EricHoman Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 What Grease / Oil should I be using in the steering box on my 1925? The book calls for a "graphite grease" which I am not familiar with. What do you guys recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayG Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Restorationstuff.com has Penrite Steering box lube. It's a1200W oil specifically for the old steering boxes. Page 25 of their catalog. LUB009 for $17. I just bought some for my 25 after reading all of the comments and recommendations from doing a Google search. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 What Jay said. You want a semi-fluid grease. The idea is that when you wipe the grease off the worm with a turn it eventually flows back for later. Chassis grease will not flow back so there is soon no lubricant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Leech Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 (edited) I cannot back this up, but I believe autogreaser lube will work. It is semi- fluid and thin. I am going to run it in my box Edited August 9, 2017 by David_Leech Stupid auto correct (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 2 hours ago, JayG said: Restorationstuff.com has Penrite Steering box lube. It's a1200W oil specifically for the old steering boxes. ^^That stuff is a miracle. It does the job, and doesn't leak out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 1 hour ago, David_Leech said: I cannot back this up, but I believe autogreaser lube will work. It is semi- fluid and thin. I am going to run it in my box Thin steering box lube is not the best because it leaks out. You probably only have a felt seal on the bottom and on the sector shaft so you want a thick semi-fluid grease. The Penrite stuff is good; it is best to heat the bottle (e.g. hot water) to make it pourable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyAus Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 The problem with a heavy oil is that it's best dispensed into a plug hole. Early DB steering boxes are lubricated through a fitting, either Alemite or Zerk. A proper oil gun as beloved by owners of British cars up to the 1960's (particularly the Rover P3 which specifies oil for the front suspension) would be necessary if used in this case. In any event I doubt if it would stay in the box for too long given the rather rudimentary sealing arrangements, particularly along the sector/wheel shaft.. I suspect that the original specification of graphite grease was made to reduce the effect of grease wiping given its clinging properties. The modern equivalent, which I use, is a molybdenum disulphate grease. This stuff is usually distinguished by its specification for extra heavy duty applications and black colour. Yes, my steering feels like trying to mix concrete with a teaspoon - but don't they all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 I have the Penrite Lube in the steering box of my Senior and to fill the box I used a grease gun No mess No leaks although I must say that when I reconditioned the box I fitted modern lip seals to the lower part of the box and also on the sector shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 I use the Penrite Lube. I clean up the area around it and remove the oil nipple, heat the bottle of oil as hot as I can hold with oven gloves, then decant it very carefully down a clean piece of 2.5 mm fencing wire into the hole. Easy peasy. I had a modern lip seal put in the bottom and an O-ring put in the outer end of the bush at the end of the steering shaft when I overhauled the steering box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 3 hours ago, TonyAus said: The modern equivalent, which I use, is a molybdenum disulphate grease. This stuff is usually distinguished by its specification for extra heavy duty applications and black colour. Yes, my steering feels like trying to mix concrete with a teaspoon - but don't they all! Um, no, they don't! Mine doesn't. We don't know the fluidity of graphite grease back then so I would not use a modern chassis grease with equivalent additives that does not flow back. Even with molypoly. It will last a while, but eventually you will have no lubrication on the worm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyAus Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 With respect to steering feel, you clearly don't drive a pre-1926 Dodge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 They had Armstrong Brand Power Steering The patent was submitted in 1892 by a guy named Big Biceps 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 7 hours ago, TonyAus said: With respect to steering feel, you clearly don't drive a pre-1926 Dodge. Correct. 1930. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Leech Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Any thoughts on using straight Lucas oil stabilizer in the steer box? Readily available and thick as molasses. Apparently you can use it 100% in a modern rear end (though I wouldn't) and considering what the steer box does, being a low speed device, I can't see any down side really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 A steering box is a high shear environment. Yes it is low speed, but the lubricant must be good for high shear. What does an "oil stabiliser" do? There is no sensible information about it that says why one should use it as an additive to synthetic oil. It just reads like an oil but they don't want to say what it actually is. I am suspicious. It is >45 cSt at 100 deg C, which puts it in the ISO 680 and top of the SAE 140 viscosity bands. So this is an oil rather than a grease. Personally, I would not use it without a lot of research into what the stuff actually is. I see it is recommended to be added to synthetic oil: you are not proposing to use any synthetic oil. I would find a semi-fluid grease. Some on these fora have talked of Corn Head Grease for this purpose. Remembering that these old steering boxes are v. expensive to overhaul, I would use the proper stuff and not have a punt on something that appears risky without first reducing the risk with knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Leech Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 EP-0 AND EP-00 grease appears to be an appropriate modern substitute without having to locate specialty lubricant. Both are extreme pressure semi-fluid grease 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Type O grease (corn head grease) has the consistency of half set Jello. Type OO is somewhat thinner and flows better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp928 Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Re "particularly the Rover P3 which specifies oil for the front suspension" - the P3 suspension was all rubber bushed, except the kingpins, which had a thrust ball bearing, seals , and a reservoir for a mix of heavy oil and grease. The bushes did not have a long life - too small for the loads. jp 26 Rover 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 On 8/10/2017 at 8:24 AM, TonyAus said: The problem with a heavy oil is that it's best dispensed into a plug hole. Early DB steering boxes are lubricated through a fitting, either Alemite or Zerk. A proper oil gun as beloved by owners of British cars up to the 1960's (particularly the Rover P3 which specifies oil for the front suspension) would be necessary if used in this case. In any event I doubt if it would stay in the box for too long given the rather rudimentary sealing arrangements, particularly along the sector/wheel shaft.. I suspect that the original specification of graphite grease was made to reduce the effect of grease wiping given its clinging properties. The modern equivalent, which I use, is a molybdenum disulphate grease. This stuff is usually distinguished by its specification for extra heavy duty applications and black colour. Yes, my steering feels like trying to mix concrete with a teaspoon - but don't they all! Pump up your front tyres to +45psi and have four of your mates in the back seat. Old skool power steering....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 I use STP oil treatment. Its slippery and STICKY and doesn't get out. And its cheap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 23 hours ago, mikewest said: I use STP oil treatment. Its slippery and STICKY and doesn't get out. And its cheap... Yeah, but is it designed for the sort of high pressure, sliding duty in a steering box? I think not. STP is an oil viscosifier, not a high pressure additive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Like I said it works great....Ive put in Franklins, Auburns and a few Fords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclector Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Another option the John Deere Corn Head Grease. This is a flowable grease that is designed for high sheer but slow speed, They use it in corn pickers that have a sort of steering mechanism for the machinery. The Ford guys swear by it. It flows to keep things lubricated but is thick enough not to leak. It comes in a grease cartridge so you can just load it up in your modern grease gun. I've used it with good results. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Corn head grease is Type 0 and is flowable. Type 00 is similar but has a thinner consistency, it will pour but very slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclector Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 An addendum to my comment on John Deere Corn Head Grease: The steering box on our '24 DB has only a grease fitting to fill the box. I removed the fitting and used a needle attachment at the end of my regular grease gun to shoot the grease deep into the box. At the same time, I jacked the front end just so the wheels would clear the pavement and then ran the steering back and forth, from end to end, in order to work the grease into the gearing as much as possible. Refill to the filler hole and repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 4 hours ago, Eclector said: order to work the grease into the gearing as much as possible. Refill to the filler hole and repeat. You might have been better to put the stuff in, go away for a day, then top up. By working it, you push the grease away form the worm. It will flow back slowly, maybe not fast enough for you to see the difference at the filler hole. The excess goes the only place it can, inside the steering column. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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