steering box lube

D

donQ

Senior Member
I have several model A's and I use 600W oil in the steering box. I know Ford started out putting grease fittings on the boxes and then changed over to recommending the use of the 600W gear oil. When did this changeover occur?
donQ
 
I believe the steering lube change is in the factory service bulletins of 1929 and perhaps 1930. Ford gave warnings about using grease as steering lube because it would not flow to all of the moving parts whereas the the liquid lube does.

As for the steering design itself, consider that the steering is / has:
> Poorly sealed, so a liquid lube will leak;
> Very high gear contact pressure, so the lube should be an excellent friction reducer with a superior squeeze-out performance;
> Poor lubrication of the sector shaft and its bushing when the original grease fitting was discontinued.

Considering we have access to modern lubricants that are far superior to the original stuff, for a driver / touring Model A, I would choose a synthetic steering lubricant, perhaps something the trucking industry has to offer.

I would also retain / add the grease fitting in the sector shaft housing that was deleted by the factory.

Last but not the least, replace the sector shaft friction bushing with a modern needle bearing & lip type seal. Parts suppliers sell the sector shaft housings modified this way.
 
If you go to page 377 in the service bulletins yoiu will see that the fittings were only for steering gear lubricant, not grease

In the October 1929 service bulletin it shows the changeover to a plug, and again says not to use grease in the fittings on the previous models that have them, that steering gear lubricant is the same as lubricant used in the trans and rear
 
I have been using straight STP for years, now. I think that it works great and is plenty available. I would not use it in the transmission or rear end.
MIKE :) (mikeburch)
 
A lot of people like Penrite steering box lube now that the original 600W formulation is nonexistant. It flows, but is thick enough to stay in the box, unlike the several replacement 600W formulations kitchen mixed by vendors.
 
As a youngster in the garage [ Ford and Studebaker] we had a grease gun dedicated for '600W' [140]. It was/is easier to pump that stuff than pour it.
 
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Thanks for your responses. I didn't realize that the grease fitting was for some sort of steering gear lubricant as Kurt points out instead of grease. Thanks for the tips regarding STP and the Penrite steering box lube.
donQ
 
Over the years I have built several cars with modified F1 or F100 steering boxes in them. I have tried 3 different lubes in them. Straight Penrite, PowerPunch or STP.
Even with 8 inch rubber on the front the steering effort is like power steering compared to 140w gear oil.
 
Do your research before choosing needle bearings in the sector housing, I have heard conflicting pros & cons concerning this modification. I believe the bushing is all that is needed to reduce slop. I placed an O-ring on the outside before bolting the works ( with new bushings) to the frame and it doesn't leak there. always use a lube that will flow.
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
I have been using straight STP for years, now. I think that it works great and is plenty available. I would not use it in the transmission or rear end.
MIKE :) (mikeburch)
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I second on the STP. However, I also use it in the transmission and rear end. work good and the shifting is better.
Pete
 
modelaer said:
I second on the STP. However, I also use it in the transmission and rear end. work good and the shifting is better.
Pete
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modeler .....................
I didn't mean that I would not put ANY in the transmission or rear end. I have thought about putting some in with the regular oil, but never did try it.
MIKE :) (mikeburch)
 
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