I finally got my cab back on the frame and when hooking up the steering box to the frame I notice 2 of the three mounting bolts are locked with cotter pins and 1 is not does it matter which one goes where and whats best to use for gear lube. The box has been rebuilt Thanks Dennis

 

I use STP oil additive for lube. That is really slick stuff.

 

None of mine have cotter pins. Lock washers will do just fine to hold it tight.

 

The factory used 90 wt. gear oil, but it has a tendency to leak out once the box gets a little wear in it. The STP is an interesting solution that I hadn't thought of. I bet it would work quite well. I have been using John Deere cornhead grease in all mine for awhile now. It's a semi-fluid grease that lubes well in this application, is thick enough to not leak out easily, and will flow back between the gears as they move rather than just packing into the corners where it does no good. I can't help you on the bolts, though. I would have thought that the factory would have used castle nuts and cotter pins in all three locations. Perhaps it's been worked on before and one of the original bolts was replaced.

 

Check out this thread, https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-steering.html Number Dummy, put out a lot of info about the steering boxes and says that Ford used grease and not oil. I have a spare gearbox so I drilled and tapped the fill plug from my spare for a grease fitting. Works great. If I recall, there is a plug you take out and pump grease in till it comes out the hole on the side.

 

I bought a tube of the Ford grease ND mentioned (the Ford dealer has the cheapest price on it, BTW, $3.50). I was going to take the side cover off the box and pack it in, but I would have to pull my header to do that. If your engine has stock manifolds you probably could do it without a problem. I'm talking about the cover with the nut in the middle.

 

After more thought, I don't think there is a hole on the side, but the manual dose mention pumping untill it is visable on the side or something like that. If you take the side cover off, you will have to remove the lock nut from the adjustment screw and readjust after assembly, including a new gasket. Not a bad idea anyway. I should mention that the Gemmer boxes that I have worked on were no older than 59' I believe the same in principal though.

 

Thanks for the input I'm going to check out the John Deere Cornhead grease, I like the name, and the STP. I didn't know they were called castle nuts Thankx again Dennis

 

"Castle" is an abbreviation for "Castellated"

 

Ford used Steering Gear Grease, not gear lube which was used in rear axles and manual transmissions.

One reason steering gearboxes wear and begin to leak is...people use the wrong lubricant.

Steering gear grease can still be bought, comes in a cardboard tube that is inserted into a hand held grease gun...then injected into the gearbox.

 

You could just use some model T axel oil.. it's a bit thicker, 600wt if i recall..stuffs like peanut butter and stinks like crude oil..you heat in boiling water just to get it out of the bottle..

 

It's really nothing special, but plain old chassis grease. I wouldn't have bought the Ford tube but like I said, it was cheap.

 

I have in the past added grease to manual steering boxes. There was always a plug to remove and pour it in. My 52 with original box only has the adjusting bolt and lock nut on top. Is this where I would add oil and then readjust? I am trying to figure out where some of you are pumping grease into it.
In the old days, when you pulled the plug, the grease would be caked just under it giving you the impression it was full. I would take a screw driver and poke through it to add grease.
I am leaning toward adding synthic rear end grease once I figure out just how to get it in.

 

Sorry, Bill. I don't mean to argue, but the '48-'52 trucks were furnished with gear oil as a steering gear lubricant. It's right in the shop manual. I don't disagree a bit that the later trucks and cars had grease in them as my Mustangs and Falcon certainly do. It would be interesting to pin down exactly when this change was made.

 

The 48 Truck Operator's Manual say the Steering gear case should receive "...mild E.P. GEAR OIL S.A.E. 90, for all seasons." The 52 Op Manual just says "add SAE 90 GEAR OIL to the steering gear case"

I too am curious when the change took place.

And the stock steering gearbox should have a filler plug on the top of the box.