Steering gear ....Oil or Grease?

[69/70Plymies]

Working on '70 Sport Satellite steering. I removed a gear box off our parts car (owned since the early '80s) to use on the Sport. The Owner's Manual states to use 90w SureGrip oil. However, the gear box has a light amber color grease in it. So what do I use?

 

[Darter6]

Back in the day (60's-70's) On manual boxes.When customers complained that their car was hard to steer,we would add some STP with a syringe.And to be honest even new, it looked like they just shot some chassis grease in 'um.
Old dealership trick. Now I clean them out and use Luber-Plate white grease. Most of the pitman seals leak even if you replace them.The grease does a good job. My 2 cents,works for me.

 

[Demonic]

You’re likely to have a slow weep out the shaft seal if you use gear oil. White grease, Lubriplate, wheel bearing grease or something like that.

 

[69/70Plymies]

Now I clean them out and use Luber-Plate white grease.

Is this a spray can type grease, like white lithium grease? Is the consistency of the Luber Plate white grease similar to wheel bearing grease?

*****Demonic just answered these questions....Thank you.

 

[dadsbee]

"Corn Head" grease from John Deere

 

[moes]

use a moly-based grease inside the steering box. It lubricates the mechanical actions of the box well, is thick enough to cling to parts without running off and settling to the bottom, and is soft enough to flow back and forth inside the box by the pumping action of the rack block and sector teeth. Heat from the exhaust manifold and engine will soften it on cold days and yet the grease stays thick enough not to liquefy and seep out of the bottom seal. A good moly or lithium based chassis grease will work in this situation and is easy to find in tubes and install using a common cartridge-style grease gun..
Do not use a liquid lubricant (such as 90w axle fluid) in a steering box. Liquid lubricants will settle in the box and not lubricate the upper portions of the gears. It will also seep through the bearings and leak out the bottom seal. Do not use wheel bearing grease inside the box. Wheel bearing grease is too thick to coat and work properly. Wheel bearing grease is designed for the high heat enviroment of the brake system and does not soften with heat and will not flow through the box like a moly-based chassis lubricant will.

 

[Darter6]

I use Luber-Plate C-105 Grease.It's in a 10 oz tube listed as engine assembly lube.Thin enough to squeeze out of the tube,thick enough to stay in the box. And it's waterproof.

 

[69/70Plymies]

O.K., now what do I do? Before I seen some of the most recent posts, I already put 4 small syringes of red wheel bearing grease in the gear box.

 

[Nate S]

There’s no gospel answer. The gear oil works best but leaks out slowly. Thicker versions, be it grease, STP help slow the leak. Grease tends to get pushed out of the way and stay that way. Some combination of the two is likely best. I don’t think you’ve screwed anything up at all. Aim for that happy medium.

 

[Ron H]

Since I haven't been able to get my hair cut in 2 months thinking I could use some of that there corn head grease...

 

[wagonman]

I used GM synchromesh left over from a Tremec conversion in my no power box. 5 years and no leaks.

 

[Speedbird]

Yes, gear oil will leak because that's not what is supposed to be in them.
They came with grease in them and gear oil was to "service" them.
I've rebuilt them which is basically just taking apart and cleaning them.
They are not hard to do .
If anyone wants to try.
Be very careful and just don't loose the needle bearings.
And don't let the carrier run free on the worm gear once you clean it.
(Or take that apart. Just wash and rinse in mineral spirits.)
Mobile One red synthetic is fine.
Here are you seal numbers.
Been a few years.
May have been superseded.


Chicago Rawhide 11067 and National 7214.

 

[retractable]

John Deere cornhead grease is what I have used too. Works well and no leaks.

 

[Nate S]

John Deere cornhead grease is what I have used too. Works well and no leaks.

pretty cool stuff. I’d never heard of it before but just looked it up. Seems perfect for this, and the steering box on my Farmall.

 

[Darter6]

I've seen guys drill,tap and install a grease fitting in the cap plug.