John Deere corn head grease

[wrndln]

Has anyone used corn head grease in the steering box of a model A? I am having trouble with minor leaks at the bottom of my 7 tooth column I just rebuilt. First I didn't use any sealer, like was advised here by a couple of Fordbarner, but it leaked. I used Permatex to seal the shims and threads on the bottom bolts, but one bolt has a slow leak - I don't know why. I was thinking of using corn head grease, as it is supposed to not leak and lubs well. I pasted in a link to a YouTube video about the grease. It sound great and is only about $4 a 11 oz tube. If anyone has used corn head grease in a steering column, please let me know how it worked.
Rusty Nelson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwk_sYP6A8

[bogdonj]

I only use corn head grease on my U Joint.. not sure if it should go in the steering box. You may have to heat it up to get it in if you do..

[Ian NZ]

I am using John Deere Cornhead grease in the steering box of my 1932 Ford and it is working well, no leaks as yet. I had a bit of a Job removing the 600W oil from the steering box with a suction gun and a thin plastic hose though. It was easy to fill the steering box with the Corn head grease as I just poured it out of the cartridge into the steering box as it was just like extra thick oil, you do not have to use a grease gun.

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

Has anyone used this grease in the transmission or differential of a Model A Ford? What is your experience? Good? or Bad?
Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[glenn in camino]

I mix 600W with grease to make the 600W thicker but so it will still flow. Leaks a little but not very much. I have those aftermarket tubes and straight 600W in a couple of my cars. They work really good.

[jfrankhash]

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Haven't tried it in the Miss Frances (1930 ccpu), but it is a well known steering gear fix for Farmall Letter series tractors from the 40's and 50's.

[1931 flamingo]

Penn-Rite steering box lube, comes in a bottle. Available from Restoration Supply, Escondida, CA. They have an online catalog. About $14 plus shipping. I put in 600w and it all leaked out. Put Penn-Rite in and NO leaks in over a year. JMO
Paul in CT

[Chris in WNC]

use STP- it leaks out slower than gear oil.......

with corn head grease or any other grease you will eliminate most leaks but also eliminate most lubrication of the steering gears......

[jmaotto]

Cornhead grease works well in my Ford 8N tractor.

[CarlG]

OK, So IF, and that's a big IF, I were to decide to put the corn head grease in my U-joint, would I have to clean out all the other stuff in there, or just begin adding it as needed. It currently has that Mystic jt6 in it right now, but I need to add more, I'm sure. (I'm sure there's not a full tube in there)

[wrndln]

CarlG,
Does your U joint leak? If it doesn't, I would keep using Mystic JT6. If JT6 is leaking, I am not sure corn head grease wouldn't leak also, as JT6 is very thick compared to gear oil. I was concerned about the steering column with Mobil 680 gear oil in it with a very slow leak. I hate leaks! It is the only thing that leaks on my newly assembled chassis (so far anyway). I think corn head grease would work pretty well in the transmission and differential as well as the steering box after seeing the YouTube video. I just checked with a local John Deere dealer and they have corn head grease for about $3.50 an 11oz tube - not to bad.
Rusty Nelson

[d.j. moordigian]

Rusty,

I liked the YouTube video.....is that stuff EP?

[Rebel Sympathy]

You do not eliminate lubrication with corn head grease. While it is a grease, it is continously in a state of flux; turn the wheel and the grease settlles back into the air pocket created by the movement of the worm and sector. It works great. I have used it for years. In one instance the leak was so bad that the corn head grease still oozed out over time. Other than that, it has been great.

Mike

[Seth Swoboda]

I recently put some John Deere multi-lube in the steering box of my 39 pickup with good results.

[MrTube]

Ah, the old "my steering box leaks so I drained the oil out and put grease in" discussion.

I have to ask, if this is the logic being used, do you do the same when your oil pan or rear main leak? Drain the oil out and pump grease in? Is this the solution to an oil leak on a device engineered to use oil?

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by MrTube

Ah, the old "my steering box leaks so I drained the oil out and put grease in" discussion.

I have to ask, if this is the logic being used, do you do the same when your oil pan or rear main leak? Drain the oil out and pump grease in? Is this the solution to an oil leak on a device engineered to use oil?

MrTube, you have been a member of this forum long enough to know that alot of people would rather find a quick fix then a proper one.

[d.j. moordigian]

Uhhh....

1. band-aid
2. cranky
3. put a diaper on it

[spdway1]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

MrTube, you have been a member of this forum long enough to know that alot of people would rather find a quick fix then a proper one.

I shower with it and it slows hair loss!

I would fix it the correct way!

[Hunter]

Rusty,

If it makes you fell any better I have gone through the same process as you and still have a very small leak (using 600W). I plan to take the column out and address it this winter. At least you were wise enough to test/fix the isuue before you installed the column in the car which is what I did

[wrndln]

Hunter,
I think I have the problem with the leaky bottom bolts fixed. It was a very easy solution and didn't require the column to be removed. At least it hasn't leaked for two weeks and running. Earlier I had put Permatex #2 on the surfaces of all the shims, the bottom plug and all the bolt threads and side plate. The very minor leaking was from the two bottom bolts. I removed the bottom bolts that were leaking and wrapped about 12 to 15 rounds of heavy cotton thread around the bolt just under the head. I then slid on the lock washer and then wrapped around the same amount of thread below the lock washer. I put some Permatex on the thread wrappings and reinstalled the bolts. I did this to both the bottom bolts as they were the only spots the oil was coming from. I was going to use cornhead grease, by maybe now I wont have to. If it starts leaking, next will be cornhead grease in the steering box.
Rusty

[DBF 30]

I have been a long time reader of the Stovebolt web page on restoring Chevy trucks. Corn head grease has been discussed there for years specifically concerning steering gear boxes. The collective wisdom is that it is the best choice by far to put in a steering box for great lubrication and especially to stop the leaks found with other types of gear lube.

I havn't tried it yet but when I rebuild my 2 tooth box I am planning on using it.

[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 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.

[V4F]

hmm , i must be wierd . i use power punch in my steering box , lucas heavy duty gear oil + power punch in my rear end .

[40 Deluxe]

Apparently some posters are confusing the John Deere cornhead greasse with chassis greasse or wheel bearing grease or the red Mystic JT-6 grease. Cornhead grease is not like that! It is more like a semi-liquid that flows slowly yet clings to gear and bearing surfaces, so it continues to lube.
It's a lot like the special grese used in CV joints found on front wheel drive cars. As long as the CV boot doesn't get torn open or a hole poked iin it (or just fall apart-very rare nowadays) the CV joint will likely outlast the car without ever needing to be repacked. Take one apart after 200,000 or so miles and you will see that all the balls and cages, etc. are still covered with a film of grease and there is no wear.
You may think that the grease would all be pushed a far corner of the joint and it would be running dry, but its not!

[Tom Wesenberg]

CV joint grease.........now, that sounds like a good steering lubricant.

[John S]

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Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

CV joint grease.........now, that sounds like a good steering lubricant.

Yep, you may be on to something there!

[Jedd]

I'm posting this as a question for myself, not as a reply to someone else's, I hope I'm where I need to be, having never done this before. I currently use Corn head grease in my 1930 Model A steering box with excellent results. I read somewhere that it can be used in differentials to eliminate leakage, (and to eliminate tearing the rear end out to replace axle seals!) Has anyone else done this, or know of someone who has? Thanks

[rotorwrench]

I'd draw the line on transmissions and differentials. They need better protection for gear wear than the corn head grease was designed for.