Steering box lube

[Don Johnston]

Cleaned steering box.  Recommendations on grease to use and how much.  Is the box to be filled completely, does a moly grease work well?  I have not been abole to find any info on this.  Thanks for your responses. 

[GT350Lad]

Good post Don, I remember a post on the old forum about this. There where some reports about packing the box with grease and it getting a rejuvenated feel.
Let's see
Cheers

[67gt500]

NPD sell a Motorcraft Steering Box Lube.. Item # 19578-1

[NC TRACKRAT]

C3AZ-19578-A Gear Box Lube comes in a grease gun tube.

[OldGuy]

Motorcraft sells an applicable grease in a 14 oz, tube. The part number is XG-1-E1. You should be able to get the grease at your Ford dealer or on E bay.

[Don Johnston]

Thanks for all the responses.  Work continues.

[6s1802]

Looks like the same grease you can get at Wal Mart for a whole lot cheaper. I run a mix of anti seize and STP but that's me.

[zray]

Motorcraft sells an applicable grease in a 14 oz, tube. The part number is XG-1-E1. You should be able to get the grease at your Ford dealer or on E bay.

This is NOT the grease specified in the Ford shop manual.  The common light weight grease sold today, including the MotorCraft product is the NLGI  #2

The shop manual specifies the NLGI #1, which is more fluid. 

The #2 grease is not as effective, yes it will work half-assed, but not as well as the #1 NLGI grade.

A simple google search will lead you to online vendors selling the correct grade.

Z

PS. The spec for the correct grease is found in the steering section of the Ford published shop manual. Everyone DOES have manual, right ?  ?  ?

[OldGuy]

Motorcraft sells an applicable grease in a 14 oz, tube. The part number is XG-1-E1. You should be able to get the grease at your Ford dealer or on E bay.

This is NOT the grease specified in the Ford shop manual.  The common light weight grease sold today, including the MotorCraft product is the NLGI  #2

The shop manual specifies the NLGI #1, which is more fluid. 

The #2 grease is not as effective, yes it will work half-assed, but not as well as the #1 NLGI grade.

A simple google search will lead you to online vendors selling the correct grade.

Z

PS. The spec for the correct grease is found in the steering section of the Ford published shop manual. Everyone DOES have manual, right ?  ?  ?

Z, after reading your response to my reply, I did some research regarding grease specifications. I originally passed on the modern-day default Motorcraft grease (to the original posting) which is labeled as being suitable for steering boxes. I did not take into account the NLGI #2 rating of the Motorcraft grease when I recommended this product. You are totally correct that our old steering boxes should use grease that is NLGI #1 rated. For those wondering what these specifications are, they have to do with the viscosity or fluidity of a grease. NLGI #1 has the consistency of tomato paste whereas NLGI #2 has the consistency of peanut butter.

I don't think that we should end this discussion here because I feel that there are equally if not more important aspects of a chosen grease than just fluidity. More specifically, does the grease contain moly disulfide? The original specified steering box grease (C3AZ-19578-A) contained moly disulfide. I don't know what percentage is because I'm too cheap to "buy" the engineering specification and I couldn't find it for free on the internet. Moly disulfide is an extreme pressure additive added to the grease to reduce friction and resultant wear (over time) of the lubricated parts. In our steering boxes, the highest loading is the interface between the recirculating balls and the worm gear. This is not an area where you want to experience lubrication breakdown.

To make a short story longer, choose your steering box grease wisely. I don't think it is wise to formulate your own. While searching for a suitable grease, I came across Amsoil GPOR1CR-EA Synthetic Polymeric Off-road Grease. This grease has a high content of Moly disulfide (5%) and meets the NLGI #1 specification. I'm sure there are other greases that comply as well.

Thanks again "Z" for helping me to think.

[zray]

Additionally:  Most people are surprised to find their steering box is low on grease. They would also be astounded to know their is water in the bottom of the steering box, and the lower bearing is usually shot because of that.  It didn't get there by driving in the rain either. 

Over the 50 years of the cars existence it was likely at a regular car wash 200-300 times.  Every time that high pressure wand was pointed at the steering box a little water was forced in and a little grease forced out. Over time the bottom of the box became mainly water.filled.

Z

[DennyD]

Z, This is a very interesting topic to me because I've never changed the grease in my steering box, and I don't even know the last time it was serviced. Would you please describe the process for replacing the grease? Thanks, Denny

[zray]

Z, This is a very interesting topic to me because I've never changed the grease in my steering box, and I don't even know the last time it was serviced. Would you please describe the process for replacing the grease? Thanks, Denny

You can't get all the old grease out without disassembling the box.  I guess you could remove the cover and get most of the old grease out.


The Ford shop manual gives the procedure for adding grease.

Here it is from the '66 manual, Section 3-8

".......STEERING GEAR LUBRICANT CHECKING PROCEDURE
MUSTANG
1. Center the steering wheel.
2. Remove the steering gear housing filler plug.
3. Remove the upper cover-to-
housing attaching bolt.
4. With a clean punch or like instrument, clean out or push inward the loose lubricant in the filler plug hole and cover to housing attaching bolt hole.
S. Slowly turn the steering wheel to the right stop, lubricant should rise within the upper cover bolt hole; then slowly turn the steering wheel to the left stop, lubricant should rise within the filler plug hole. If lubricant does not rise in both the cover bolt hole and the filler plug hole, add lubricant until it comes out both holes during this check.
6. Install the upper cover-to-housing attaching bolt........"

NOTE:  the fill plug may be very hard to loosen.  I use freeze-off and then some penetrating liquid if it doesn't loosen easily....

Z.


PS  theres a guy who does fantastic work restoring these old Ford steering boxes. The fee he charges is very reasonable and the turn-a-round time is rather quick. The result is like getting a new car. (not kidding)

http://www.chockostangclassicmustang.com/rebuildingservices.html

He will talk your ear off about all things Ford and Shelby (not a bad thing), so be ready for that.

Z

[Bob Gaines]

Z, This is a very interesting topic to me because I've never changed the grease in my steering box, and I don't even know the last time it was serviced. Would you please describe the process for replacing the grease? Thanks, Denny

You can't get all the old grease out without disassembling the box.  I guess you could remove the cover and get most of the old grease out.


The Ford shop manual gives the procedure for adding grease.

Here it is from the '66 manual, Section 3-8

".......STEERING GEAR LUBRICANT CHECKING PROCEDURE
MUSTANG
1. Center the steering wheel.
2. Remove the steering gear housing filler plug.
3. Remove the upper cover-to-
housing attaching bolt.
4. With a clean punch or like instrument, clean out or push inward the loose lubricant in the filler plug hole and cover to housing attaching bolt hole.
S. Slowly turn the steering wheel to the right stop, lubricant should rise within the upper cover bolt hole; then slowly turn the steering wheel to the left stop, lubricant should rise within the filler plug hole. If lubricant does not rise in both the cover bolt hole and the filler plug hole, add lubricant until it comes out both holes during this check.
6. Install the upper cover-to-housing attaching bolt........"

NOTE:  the fill plug may be very hard to loosen.  I use freeze-off and then some penetrating liquid if it doesn't loosen easily....

Z.


PS  theres a guy who does fantastic work restoring these old Ford steering boxes. The fee he charges is very reasonable and the turn-a-round time is rather quick. The result is like getting a new car. (not kidding)

http://www.chockostangclassicmustang.com/rebuildingservices.html

He will talk your ear off about all things Ford and Shelby so be ready for that.

Z

+1 . A rebuilt box ,tight inner and outer tie rods, and a proper idler arm with bushings intact make all of the difference in the world. Don't waste your money or even consider one of those Flaming River Rack and pinion setups until you have experienced what a proper restored box and fresh front steering components feels like. 

[zray]

One more comment about steering box maintenance, then I'll shut up. Promise.

When I had the steering box in the Shelby restored I found out

A) it had never been opened up before

B). Half of the steering balls, about 30,  were MIA.  Over the previous 40 years they just had been crushed into a fine metal powder which had turned into a mixture of metal and grease paste. Most of that had settled, but I'm sure some of that mess was still circulating in the grease.

That is what happens when the steering box gets no attention. If anyone is ussure if their steering box has ever been out of the car and restored properly, then it probably hasn't been.

Z

[Bob Gaines]

One more comment about steering box maintenance, then I'll shut up. Promise.

When I had the steering box in the Shelby restored I found out

A) it had never been opened up before

B). Half of the steering balls, about 30,  were MIA.  Over the previous 40 years they just had been crushed into a fine metal powder which had turned into a mixture of metal and grease paste. Most of that had settled, but I'm sure some of that mess was still circulating in the grease.

That is what happens when the steering box gets no attention. If anyone is ussure if their steering box has ever been out of the car and restored properly, then it probably hasn't been.

Z

+1. A rebuilt steering box in one of these cars is the exception not the rule. It is prudent to assume the worse typically in this case.