I'm re-building the steering box on my 67' L79 and have read conflicting info on what lubricant to re-fill with?? Some suggest grease which will hopefully slow the leaking problem that is so common with these boxes! Whats best?? Thanks!! Mike Arteaga
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Re: Steering box lubricant?
Chassis grease! Suggest a name brand synthetic as it will likely last longer and you shouldn't need to rebuild the box for at least another 30 years.
GM used to have a "special grease" for it, but it's been discontinued and replaced with GM chassis grease, and I'm sure any quality name brand chassis grease is just as good.
Duke -
Re: Steering box lubricant?
Chassis grease! Suggest a name brand synthetic as it will likely last longer and you shouldn't need to rebuild the box for at least another 30 years.
GM used to have a "special grease" for it, but it's been discontinued and replaced with GM chassis grease, and I'm sure any quality name brand chassis grease is just as good.
DukeComment
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Addendum
That "special Corvette steering gear grease" came in a 14.5 oz. tube, and I recall that you were supposed to use it all, so you can use 14.5 oz as a guide to how much to install in a freshly rebuilt box. I recall that it was a plastic squeeze tube that made it easy to inject into the box before you installed the side cover and did the final total preload adjustment, so you'll have to come up with a way to inject the grease from a cartridge into the box.
DukeComment
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Addendum
That "special Corvette steering gear grease" came in a 14.5 oz. tube, and I recall that you were supposed to use it all, so you can use 14.5 oz as a guide to how much to install in a freshly rebuilt box. I recall that it was a plastic squeeze tube that made it easy to inject into the box before you installed the side cover and did the final total preload adjustment, so you'll have to come up with a way to inject the grease from a cartridge into the box.
DukeComment
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Re: Addendum
I am currently contemplating rebuilding my steering box on a 64. It kinds of leaks where the pitman arm enter's the box? Is there a seal that needs to be replaced? Or would the grease help stop the minor leak?Comment
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Re: Addendum
I am currently contemplating rebuilding my steering box on a 64. It kinds of leaks where the pitman arm enter's the box? Is there a seal that needs to be replaced? Or would the grease help stop the minor leak?Comment
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Re: Addendum
When you rebuild the box there are two seals that should be replaced - the pitman shaft seal and worm shaft seal. It' common to get some pitman seal seepage as the box gets old, and if anyone has added gear oil in the box this will probably exacerbate the seepage.
DukeComment
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Re: Addendum
When you rebuild the box there are two seals that should be replaced - the pitman shaft seal and worm shaft seal. It' common to get some pitman seal seepage as the box gets old, and if anyone has added gear oil in the box this will probably exacerbate the seepage.
DukeComment
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Re: Addendum
If a steering box is leaking it is indicative of seal wear. Chassis grease will help stop/slow the leaking, but will age, eventually cavitate and fail to reach and lubricate the critical parts in the box. It's best to seal the box properly and fill with a less viscous lube such as 110W gear lube or STP.Comment
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Re: Addendum
If a steering box is leaking it is indicative of seal wear. Chassis grease will help stop/slow the leaking, but will age, eventually cavitate and fail to reach and lubricate the critical parts in the box. It's best to seal the box properly and fill with a less viscous lube such as 110W gear lube or STP.Comment
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Re: Addendum
Robert -
There is a detailed article in an old Restorer regarding the rebuild of these boxes. Gives all of the part #'s etc. I did mine 6 to 8 years ago. As I recall, I got all of the required parts from my local Chevy dealer. I remember setting the "over the top" load using a homemade torque wrench made out of a bar and a fish weighing scale to get the proper inch-pounds (inch-ounces?) torque load on the input shaft. It's steered like a Porsche ever since!!!!!
RicComment
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Re: Addendum
Robert -
There is a detailed article in an old Restorer regarding the rebuild of these boxes. Gives all of the part #'s etc. I did mine 6 to 8 years ago. As I recall, I got all of the required parts from my local Chevy dealer. I remember setting the "over the top" load using a homemade torque wrench made out of a bar and a fish weighing scale to get the proper inch-pounds (inch-ounces?) torque load on the input shaft. It's steered like a Porsche ever since!!!!!
RicComment
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filling the box with grease
drill and tap a bolt for a grease fitting and install in place of 1 the stock bolt and then remove another one of the other bolts. use the grease fitting to pump grease in the box till it come out the other bolt hole. then it is full. replace the stock bolts. i think all the boxes have the tapped holes go thru into the cavity.Comment
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filling the box with grease
drill and tap a bolt for a grease fitting and install in place of 1 the stock bolt and then remove another one of the other bolts. use the grease fitting to pump grease in the box till it come out the other bolt hole. then it is full. replace the stock bolts. i think all the boxes have the tapped holes go thru into the cavity.Comment
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