Steering box fluid

65 66 Ford · Post by **65 66 Ford** » July 12, 2009, 10:42 pm

What weight oil do I use in a manual steering box on a 65 F100 2 wheel drive.

BarnieTrk · Post by **BarnieTrk** » July 13, 2009, 8:59 am

I don't know what the Ford Service Manual would say about it, but if it was mine, I'd remove the fill plug, stick my grease gun into it and pump it fill of grease - and never look back.
There's a good chance that the seals are tired and may leak out oil or gear lube, the grease would be least likely to leak.
I've done what I'm suggesting & it worked for me!
BarnieTrk

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » July 13, 2009, 7:36 pm

the early 60s fords used grease . i tapped mine for a grease fitting and never looked back...

slick4x4 · Post by **slick4x4** » July 13, 2009, 10:17 pm

BarnieTrk wrote:I don't know what the Ford Service Manual would say about it, but if it was mine, I'd remove the fill plug, stick my grease gun into it and pump it fill of grease - and never look back.
There's a good chance that the seals are tired and may leak out oil or gear lube, the grease would be least likely to leak.
I've done what I'm suggesting & it worked for me!
BarnieTrk

and then i put some 90-120 weight oil in there also...

Post by **Casey 65** » July 15, 2009, 11:20 am

I thought the fluid in those things was rain water....

Dave Rogers · Post by **Dave Rogers** » July 15, 2009, 7:07 pm

fluid?

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » July 15, 2009, 7:32 pm

wonder how the grease is at - 40?

i put new seals on mine , filled with gear oil and have no leaks.

BarnieTrk · Post by **BarnieTrk** » July 15, 2009, 8:35 pm

ICEMAN6166 wrote:wonder how the grease is at - 40?

i put new seals on mine , filled with gear oil and have no leaks.

Yeah, I'm sure the grease would be a wee bit stiff at -40*F, Iceman!

However, I saw that the OP was in SE Pennsylvania, so I surmised that it probably wouldn't be an issue for him.
I'm in Michigan, and my steering is stiffer starting out in Winter weather, but nothing intolerable.....But then I don't see -40*F either!
BarnieTrk

65 66 Ford · Post by **65 66 Ford** » July 16, 2009, 8:49 am

My steering box doesnot leak. Just wanted to change the oil while I was going over the front end. The Ford manual says to use a special Ford oil for 65 trucks. I know it is a heavy oil just not sure if it was 50 or 80. As far as grease goes you would have to pack it tight and if you have bad seals it will leak out as it gets forced around.

Ford4jack · Post by **Ford4jack** » July 16, 2009, 3:25 pm

Wonder how some ''00'' grease would work.
Its fluid like and has EP additives etc in it

Von Dud · Post by **Von Dud** » July 20, 2009, 7:06 pm

just had this fellow rebuild the MANUAL box on my 66 http://www.stangerssite.com/rebuildingindex.html - rebuilding steering boxes is all he does. he packed it full of synth grease. as full as he could. he told me that it would blow grease out of the breather on top (just a few ticks away from the adjuster) after i had it on and went lock to lock with it on a test drive.

he was right - little bit came out. box work like a champ running grease in it. Then again, i'm in 104 degree TX. i'd loose my nuts at -40.

if you go with oil, keep one thing in mind: the bottom shaft seal is a conventional oil seal, the top seal is just a dust seal. that's where the water comes from and why you need to keep mister pressure washer away from the top of manual boxes!

good luck.

ps: this rebuilder did some fine work. i'd recommend him - don't let the Mustang talk through you off. ;^)

ABA · Post by **ABA** » July 20, 2009, 7:20 pm

Hmm. learn something new everyday.

What weight grease for a power steering gearbox?

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » July 20, 2009, 11:05 pm

ABA wrote:Hmm. learn something new everyday.

What weight grease for a power steering gearbox?

power steering boxes are lubed by the ps fluid or trans fluid in the pump

ABA · Post by **ABA** » July 21, 2009, 3:36 pm

ICEMAN6166 wrote:
ABA wrote:Hmm. learn something new everyday.

What weight grease for a power steering gearbox?
power steering boxes are lubed by the ps fluid or trans fluid in the pump

Oh, that explains the transmission lines going to the steering box.

I really didn't expect anybody Here to take my question seriously, especially you Iceman.

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » July 25, 2009, 11:03 am

I've got my '62 box out and some lube leaked out of the top where the steering column shaft goes in as it was lying on the floor....

Is there a replaceable seal there? How hard is it to put new seals in a '62 box, and where are they available from?

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » July 25, 2009, 11:17 am

Gary Seymour wrote:I've got my '62 box out and some lube leaked out of the top where the steering column shaft goes in as it was lying on the floor....

Is there a replaceable seal there? How hard is it to put new seals in a '62 box, and where are they available from?

there is just a felt dust seal there. i have all my extra columns/gearboxes standing up to avoid leaking. makes a real mess inside the column tube if you tip them over.

the side seal i got thru car quest (had to look it up in a book, theres different ones for the 4x4 so make sure you read the listings carefully ). it is a regular type oil seal and was not hard to change.did not require disassembly.