How much gear oil goes in the steering box on a stock 49 f-1? Do you fill to the top of the fill plug hole?

 

Yes. According to the Shop Manual fill it to the fill hole with SAE 90 gear oil.

 

Most guys are running a semi-solid grease. (Not chassis grease) 90 wt. will work, but tends to leak unless the seals are good. NLGI #0 or "picker head grease".

 

Speaking of Steering box lube, can you change the lube on a steering gear box? There doesn't seem to be a drain plug, at least on my stock '55 F-1. Has anyone ever changed the lube on the steering box?
Gary

 

Thanks JRJ.btw lived in Mo Val.for over 30 years.

 

Was it still Sunnymead when you lived there?

 

There's no easy way to drain the box. No drain plug. You can remove the end plate, and it will drain out, BUT the gaskets on that plate are very thin. They are what sets the end play on the worm gear bearings. If you have new gaskets on hand (a set of several different thicknesses), you can use the opportunity to re-set the bearing preload. That can tighten up the steering quite noticeably.