Steering Box Lube

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Nov 29, 2018 | 03:14 PM

acl9865

Thread Starter

Tuned

Joined: Feb 2017

Posts: 467

Likes: 21

From: Austin, TX

Steering Box Lube

Afternoon all,

Quick question: After 30 min of googling I've found two incompatible instructions on manual steering box lube. I've seen 90W be recommended and I've seen a moly or lithium based chassis grease be recommended. What is the accepted standard here? I'm in SoCal if climate matters.

1950 Ford F4, 4 speed non synchro.

Filling up the trans and rear end today with 80W-90 as well. Wanted to get all my lubing done at once.

Nov 29, 2018 | 03:47 PM

rhopper

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 1,511

Likes: 1

From: peyton, colorado

Some on the forum have had good luck with cornhead grease. It's available at John Deere dealerships in regular chassis grease tubes. Regular gear lube may leak past the seals. Normal chassis grease will create a cavity in the grease from the gears moving, leaving the parts dry of grease. Corn head grease flows into the parts, but it's thick enough to not seep past seals. I use it on the steering box of my 8n tractor. I couldn't keep gear lube in it before. The corn head grease stays put.

Nov 29, 2018 | 06:02 PM

tinman52

Welder User

Joined: Feb 2009

Posts: 5,269

Likes: 50

From: northwest MT

x2 on the corn head grease. you can also get it at Case/NH dealers or online.

Nov 29, 2018 | 06:09 PM

KirkF

Tuned

Joined: Apr 2016

Posts: 405

Likes: 30

From: Manitoba, Canada

Corn head grease from John Deere.
If you check YouTube you will find videos of it running in open gear boxes.

Kirk

Nov 29, 2018 | 07:13 PM

ALBUQ F-1

Fleet Owner

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 27,294

Likes: 1,055

From: NM

I agree on the cornhead grease, with a caveat; it's real hard to assure a complete fill with the box installed in the truck. Best way is to pack it when the box is apart, side cover off. I used a grease gun and aquarium tubing to fill mine on the truck, but worry that it isn't "full".

If you clean off your fill plug, it may be stamped "use gear oil". That was the factory fill.

Nov 29, 2018 | 08:16 PM

Steve Harlow

More Turbo

Joined: Sep 2017

Posts: 714

Likes: 257

From: Sunshine Coast, BC

Quote:

Originally Posted by acl9865

I heard from a friend who did his apprenticeship at ford in the 60's that the original spec was 90w gear oil, but the seals tended to break down and leak. So sometime in the mid 50's (i think 1954) ford changed the reccomended lube to grease, but this had a tendency to simply get pushed away from the gears and caused excessive wear, but the customer never saw a leaky box so who cares.

Personally i got gear oil in there, because I think its best to trust the people that designed the box originally.

Nov 29, 2018 | 08:31 PM

49fordv8f4

Cargo Master

Joined: Aug 2014

Posts: 2,594

Likes: 72

From: North Central Arkansas

I would use corn head grease also. Also known as NGLI 00 grease. It is a self leveling grease. Many places that service riding lawn mowers will have it. It is used in JD and many other brands of riding mower transmissions. My local mower shop and Tractor Supply both have it.
Mark

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Nov 29, 2018 | 08:33 PM

Tedster9

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 19,311

Likes: 97

From: Waterloo, Iowa

Cornhead or pickerhead grease is a "self leveling" grease, if you can't find it locally it's easy enough to order. NLGI #00 grease is the same thing. NAPA should have it, or can get it. Most automotive suppliers have NLGI #2 (aka chassis grease), this is way too thick for a steering gearbox. I use STP, it's just thick enough not to leak and widely available. Penrite gearbox lube is popular.