Putting grease in Series steering box?

Nov 07, 2003 12 Replies

My steering box can't hold its oil. Can i put the one-shot swivel grease in it?. I can't see why this would be bad (I mean its must be better than having no oil in like it does currently!)



Has anybody tried this?, or can anyone comment on it?. I'm really just looking for any reasons why i shouldn't do it, since i dont fancy taking my steering box off to fix the oil leaks! :)


It's not that big a job. I took mine off and had it reconditioned, as it burst due to a lack of oil caused by a knackered seal. Afternoons work at most, the most difficult bit is getting the droparm off.

Alex

It's just that ive only just (well.. 2 weeks or so ago now) got the thing back together!, and i dont want to start pulling it to bits again, as it always ends up taking longer than it should..

6 months ago the steering box was the only bit of the landy that would hold oil. now its the opposite way round. I think its dripping to make up for the lack of drips elsewhere.

I also dont have much faith in my ability to get the drop arm off. I tried to do it when i first rebuilt the landy a couple of years ago, and it would not come! (it ended up coming off with the bulkhead).

Oh, then it's a lot easier to get apart, all the bolts will be loose this time!

Alex

true judging from the rate at which bits fell off over the first few days of driving!... :-)

I hate those bolts that hold the wings on!, and i undersealed it all down there, so its still gonna be fresh and 'orrible :(

I just found this thread again after searching google groups and realised that i still havent fixed my steering box and dont recall ever filling it up, and the thing still works!

if it will go for 3 years with no oil in (other than the residual gunk) then i reckon its gonna love swivel grease!

must remember to buy some next time i go shopping!

Better put something in, they sieze up eventually, I had a bone dry one jammed and forced the top cover off, snapping the bolts holding it down. ISTR I put LM grease in it rather than EP90 as the seals at the bottom leaked EP90 out again. I could be wrong about LM, but i definitly did not put EP90 back in it again.

Alex

I've used industrial semi-fluid grease in a variety of steering boxes over the years with no ill effects.

Within the classic car world Penrite do some stuff called Steering Box Lube, or words to that effect. It's a semi-fluid grease designed for worm and peg steering boxes. Bit of a pain to get into the box, I use a syringe.

Gordon.

I heat it until it's suitably liquid and then pour it in with a funnel.

For a Landy, yes, but I'm trying to get it down a steering box cover bolt hole on an MG TC!

Gordon

Tom Woods uttered summat worrerz funny about:

Laurie Wright has had it in his 101 steering box for a number of years without issue from my recollection.

Personally I'd use half and half least some can splosh about then, it's not like steering boxes get as hot as a front swivel assembley.

Lee D

i was sure i'd read about it somewhere on the 101 group too!. that will be it!

the liquid half is quite likely to escape though! :)

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