Steering gear box leak 50 Merc

Rand

Rand

Senior Member
Not long ago I changed out my steering column/gear box for a good tight unit due to screwed up shift linkage in the column.
Before installing it in the car I washed the insides the best I could with kerosene. Then filled it with the recommended oil. Now it leaks and I have a puddle on the floor.
Question is...seems I remember reading putting some sort of grease in the steering box instead of oil? What grease do I use? Probably time for a rebuild but Im not ready for that right now. i just want to drive my Merc.
Be safe out there!
 
It is common to have leaks with oil/grease. Corn Head grease is a good option.
 

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Did you R&R the sector shaft seal next to the pitman arm while you had the box out of the car?

I hadn't touched a steering box in at least 20 years but I did the one in the truck awhile back. I've done quite a few steering boxes over the years and worked for a company that used to blueprint them back in the day.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264082
 
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Mercs from 1949 thru 51 have a truck sized sector shaft. The bushings for it are an old prewar truck part number. If the sector shaft is still pretty solid and needs no bushings, the seal will last pretty well. If the bushings are worn, it will push the lip of the seal all over the place. The seal is easy enough to replace and still easy to get so far.

A person can use the corn head gearbox grease if they don't want to mess with the sector shaft seal but eventually worn sector shaft bushings will cause other problems.
 
Re-sealed mine over 10 years ago, filled it with Amsoil synthetic gear lube and it has not leaked a drop since.
As I seem to recall I stacked 2 seals on top of each other.
picture.php

picture.php
 
51merc-ct. Please explain stacked 2 seals?
Recall where you purchased your seals?
Tks
 
Not answering for him but a lot of times there's enough distance below the sector shaft bushing that you can run two seals, stacked together.
If you're putting a box together with all fresh parts, the bottom sector bushing
can be easily located so that it leaves enough room for the two seals.
 
Rand said:
51merc-ct. Please explain stacked 2 seals?
Recall where you purchased your seals?
Tks
Click to expand...
The seals are 3/16" thick and as I recall 2 will fit, one on top of the first.
Just do a search for SKF-12334 seal, they are available from several sources.
Just double check the dimensions.
 
51 merc-ct
Amazon has them but the only dimension listed is 2.5x2.5x0.6 inches. Sound right?
How hard is it to get that old seal out after i remove the pitman arm? Any special tool?
Thanks for your help and sorry for all the questions
 
Rand said:
51 merc-ct
Amazon has them but the only dimension listed is 2.5x2.5x0.6 inches. Sound right?
How hard is it to get that old seal out after i remove the pitman arm? Any special tool?
Thanks for your help and sorry for all the questions
Click to expand...
The dimension that Amazon gives is for the 'box' that the seal comes in.
The correct dim's are----


ID--- (31.75mm)--(1.250")
OD---(42.82mm)--(1.687")
THICK---(4.78mm)---(.188")


Pry the seal out by any means at your disposal, you will figure it out.
 
The dimension that Amazon gives is for the 'box' that the seal comes in.
The correct dim's are----
Dumb me..
Thanks for your help everybody
 
Rand said:
The dimension that Amazon gives is for the 'box' that the seal comes in.
Click to expand...

And that's the problem with Amazon. If they "solved" that one short-coming, they could really put the hurt on the traditional auto parts distribution game.

Seriously, who cares about what size the box is the seal comes in?
Hard to believe they haven't addressed the issue.
 
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