Stephen Irons

Hi

Just a short question really! I wondered what oil/grease people put in their steering boxes? I'm talking top-up really.

And, actually, I guess I'm asking about viscosity rating, not brand necessarily.

Any thoughts?

Big2Bird

I have always used this:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/v...v986/7070009-P

It hasn't leaked out yet, but some say it does.
If you have headers, it might accelerate that.

Iceaxe

I just did mine last month and used Lucas #2 chassis grease.

On a side note I doubt my steering box had ever been greased. I was amazed with the improvement greasing the steering box made. It really tightened up the feel and removed my excessive play. I used one of the $15 bolts with a grease fiiting sold on eBay to lube mine. Best $15 I've spent on the car.

Barry's70LT1

In the late '70s I added straight STP to my steering box. Not much synthetic stuff at that time.
The STP has not leaked out yet, and the steering box is still tight.
I have manual steering so the steering box gets a real workout.
104,000 miles.

Rally68

Coastal Uniplex or Timken bearing grease.

do not use Mobil 1 grease, it will separate--it leaked out of my grease gun after about a week when I left it hanging on a hook

toobroketoretire

The TO-20 and TO-30 Ferguson tractors also used oil in their steering boxes and when the side arm leather seals failed the oil ran out; leaving the 6-tooth pinion and side gears high and dry. The trick is to use any #2 grease to fill the box; 7 pounds needed but once its put in it never needs to be changed.

All three of my C3's had bone-dry steering boxes when I bought them and I immediately filled them with #2 grease.

Jim Shea

Saginaw Steering Gear engineering recommended a good grade of lithium based chassis grease.
(GM #12377985)

Gary Ramadei uses Costal Uniplex lithium based grease in his rebuilds. That is enough for me.
Jim

Stephen Irons

Thanks chaps! As I say, I was looking more for viscosity numbers as actual "brands" over here are pretty much irrelevant.

But, I can work with the NLGI rating. I have to say, I was expecting something more liquid, but a #2 grease, or equivalent is probably easier to get into the bolt hole!

I've gone with Gary R's recommendation for diff lube, so I may as well do the same up front!

0Willcox Corvette

This bolt makes it real easy to get the grease in the box too!

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...ion-bolt-63-82

toobroketoretire

As I keep 1/4"-28 grease zerks in stock and a complete set of taps and dies I made my own many years ago. But to prevent blowing the seals out I rifle drilled one of the other lid bolts so the hole could relieve pressure as the steering box warmed up. Grease expands a LOT when its heated and its amazing how much grease got pushed out of the tiny vent hole. Maybe 2 tablespoons worth.

The main point of the grease is it'll never ever drain out like the oil did and that was one of the mistakes the G.M. engineers made with all of the steering boxes from the 1950's on up. That and the use of the old leather seals that preceded the neoprene seals we have today.

jb78L-82

Gary did my box a few years ago and I went to him personally in New Haven CT. to hand deliver my OEM steering box to him for one of his custom rebuild/blueprints and we discussed grease for the box. You are 100% correct that he uses Coastal Lithium Grease and Gary told me that Mobil 1 grease would leak out from the cover over time. Perfect today with steering feel/zero play better than when new.

jbaron

My steering is pretty loose. I'd like to add grease and see if it helps mine as well. But, not sure were to add it at. Sorry if this is a dumb Question.

7T1vette

If steering BOX is loose (you can also have a LOOSE ragjoint, idler arm, steering arms, ball joint, etc. etc.), you can make adjustment with the slotted screw on the top-plate. But, make that adjustment gently and not much at a time.

If you adjust the 'slop' out of the box when steering is aiming straight, but the box gets 'tight' when you turn one direction or the other, you have a worn sector gear and need to get the box repaired.

New grease in the steering box will NOT 'tighten it up'.

If you replace the grease in the steering box, you can use what GM (and others) recommend--or you can fill it with "Green Grease" (full synthetic gear grease/lube) or any other full synthetic gear grease. Synthetic will not melt from engine compartment temps like dino greases.

Iceaxe

You need to buy one of the bolts with a zerk shown in the Willcox post. The gear box has 3 bolts on top of it, in the center there is a stud with a nut. Remove 2 of the 3 bolts. Insert the grease bolt in place of one of the bolts, it doesn't matter which one. Using a standard grease gun begin filling until you see grease start to come out of the other bolt hole. Remove the grease gun, replace the two bolts.

The entire process takes about 5 minutes. My steering box took almost a full tube of grease (I used #2 chassis grease). Just adding the grease tightened my steering and removed the small amount of slop I had. It made the steering box feel brand new.

There is also some adjustment in your steering box using the stud and nut. There are differing views on what is the proper adjustment using the stud and nut, I'll let you google the process and pick one.

As I said earlier the bolt with zerk was the best $15 I've spent on the car. I was planning on rebuilding the steering box but figured for $15 I'd try just greasing it. It worked great for me, your mileage may vary.

7T1vette

Putting fresh grease into a Zerk at the top of the box won't assure you that the packed/caked grease at the bottom will come it. It probably won't. So, at best, you will be filling the box with whatever 'air' space is in it...and maybe some of the remaining still-liquid grease toward the top.

It would be better to (using the proper procedure) remove the upper plate and dig out as much of the old grease as possible; then repack with whatever grease you select (leaving some air space, so when it gets hot and expands there is somewhere for it to go); then replace the top plate. There is a way to do that without losing the 'alignment' of components in the steering box.

Wish you luck...whatever you do.

jbaron

Thanks guys, ball joints etc. have all been replaced. So maybe a rag joint or an adjustment. I'll try the adjustments and grease and see where that goes.

ctuinstra

I just completely cleaned my unit out. I replaced the seals, the bushings and other items were still in good shape. When finished I 3/4-filled it with green grease. This leaves room for expansion. I would not mix the old oil with new grease! Personally the grease zerk is a neat idea at first, but where does the air go when you are pumping the grease in? It's hard to tell when to stop greasing without blowing grease out a seal. I filled mine while assembling it so I know exactly where and how much grease is in it.

Iceaxe

The air exits out the second hole, which is why you remove two bolts (one for the zerk fitting and one for air/grease to escape). I have no doubt that rebuilding the box is a better option, but it takes more than 15 minutes and $15. I figured there was nothing to lose by trying the zerk because if it didn't work I was just back to square one which was rebuilding the steering box.

If you haven't tried it, don't knock it.

Solid LT1

I'm another STP fan for steering boxes yes! Engines.....NO!

Stephen Irons

This "greaser bolt" was new to me I'm afraid! So, is it feasible to replace a bolt permanently with this one with a "zerk", or should the original bolt go back in?