Previous Owner filled Steering Box with Grease - Up a Creek?

[Chris in WNC]

straight STP in the steering gear slows down the leaking to what I find acceptable....

[Purdy Swoft]

I use Slick 50 grease from Walmart as an assembly lube and top it off with 600 W . This has worked good for me . I use a shortened pitman arm and teflon buttons in the tie rod ends and drag link. My cars with rebuilt steering drive as well as a modern car with power steering when they are moving.

[columbiA]

I agree with Purdy that a few minor mods will make for very easy steering.I also use the torrington needle thrust brg which makes a noticeable differance.I would never use an F-100 steering box.

[Purdy Swoft]

I also use the torrington bearings in my model A's with two tooth steering and would never use the the F-100 steering box.

[dumb person]

Have not got around to rebuilding my steering box yet. Somebody filled mine with old caked grease from the 1960s so i dug it out, filled it with oil and it all leaked out overnight. Then i filled it with something similar to what you guys would be able to buy as "john deer corn head grease" that moves only very slowly. Made it much easier to steer & does not leak out, yet.

[Mike V. Florida]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

For leaks try this for the light bail,




and this for the sector gear,

[Napa Skip]

If you have access to the May-June 1998 “Model ‘A’ News” (Vol 45 No. 3), there is an article entitled “Best Steering Gear Grease” by Herman Reheis of Monticello GA, discussing his use of Ford Steering Gear Grease, Ford Part No. C3AZ-19578A. Mr. Reheis subsequently asked George DeAngelis if he was aware of this product (which he wasn’t). Mr. DeAngelis looked into the matter and responded to Herman with a letter and 3 pages of data from the Ford archives, the bottom line (as Mr. Reheis states in his “Model ‘A’ News” article) being that the product was a “grease used as a long life lubricant for steering gear housings and is expected to last for the life of the vehicle.” Mr. Reheis goes on to state that he had (as of 1998) used this grease for over 30 years in the restoration of more than 50 steering gears. A couple of years ago the local Ford parts department crossed this part number for me to a Motorcraft product, Ford Part No. CGX-1C, which has Ford Specification ESA-M1C75B.

[Purdy Swoft]

I also use the parts that Mike V has pictured above. The only modification that I make is to solder or weld the base or light switch bail to the tube. This part may have been improved. In the past, if not soldered or welded, it would still leak where the tube connects to the bail. The ones that I have used were just pressed on.

[1931 flamingo]

PENRITE STEERING BOX LUBE, AVAILABLE FROM:
Restoration Supply Co.
15182B Highland Valley Rd
Escondido, CA 92025
web www.RestorationStuff.com

does NOT leak, available on line, 1200W 500ml P/N LUB009 WAS $15.75 + ship.

Mine leaked 600w, did nothing but install this, no leaks.
Payl in CT

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

PENRITE STEERING BOX LUBE, AVAILABLE FROM:
Restoration Supply Co.
15182B Highland Valley Rd
Escondido, CA 92025
web www.RestorationStuff.com

does NOT leak, available on line, 1200W 500ml P/N LUB009 WAS $15.75 + ship.

Mine leaked 600w, did nothing but install this, no leaks.
Payl in CT

While this might be a wonderful product for the application, and there are many who have expressed so here and elsewhere, the stubbornly anti-grease folks would have to reject it as it's listed by Pennrite as a 00 grade grease, not an oil. That 1200w is someones invention of a nomenclature as there is no lubricant standard that correlates. Just sayin'............

[1931 flamingo]

It's liquid, pours sloooow.
Paul in CT

[dumb person]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

It's liquid, pours sloooow.
Paul in CT

Like tomato sauce. Works well.

[Duffy1]

What`s wrong with a F-100 steering box .

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Duffy1

What`s wrong with a F-100 steering box .

Nothing with that or any other mod that you may choose. After over 50 years with model A's, it just wouldn't look right to me and it would probably steer more like a Ford pickup. (insert smiley face)

[ABento]

As mentioned above the John Deere Corn Head grease is also good for steering boxes, it is a flowable grease so it doesn't work itself away from the worm and sector like a normal grease would it, it doesn't form a pocket.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Well, call me a "doubting Thomas", but I'm not convinced that grease is all evil, especially Mystik JT-6 high temp, which is a very sticky grease and clings well to parts. The steering turns slowly and not very often, while wheel bearings turn fast and constant while the car is moving, and they hold up quite well. True that the worm has a wiping motion, while the wheel bearings have a rolling motion, but I still think some grease will be lubing them, especially when the gear oil is added to fill any voids.

When I rebuild a steering gear I grease the parts during assembly, then fill the box with Mobil 636.

[Uncle Bob]

Tom, since you're one of the more open minded on these matters just a commentary on your Mobil 636 portion. That's an ISO 680 viscosity grade which is quite viscous. The next grade down in Mobil's offerings is the 634 which is an ISO 460 which is in the same viscosity range as the 600w (which in turn most correlates with the middle range of an SAE 140 gear lube viscosity wise, the 680 is at the high end and beyond of that range).