likeold Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 What kind of fluid should be used in the steering box of a 1938 Buick. My book says a special fluid was put in at the factory and does not specify what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth Carr Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 I have a 1941 Roadmaster. I suspect the steering is similar. The grease I use in my steering gear is called Oregon Grease. Amazon no longer carries it. I paid about $16 for a large container. It keeps coming out under various names. Oregon is a chainsaw supply company. I think they first pushed this stuff as a chainsaw lube. It looks like Oregon now sells it in a small squeeze container.https://www.oregonproducts.com/en/00-grease/p/49-010 You can pour it directly into the gearbox. It flows very slowly. Be sure to turn the wheel all the way in one direction and then the other. Otherwise you may not fill to capacity since the gears will close the hole in one direction. It seems to work well for me. No leaks. Wish I could say that about my transmission. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 2, 2022 Share Posted August 2, 2022 Same grease is available from Tractor Supply for $5.49. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/super-s-cotton-picker-spindle-grease-00?cm_vc=-10005 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary W Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 I've been using Penrith Steering Box Lube. It's a semi Fluid grease. You can get it from Restoration Hardware 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 On 8/5/2022 at 4:18 PM, Gary W said: I've been using Penrith Steering Box Lube. It's a semi Fluid grease. You can get it from Restoration Hardware Does anyone know the specific difference between this grease and corn head grease or 00 grease? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeold Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 I'm having trouble locating any of them. Tractor supply is supposed to be ordering me some, we will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Tractor Supply does not keep it with other lubes . Go to three point hitch bars and pin area to find it . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Don’t use corn head grease. OO is fine, and is easy to find. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 On 8/1/2022 at 11:33 AM, likeold said: What kind of fluid should be used in the steering box of a 1938 Buick. My book says a special fluid was put in at the factory and does not specify what. Oh man... Do you want to go down the rabbit hole? Pontiac had something special, and a fairly lengthy description of what it was, but it sort of contradicted itself. I am going to go out on a limb here and guess that Buick was using the same stuff. I believe the steering boxes themselves were of similar design from 1937 forward. Someone in the club (Early Times) went so far as to send the oil description off to a few oil companies. The answer was that it doesn't quite make sense, and going by the part that does make sense, there would be no modern equivalent. Fortunately you are getting good advice in this thread. Use some semi-fluid grease about 00 in viscosity. The grease must flow. If it does not flow, it will not only fail to lubricate the gears, because it keeps getting wiped off and doesn't replenish, but it will climb the steering shaft eventually and come out at the steering wheel. It can't flow too well though, because there is most likely no seal where the pittman shaft comes out, and something like SAE 90 would just run out on the ground. The bushing is probably bronze so you would want a 00 grease that is safe for "yellow metals". I use the Penrite stuff in Gary W's post so I will vouch for that one. It is made for the purpose. Some member over on the VCCA forums researched this and decided that Penrite and a few other things people were using were a bit lacking in the extreme pressure rating. He settled on another product and bought some, but as is so often the case for any grease that is not #2, he had to buy a huge container of it. Last I heard, he is rebottling it and selling it. I'll go find the link if anyone wants it. 4 hours ago, Larry Schramm said: Does anyone know the specific difference between this grease and corn head grease or 00 grease? The Penrite is an 00 rated grease. I believe they used to say it was a specific formula meant to stay in the box better, but on some other occasion they may have said it was the same as their 00 grease. Either way, it's 00 grease. I don't know the specific difference between corn head grease and the others. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick looks fine for 39 Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 Years ago, I rebuilt a steering box in my 39 coupe and I recently tore the box down to do a cosmetic restoration. Unfortunately the bushing in the top steering box cover was galled due to my poor choice of lubricants. My pitman shaft seal didn't leak but the lubricant was too thick and didn't flow adequately....lesson learned. Could I get more specifics on ordering Penrite steering box lube? I tried Restoration Hardware but they only wanted to sell me door knobs. I tried Restoration Specialties, but Penrite did not appear in their site search. Thanks Leif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 Way too many companies with veerry similar names!😲 Restoration Hardware sells door knobs and broken furniture in the local outlet mall Restoration Specialties sells hardware + for our old cars, but is not the company that sells lubricants. Restoration Supply Company sells lots of stuff for really antique cars and is the company that sells Penrite lubricants. I got almost there with a Google search: https://restorationstuff.com/product/penrite-engineered-lubricants-2/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 This.^^ The one located in California is the one who have Penrite products. https://restorationstuff.com/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeold Posted August 17, 2022 Author Share Posted August 17, 2022 I'm still waiting for the 00 liquid grease from Tractor Supply, should be in this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick looks fine for 39 Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 Thanks Guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeold Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 I got my Cotton Picker Spindle Grease 00 the other day and filled the steering box, it was pretty dry. This stuff was not as thick as I thought it would be but, it's in there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 22, 2022 Share Posted August 22, 2022 8 minutes ago, likeold said: ...filled the steering box, it was pretty dry. How much did it take to top it off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeold Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Hard to know - maybe 4 oz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 Layman's Guide to NLGI Grades (thelubricantstore.com Nuff said.... 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_S Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 My take on it. When i rebuilt the box on my 36, i used STP. The gears in the box do very little turning and at a very slow pace. You want to use something that is very sticky and will adhere to the slow movement of the gears and provide lubrication STP does just that. I'm sure there are other products that do that too that I am not familiar with. As a kid in a garage my boss was an engine rebuilder. All his bearings were set with STP. His reasoning it gave the bearing good lubrication during initial start up untill the oil pressure built up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipj Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Hello Tom, STP is known for their oil treatments... What STP product did you exactly use for the steering box? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 I'm assuming it's the motor oil additive ('motor honey'), but we'll see what he says... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 On 8/2/2022 at 8:07 AM, Larry Schramm said: Same grease is available from Tractor Supply for $5.49. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/super-s-cotton-picker-spindle-grease-00?cm_vc=-10005 I just bought some at tractor supply yesterday and an going to put it in soon. Same stuff only in a black bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 (edited) I just topped mine off with the same stuff the other day... Edited September 8, 2022 by EmTee (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 (edited) On 9/8/2022 at 9:28 AM, EmTee said: I just topped mine off with the same stuff the other day... I did the same thing,now I got a small puddle on the garage floor. Maybe it's over filled,I hope.I still have a grease fitting on my filler plug.I'll keep an eye on it.It might have been leaking for awhile by the looks of my side motor mount. Edited September 10, 2022 by Buick35 Spelling (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Mine also leaks, but I've gone about 150 miles since I topped it off and it hasn't dripped yet, but the shaft is wet around the seal. I bought a new seal but am going to wait until later this fall to install it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, EmTee said: Mine also leaks, but I've gone about 150 miles since I topped it off and it hasn't dripped yet, but the shaft is wet around the seal. I bought a new seal but am going to wait until later this fall to install it. What shaft seal do you mean? Mines a 35 and not sure if it's the same.Where did you get the seal? Thanks. Edited September 11, 2022 by Buick35 Spelling (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 I got a new pitman shaft seal for my '38 from Bob's Automobilia. https://bobsautomobilia.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 17 minutes ago, EmTee said: I got a new pitman shaft seal for my '38 from Bob's Automobilia. https://bobsautomobilia.com/ Thanks.I'll see if it's the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Em Tee, Do I have to remove the steering box or just the Pittman arm to change the seal?My shop manual dosent say.Bob's catalogue says his seals are from 37-47 so mine might be different.Thanks,Greg.I can't wait until cooler weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_S Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Phillipj I'll see if I can get a picture of it tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Tom_S said: Phillipj I'll see if I can get a picture of it tom Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_S Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Photo of the STP I used in my 36 steering box. As you can see, it is very sticky between my 2 fingers and provides great lubricity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 9 hours ago, Buick35 said: Do I have to remove the steering box or just the Pittman arm to change the seal? Just the Pitman arm. I had mine off last winter (before I realized the seal was leaking) and it was a bear... It finally came off after I left my puller on it with tension over night. Next day I found the puller on the floor and the arm was loose. Hopefully it will break loose easier this time... The STP is the 'motor honey' that I expected. I suspect it would work OK in a steering box, as it does flow and as pictured, it is 'clingy'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 I had my Pittman arm off about a year ago to gain access to my front motor mounts so it should come off o.k. A funny story about s.t.p. A few years ago a guy got a call at work from his wife saying her car was making a clicking noise so he told her to add a bottle of s.t.p.to the motor oil,this was in the morning.That afternoon he called her to ask how it went.She said I'm still adding the s.t.p.and it's taking forever!It turned out she was trying to put it in through the dipstick tube. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_S Posted September 13, 2022 Share Posted September 13, 2022 She also didn't puncture a hole on the bottom of bottle to let in air to aid in flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 Like another woman at work who's car was over heating added water in the oil fill cap.My boss towed it home for her.Sorry for getting off the subject.Women,gotta love em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Does anyone know if the Pittman arm deal is the same on a 35 forty series and a 37?Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 On 9/15/2022 at 4:44 PM, Buick35 said: Does anyone know if the Pittman arm deal is the same on a 35 forty series and a 37? The new Pitman shaft seal I got from Bob's is marked as National Seal #50151. I measured the OD as approximately 1.56 inches (1 9/16"). The shaft on my '38 is just over 1 inch in diameter (~1.1"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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