Removing Corn Head grease from steering

carguybill

carguybill

Senior Member
I want to remove the corn head grease from the steering box on my '34.


Is there a way to remove it without removing the steering box?
 
You might be able to suck it out with a diff filler ,But you could Remove the light switch ,remove the bail face plate and brass rod ,heat the box up with heat gun then place a rag in the filler hole and blow it out with a air gun .dont forget to catch it ,
 
First, if you think different lube might make your '34 steer easier, give up and adapt the '37 type box.

The whole idea of corn head grease is to stay put. If you have a few weeks, you could try loosening the plate at the bottom, and then keep filling the box with kerosene. Maybe set it up to gravity feed kerosene through a fitting in the top lube fill hole. Before trying this, you should do an experiment to see if corn head grease will even dissolve if put in a bath of kerosene. Stronger solvents might work faster, but I would worry about volatility and fire hazard.
 
I bet some of us 'Cornheads' would like to hear why you want to switch. Mine steers great and no puddle.
 
GB SISSON said:
I bet some of us 'Cornheads' would like to hear why you want to switch. Mine steers great and no puddle.
Click to expand...


I installed the corn head grease long ago for the same reason that others have, to eliminate the leaking, and it has worked well for that but my '34 steers harder now than it ever has. Looking at my period Ford lubrication chart it specifically states "Do not put any type of grease in the steering box" so, remembering that the steering was OK before I installed the CH grease I decided to remove it and use the recommended Gear Oil and see if that improves the steering.


I have replaced the rubber bushing at the top of the steering with the bearing from Flat Head Ted and that helped some but not enough to suit me.
 
Did you replace the bushing at the top of the column with a bearing? That old worn bushing at the top can also be part of your problem
 
If you're like me, my car gets harder to steer as the years go by, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the car.:rolleyes:
 
Not a whole lot you can do to make it easier.You will most likely need to put one of Flathead Ted's entirely new 17-1 steering boxes in. I sold my nice '33 tudor for that very reason - steered to hard.
 
Sheldon and tubman.... I think age is creeping up. And, I'm older. I used Penrite in my stock steering 33/34 (stock tires). You know the reputation of those 'brits'... can't stop the leak, but, they are fully capable of developing a lube that does not leak. No complaints about steering. (obviously, opinion and sarcasm here.)
(Penrite, btw, is barely liquid at room temp.)

(Penrite packaging is marked from the UK)
 
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An interested youngster at a cruise-in once asked me why the steering wheel was so big. I told him that it was because sometimes there is no alternative to parallel parking. He did not get it until I asked him to sit in the driver's seat and try to turn the wheel
 
carguybill said:
I installed the corn head grease long ago for the same reason that others have, to eliminate the leaking, and it has worked well for that but my '34 steers harder now than it ever has. Looking at my period Ford lubrication chart it specifically states "Do not put any type of grease in the steering box" so, remembering that the steering was OK before I installed the CH grease I decided to remove it and use the recommended Gear Oil and see if that improves the steering.
Click to expand...

Back to post #8...... The steering box in a 33/34 is real close to the exhaust manifold, meaning that the steering gear gets real hot when the car is at operating temp. If cornhead grease is doing what it is supposed to do, that is, become liquid at elevated temp, then I don't see how lubrication is going to be improved in the steering gear, and how changing to 'recommended gear oil', is going to improve steering. ????
Anyway, please report back after changing the lube, and see if you can tell any difference.
 
It does turn into a liquid of sorts with heat. Our box in our 52 F1 still leaks out of the bolt in the bottom that is open to the case. I need to pull that bolt and put some permatex aviation on it but forget about it all the time. This post reminds me to do so!

JB
 
bobH said:
Sheldon and tubman.... I think age is creeping up. And, I'm older. I used Penrite in my stock steering 33/34 (stock tires). You know the reputation of those 'brits'... can't stop the leak, but, they are fully capable of developing a lube that does not leak. No complaints about steering. (obviously, opinion and sarcasm here.)
(Penrite, btw, is barely liquid at room temp.)

(Penrite packaging is marked from the UK)
Click to expand...

PENRITE is manufactured in Australia. Regards, Kevin.
 
It was 'recommended' to me that, Super S Cotton Picker Spindle Grease 00, was better than Cornhead Grease.

Has anybody ever mixed STP in with Cornhead or what ever brand of steering box lube you are using?

Comments, please!
 
Ha! you may have hit the nail on the head with the I'm older comment. I'm 84 and I've had the '34 for about 45-50 years now. Old armstrong steering is very likely more difficult than Young armstrong steering!! Thank you.
 
BTW Car Guy Bill . . . from the looks of your member photo, looks like you have a really nice 34 Roadster. I happen to have one that is yet to be restored, but I will get to it in the next couple of years. Mine will be full-fendered like yours - but will have a hopped up Flatty in it. Best of luck!
 
Unfortunately, the pre '35 cars don't have steering gear assemblies that lend themselves to being converted to the '37-40 steering gears like the '35-36 cars.
I converted my '36 to '40 steering in 1955, it was like adding power steering, especially for parallel parking.
 
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