600w Oil or STP for Steering Box ...

Dave Young

Dave Young

Member
The steering box on my newly acquired model A is desperately in need of lubrication. (I think) As a newbie owner I realize that I've got an awful lot to learn ... this is the first of what will probably be a long list of frustrations

I've studied many youtube videos on model A maintenance and there's no doubt, 600w oil plays a big part. Upon visiting two or three national chain
auto stores, when I ask if they carry 600w oil, they look at me as if I'm from Mars. "Never heard of it" is the usual answer.

But I remembered seeing that STP is considered a good substitute, so I looked for that ... Great, The STP line has expanded to include several products which may or may not be the stuff that Andy Granatelli used to push. At the last store I visited, the salesman steered me to something that he thought was the original (under a new name). I bought it but saw there was a phone number on the back for STP technical assistance.

When I got home, I called them and was told ... absolutely, don't use that!
When I asked, "Ok, what's the original called these days" ... "Oh, we don't
make that any more! ..."

So, I know I can buy the 600w on the internet but I don't want to wait a week to get it. Can anyone tell me what I can find readily available that I can find easily. Perhaps called by another name that these store clerks might recognize. Thanks
 
Dave Young said:
The steering box on my newly acquired model A is desperately in need of lubrication. (I think) As a newbie owner I realize that I've got an awful lot to learn ... this is the first of what will probably be a long list of frustrations

I've studied many youtube videos on model A maintenance and there's no doubt, 600w oil plays a big part. Upon visiting two or three national chain
auto stores, when I ask if they carry 600w oil, they look at me as if I'm from Mars. "Never heard of it" is the usual answer.

But I remembered seeing that STP is considered a good substitute, so I looked for that ... Great, The STP line has expanded to include several products which may or may not be the stuff that Andy Granatelli used to push. At the last store I visited, the salesman steered me to something that he thought was the original (under a new name). I bought it but saw there was a phone number on the back for STP technical assistance.

When I got home, I called them and was told ... absolutely, don't use that!
When I asked, "Ok, what's the original called these days" ... "Oh, we don't
make that any more! ..."

So, I know I can buy the 600w on the internet but I don't want to wait a week to get it. Can anyone tell me what I can find readily available that I can find easily. Perhaps called by another name that these store clerks might recognize. Thanks
Click to expand...
I thought I read somewhere a while back that 600w OIL was equivalent to 140w GEAR OIL.

Can someone confirm this?

I to am needing some some 600w OIL. I took off my shifter and it looks like grease was stuffed inside. Nothing wrong with the trans and it operates just fine. I just wanted to visually inspect the internal parts for the first time since I bought it.

Regards
Bill

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
 
Check other threads and posts on this site. The original 600 wt. was very thick, almost like molasses or steam engine oil. Some folks like Penrite steering lube, others like John Deere corn head grease. We like Lubriplate Sp288 which is about 250 wt. oil, thicker than 140, which may be not viscous enough.
 
STP is not a lubricant, just an additive. 600W is old-school, I use modern oils because they are better! I use 140. If the box is a leaker, I use 140 mixed with graphite chassis grease.
 
The original 600 "Ford Fudge" was a combination of Petroleum and Whale Oil. If you ever open a Transmission or rear end that still has it you will smell something your nose has never smelt before.
Although the designation is 600 that is not the actual weight.
 
Grainger supply carries the real stuff, 600W. However, it comes in a 5 gallon can. I have bought it a couple times over the years but split it up into the 1 gallon plastic milk bottles and generally save a couple for myself and sell the rest it to other Model Aers.
 
You can also use constant velocity (CV) joint grease that is used in the front axle shaft joints on front wheel drive vehicles. It is similar to the "corn head" grease sold by John Deere for their harvesting equipment. It flows through the CV joint and clings to moving parts. Unless the boot tears or splits, a CV joint will last indefinitely. The grease constantly flows around in the boot and through the joint. Regular chassis grease, on the other hand, gets pushed into hidden recesses and stays there, not lubricating much of anything.
 
Sounds like the same rabbit hole I went down a while back. Corn head grease is a good choice depending on your location it is easy to find. It is known as a "self leveling" grease. Most people are familiar with NLGI #2 grease, for zerk fittings though far too thick for a gearbox. NLGI #00 grease will work and is equivalent to corn head grease.
 
frank55a said:
Grainger supply carries the real stuff, 600W. However, it comes in a 5 gallon can. I have bought it a couple times over the years but split it up into the 1 gallon plastic milk bottles and generally save a couple for myself and sell the rest it to other Model Aers.
Click to expand...

Here is what I use in place of the old 600.
Mobile 600 460 W. it is an extreme pressure lubricant designed For Industrial Spur, Helical and Bevel Enclosed Gears
https://www.grainger.com/product/1M...KU&RIID=18126100&GID=&mid=OpenOrders_WillCall
 
Roger Kaufmann, the MARC tech question guy stated that he ran his Model A for over 100,000 miles with straight 100% STP in the steering box, transmission and rear end with no wear whatsoever.
He ran this car across the country with no issues, so I have to believe that STP does work for these applications...that is real world field testing.
 
40 Deluxe said:
You can also use constant velocity (CV) joint grease that is used in the front axle shaft joints on front wheel drive vehicles. It is similar to the "corn head" grease sold by John Deere for their harvesting equipment. It flows through the CV joint and clings to moving parts. Unless the boot tears or splits, a CV joint will last indefinitely. The grease constantly flows around in the boot and through the joint. Regular chassis grease, on the other hand, gets pushed into hidden recesses and stays there, not lubricating much of anything.
Click to expand...

I knew if I kept that CV joint grease from my old VW Rabbit, I would find a use for it one day! I almost tossed it last weekend! LOL!
 
I have used the 600W from Brattons. I live in NJ and often receive my orders the following day if I order in the morning. You are not far from them either so the wait should be minimal.
 
Tractor Supply carries what crosses to the JD corn head grease.I think they list it as cotton picker spindle grease.$5.per quart,seems to stay put in the steering box.Makes the steering easy too.For some reason it is NOT with the lubricants in the stores.It is in with the replacement parts.
 
A word about the "W".

The W in the lubricant originally sold as 600W stood for nothing; 600W was just a trade name for one company's very viscous, rather crudely refined lubricant. In particular, W does not stand for weight.

Even in modern oils, with labels such as 10W-30, the W does not stand for weight; it stands for Winter. In the case of 10W-30, it means that under standard winter test conditions, the oil has the same viscosity as SAE 10 oil has at that same temperature.

Nonetheless, many or maybe most people loosely use the word "weight" as a synonym for viscosity. Usually a harmless misuse, but occasionally can cause confusion if not trouble. High viscosity lubricants are not necessarily significantly more dense, or "heavier", than less viscous lubricants. Of course, there's a lot more to lubrication effectiveness than viscosity. For example, just because something feels pretty sticky to the touch doesn't mean that it will stay in place or not break down at the molecular level under heat and pressure.

I believe that in regards to this thread's original question and the many answers offered, what once again saves our fannies--and permits such a diversity of heartfelt and experience-based opinions--is the fact that our wonderful Model As are incredibly forgiving vehicles. Just don't let that box go dry!!

Dave,
My advice is to get a bottle of SAE 85-140 gear oil, available at any auto parts store TODAY. It's undoubtedly designed for lubing gears, PLUS, it has a nice little spout for filling the gear box with--much handier than dealing with STP. I, like many others, used STP for years, and it seemed to work, but why not use something designed for the purpose. I'm not sure that STP was designed for any particular purpose beyond being an interesting looking substance that can make some money while probably doing minimal harm while being marketed as an additive. Lubrication experts often caution us to remember that any additive must replace some of the actual intended lubricant.
 
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i made a 50/50 mix of stp and what the suppliers call 600w. its currently in rearend, trans, dual high and steering box. nothings leaked out. ok the dual high was leaving a quarter sized present every time i drove it and parked it - seems i forgot to tighten the drain plug haha.
 
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