Cornhead grease and steering gear oil.

3

38coop

Senior Member
Will cornhead grease mix with steering gear oil? I have a slow leak on the steering gear on my 49 Ford car. oil looks to be about half way down in the gear box. I don't really want to start loosening bolts and mess with the adjustment. If the mix is not a good idea i will look for some 140 gear oil. This car has been a project and i am getting ready to start it for the first time.
 
Get "00" grease. It is available from TSC rather inexpensively. I think I paid 5-6 a quart. PENN something or other sells the same thing for 3-4 times the money cuz of the old car connotation.
 
Yes use a semi fluid grease 00 I use the Penrite one [Lithium] It will continue to leak until the oil is "drained "out.. And even then may not be a magic fix.
 
I used straight STP in my gear boxes. It did't leak out, and I could still turn the wheel in cool weather.
 
I have used STP/Motor Honey in the steering gears on old cars for over 50 years, works great. The STP is a little hard to pore into the gear box in it's natural state. I sit it out in the sun for awhile, then I put a small funnel into the gear box and slowly pore the STP/Motor Honey in.
I don't worry about the amount of oil in the steering gear box so long as the worm gear is partiialy covered with oil, over filling will cause the oil to 'run' up the shaft and migrate out via the column...
 
JD corn head grease in several of my old vehicle steering boxes. The one on the 52 Merc still leaks a little even with the grease in it. Yet the steering is not slack.
 
John Deere corn head grease:
Features and benefits


  • Thixotropic, thin when working (thick when not)
  • Extreme pressure and moisture resistance
  • Excellent corrosion protection



Specifications


  • ASTM D217: NLGI Grade 0
  • ISO 6743-9: L-X-DEHB 0
  • John Deere Verification: RES 156226
 
SSsssteamer said:
Ditto.
Click to expand...

I too use JD corn head grease in all of the steering gear boxes. Even though every box is fully rebuilt, well, I don't want to take any chances at drips.
I used an extra filler plug to install the grease. By installing a grease fitting to that extra cap, I am able to pump the grease in so I can be confident the box is full.
 
Just clarify/re ask the OPs question:

Can cornhead grease be mixed with existing steering box gear oil? Or should the existing gear oil be removed prior to using cornhead grease?

I would like to know as well. Obviously this is hard to answer without knowing what specifically is currently in the steering box but has anyone mixed cornhead grease with whatever existing fluid(pressumably 140W gear oil or 600W steam cylinder oil) was in their steering box? Worked ok or adverse effects?
 
Update: I have ordered a large suction syringe with a small and long enough hose that i should be able to get around the steering box gear and suck all the old oil out of the steering box and then replace with cornhead grease. I hope it works.
 
I’m going to do the same as 38coop. I’m adapting a small hose to my suction gun and drawing out the old oil. Then I took Lawries idea and adapted a small hose (“1/4”) to one of my grease guns and will fill from the bottom up. I don’t know if it’s necessary but it sounded like a good idea.......Mark
 
Hi,


You may be able to get a fair amount of the gear oil out but not all. Eventually it will leak out and you'll be left with just grease.


For topping off my steering boxes, I add corn-head grease using a Popsicle stick. I put a large glob on the end of a wooden paint stick and then push grease into the hole with the Popsicle stick. You can also pump the grease a bit with the stick to get rid of voids that are close to the fill plug.


Glenn
 
Will D said:
Just clarify/re ask the OPs question:

Can cornhead grease be mixed with existing steering box gear oil? Or should the existing gear oil be removed prior to using cornhead grease?

I would like to know as well. Obviously this is hard to answer without knowing what specifically is currently in the steering box but has anyone mixed cornhead grease with whatever existing fluid(pressumably 140W gear oil or 600W steam cylinder oil) was in their steering box? Worked ok or adverse effects?
Click to expand...
Not sure if they will mix or not, my guess would be not. It would be best to get as much of any other lube out, don't think anyone has reported an issue of incompatibility.
 
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