What is supost to be in the factory box? in 54 thanks

 

Standard 80 or 90W gear oil. The newer oils are quite a bit superior in most respects to the originals that I would think any brand name would do. Make sure you clean out ALL the old "oil" if you can. Mine had turned to Jello over the years.

 

how can i clean it out? (hopefully with out taking it apart) mine looks like grease with a grease fitting on the box. any ideas on that one?? thanks

 

In one place I worked, they had us put grease in them all the time. The shop owner insisted it worked as good as 90W gear oil but wouldn't leak. I've always used hypoid in mine but we never had a problem at that shop either. Maybe someone went a step further and replaced the fill plug with a grease fitting? I wouldn't pressurize it with a grease gun, though.

Lou

 

so should i re greese? or clean and put gear lube? and if cleaning how? I hope i dont have to disasamble. thanks

 

I guess I can give a little advice on this one born from personal experience. I put chassis grease in a rebuilt box and though the gears were fine with that, and the worm bearings were happy too, the roller bearings in the sector will go dry. The grease is too thick to get in between the casting of the sector shaft and the shim washers that locate the gear. Mine went dry, and the sector gear froze. Try thickening the 90 wt with some STP, but I would not use chassis grease.

 

If you use grease fill it up entirely leaving no air pockets or as few as possible. This helps everything stay lubed as the grease will be everywhere.
Jeff

 

Jeff-

The trouble is though, that the interference fit between the sector gear/washer/sector housing is tight enough not to allow grease to get to the roller bearings. The box was designed to use gear oil- if it leaks, it can be repaired so it won't leak.
Steve

 

Can i use carb cleaner to clean the inside out so i dont have to take it apart? will this hurt any thing? if not what can i use? thanks

 

I don't recommend that you use a cleaner unless you disassemble the box. You can really clean it without removing it from the truck. If the box is fairly tight and not binding, then I think I would continue with the grease for now, or mix up some gear oil and STP which will be a better lube than grease and it will be thick enough so it won't leak too bad.

If the steering is loose due to a worn box, removal of the box is not all that difficult, and the unit itself is easy to rebuild.

Steve

 

It is out of the truck and waiting for me to get time to put in. I am not shure if there is any slop in it or not seeing how i got it out of the junk yard. So should i just put it in the way it is and see? should i add gear lube and swish and change it a couple of times? any way to check slop and fo damage with it out with out taking it apart? thanks

 

If you have a vise, clamp onto the mounting flange so the box is secure, and the worm shaft is in a convenient spot. Hold the end of the sector shaft (that's the one that connected to the pitman arm) and check for ANY side to side or up and down play. If there is play here, then all the cleaning and new lube in the world won't help- you will have to rebuild. (don't worry- this is not a difficult job, and parts are available).

If there is no play in the sector, then, find the approximate middle of the steering (worm) shaft range, and while you do this feel for binding or roughness. If it feels smooth, then loosen the locknut that secures the worm/sector adjustment screw on the side of the box. Turn this screw in until you can feel the tight spot in the center of the turning range. Just make it so you can precieve that the shaft is tighter as you turn it right through the middle. It should not bind though. Turn the worm shaft through its range and feel for roughness or binding. In the middle of the range, turining the steering shaft the smallest bit should instantly translate into movement at the sector. A turn or two from center and you will find lots of play- this is normal. It should only have no play in the center. If it feels good then I see no reason why you shouldn't try to flush the box and re-fill with a good 90wt/STP mix.

If you are not in a hurry though, I would take the box apart, (at least pull the sector) and inspect the gears. If all looks good then all you need is a set of gaskets and a sector seal.

 

I used chassis chrease in a Ross steering box on a Jeep for many years and never had any trouible with it. The PO told me if I used gear oil it would leak. I drove the vehicle 15 years and the steering box was fine.

Vern