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1940 Super Steering Box Lube?


Daves1940Buick56S

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Guest Grant Magrath

This has come up a couple of times on the forum in the past. Penrite make steering box lube that comes in a grease gun cartridge. We've used BP Semi Fluid Grease with success as well. I've found oil goes straight out the pitman shaft seal.

Cheers

Grant

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Dave,

According to my research on the Ford and Chevy forums, many folks recommend "knuckle pudding" for the steering sector box.

It is a mixture of 90 wt gear lube and moly bearing chassis grease, mixed to the consistency of STP at room temp.

I made up a batch about a year ago for my '40 Buick, and it has performed quite well.

Still have a peanut butter jar of the stuff, and I used a paint mixing blade in an electric drill to do the mixing.

Just my $ .02

Mike in Colorado

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Guest sivad39
All:

What is the proper lube for the steering box? The shop manual says "grease" but what kind is best? Or is it really 90 weight oil?

Thanks, Dave

Dave,

I encountered the same problem when I filled my 1939 steering box with 90 weight oil recently--it began leaking out. I did some e-mailing around and found that the proper lubricant is more like grease. One product, recommended by a GM mechanic friend, is called Lubriplate 105 that is sold by NAPA. He said it is used in assembling engines and has the consistency of hand lotion. Another source (the Buick Advisor of the Buick Club for 39s), said that he got a product from a local Buick dealer 10 years ago. I was unable to get it from a local Buick dealer, so I'm going to try the Lubriplate product. By the way, the Lubriplate comes in 8-10 tubes and filling the steering box may require more than one tube.

Edited by sivad39 (see edit history)
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Guest sivad39

Dave,

Just so you know, I haven't tried this product (Lubriplate 105) yet, because I have to figure out how to get the 90 weight oil out of the steering box first.

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Guest RonJar

On a 1938 Century, once the pitman arm is off the pitman shaft, can the old seal be removed and a new one installed with the steering gear in the car? Whatever is in the gear now, looks like grease, just runs out around the pitman shaft.

RonJ

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Guest Grant Magrath

Short answer is yes, but the seal may be worn because of excessive wear in the pitman shaft bushing. You could be back to square one again without installing new bushings.

Cheers

Grant

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  • 3 weeks later...

So the Penrite showed up and I dumped it in. Took almost a whole bottle so the box was bone dry. I thought for sure one of the springs in the drag link was busted so I set to taking it apart. First, I had to use a chisel to scrape of a few decades of garm to even see the metal end of the link. After about 30 minutes of this it was finally reasonably clean. I had bought a set of Sears drag link sockets and they work great, had no problem getting the plug out. Lo and behold, the springs were fine. So while I had the Pitman disconnected I went ahead and did a steering box adjust (all 3 adjustments) and checked the wheel pull and it was exactly 2.5 lbs of force across the center as per spec. I put it all back together and adjusted the drag link as per procedure. Result is I probably reduced the steering slop by about 50%. So I drove it and I am still getting some wander where I am "chasing" the car direction with the steering. Next thing is to get the alignment checked.

Cheers, Dave

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  • 4 months later...
Guest sivad39
Thanks to all!! I ordered the Penrite stuff from Restoration in Escondido, should be here this week. Now I have another issue that I will warrant a new thread.

Dave

Dave,

Can you give me a number for Restoration in Escondido?

Ken (sivad39)

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Good morning. I also have had the leaking steering gear oil problem. Not from the shaft seal, but actually from the plate that is on the bottom of the box. 90 weight gear oil goes thru in a few days. I also am trying Penrite steering box lube. I think it said that is equal to a 1200 weight oil. Having no easy way to drain all the previous lube, I am just adding a little more Penrite every few days as needed. We will see how it works.

Gary

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  • 7 years later...

Thanks for all the tips in this thread.. I too tried to research this heavily.. my 1937 steering box with a pitman arm, has a loose copper seal.. just a small gear like operation so I dont think fluid is used...and when restoring this section, the grease (history if it was ever changed etc not known) looked like grey peanut butter with mica in it.. and now ready to refill her but with..???.... appreciate all the pointers..

Edited by CDN224
General edit, spelling (see edit history)
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37.... Pontiac?

 

I am using the Penrite steering box lube in my 36. What's needed is a semi-fluid grease. Plain grease gets wiped off and wont flow back to lubricate the gears. Oil runs out on the ground because there is no seal.

 

I don't know what you mean by a copper seal. If the bushing on your pittman shaft is loose you will need to fix that. If I remember correctly, the shop manual has a description of the properties of the thick fluid originally used, unfortunately the description isn't a lot of help in 2020.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20181019165454/http://www.earlytimeschapter.org:80/steeringgearserv.html

 

 

Edited by Bloo (see edit history)
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7 hours ago, Bloo said:

37.... Pontiac?

 

I am using the Penrite steering box lube in my 36. What's needed is a semi-fluid grease. Plain grease gets wiped off and wont flow back to lubricate the gears. Oil runs out on the ground because there is no seal.

 

I don't know what you mean by a copper seal. If the bushing on your pittman shaft is loose you will need to fix that. If I remember correctly, the shop manual has a description of the properties of the thick fluid originally used, unfortunately the description isn't a lot of help in 2020.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20181019165454/http://www.earlytimeschapter.org:80/steeringgearserv.html

 

 

 

Sorry, yes its s small copper ring for the pitman, pitman shaft is solid, I was just worried about the rubber seal and leaking but almost all my research (like you said) is a thick fluid type grease that flows but doesnt leak.. (new to all this, Im an IT guy) I have the original manuals etc, shop and parts book... appreciate the feedback,

 

and Penrite was on my list... like 800/900 or even 1200 weight "semi-fluid grease"... Cornhead Grease, poly urea based NLGI 0EP grease... ill look back to the manual and post my results, not to keep on this topic :)

 

but very appreciative

 

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