Steering Box Lubricant
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 496
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From: edinburg VA.
Steering Box Lubricant
I have been reading threads about steering boxs.How do you check to see if it has grease in it. Is there a plug somewhere to fill it?Also what kind of lub should you use?Thanks in advance for any info.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Connecticut, USA
I'm going to disagree with the common method of removing a couple of the top bolts and adding grease until it comes out. This method is a crap shoot,if the worm nut is under the hole then you'll get a wrong indication, if you add too much it will blow out a seal. Removing the cover while the box is on the car will throw off the lash- if it's still correctly set.
I'd remove the box and then grease and rebuild/adjust it. That's the only way to correctly get the box full and set. All the boxes I rebuilt had dried out or just plain baked grease in them. It would have been useless with any of them to try and fill them through the cover.
Good luck
Gary
I'd remove the box and then grease and rebuild/adjust it. That's the only way to correctly get the box full and set. All the boxes I rebuilt had dried out or just plain baked grease in them. It would have been useless with any of them to try and fill them through the cover.
Good luck
Gary
Pro
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 633
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Originally Posted by Ronnie wilkins
Also what kind of lub should you use?
In the 1975 shop manual, a special manual steering box lube #1052084 is specified with the caution to not use it on earlier model years and not to use EP chassis lube. It so happens that this part # is discontinued and so is its replacement part #. The GM parts screen now specifies to use an EP chassis lube and "order direct from vendor" but gives no vendor or lube spec.
I used Pennzoil 707L chassis lube for my rebuild as recommended at a Bloomington clinic by an instructor named Harvey Jacobs who, as I recall, has a repair shop around Philadelphia.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 633
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
An afterthought-This lube business seems to be a mess. I'd also be interested in knowing what's behind the seeming tight specs for the '75 manual steering box and why the GM reversal to go back to a chassis lube.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Connecticut, USA
The GM stuff has been changed, I use Mobil 1 in all boxes 63-82. They are all the same as for seals and internal parts,only difference is the worm shaft and covers between the 63-E69 and L69-82's.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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gary...you should know by now that synthetic isn't supposed to be used, it promotes wear and attrackts mositure...or so we were told in a thread some time ago 
(for those that fail to miss the pun...I too use mobil 1 synth in my rack, ball joints, cross shaft bushings and wheel bearings)
(for those that fail to miss the pun...I too use mobil 1 synth in my rack, ball joints, cross shaft bushings and wheel bearings)
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: staten island ny
Originally Posted by gtr1999
The GM stuff has been changed, I use Mobil 1 in all boxes 63-82. They are all the same as for seals and internal parts,only difference is the worm shaft and covers between the 63-E69 and L69-82's.
ESU
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Boynton Beach Florida
after I put the gear oil in I read your post,,Found the Moble 1 grease ,pumped it in and pushed out most of the gear oil then I used low pressure air to remove a little more and to leave room for expansion.. It tightened up my steering and took most of the play out.I just hope I didn't ruin anything with the gear oil.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 478
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From: Ellicott City MD
Originally Posted by gtr1999
I'm going to disagree with the common method of removing a couple of the top bolts and adding grease until it comes out. This method is a crap shoot,if the worm nut is under the hole then you'll get a wrong indication, if you add too much it will blow out a seal. Removing the cover while the box is on the car will throw off the lash- if it's still correctly set.
I'd remove the box and then grease and rebuild/adjust it. That's the only way to correctly get the box full and set. All the boxes I rebuilt had dried out or just plain baked grease in them. It would have been useless with any of them to try and fill them through the cover.
Good luck
Gary
I'd remove the box and then grease and rebuild/adjust it. That's the only way to correctly get the box full and set. All the boxes I rebuilt had dried out or just plain baked grease in them. It would have been useless with any of them to try and fill them through the cover.
Good luck
Gary
...and if you have headers installed, they will bake the lube fairly quickly.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,154
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From: Connecticut, USA
Originally Posted by palazzopl
after I put the gear oil in I read your post,,Found the Moble 1 grease ,pumped it in and pushed out most of the gear oil then I used low pressure air to remove a little more and to leave room for expansion.. It tightened up my steering and took most of the play out.I just hope I didn't ruin anything with the gear oil.
Gary
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by gtr1999
..... All the boxes I rebuilt had dried out or just plain baked grease in them. It would have been useless with any of them to try and fill them through the cover.
Good luck
Gary
Good luck
Gary
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,154
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From: Connecticut, USA
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
Gary do you suppose you could work your magic on a 37 ford steering gear box if i decide to keep it?
I wonder how much different they are and are part kits available?Gary