint) for $14.60
I got a quart comin’ for the lube rack as we speak.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Bump -- I want to be sure to remember to order some of that Penrite stuff...

Thanks for the gouge, guys!

We have the makings of a good tech tip here -- Anyone want to write a basic Tech Tip on lubes for your Stovebolt? What to lube your steering box, SM420, rear end, U-Joints, etc?

Thanks,
John

I have a 49 3100. Can the side cover be removed from the steering gear box to inspect the inside of the gear box while it is installed on the truck. Will anything come apart? It appears from the shop manual I can do it. I want to clean it out and inspect before refilling.

i use 90 wt. and greese mixed i also use it in outboards that have leaky lower units