Jeff
In answer to your questions regarding my previous submission I have the
following comments. Firstly most of the leaking from your steering box is
probably through the bolts that hold the side cover on. These bolts need to
be sealed with a product such as Loctite Thread Unite which is a pipe dope
that is used in plumbing. You will be able to take the bolts out with no
problem but this stuff will seal them up. The Sector shaft adjustment bolt
can be sealed by taking Teflon tape and twisting it into a small string then
wrapping it around the bolt so that the lock nut squeezes it into the
threads at the housing when the lock nut is tightened up. The next point of
leakage is at the bottom front of the steering box where the steering wheel
shaft adjustment nut and lock nut are. Again seal this the same way as the
sector shaft adjusting screw and lock nut. The last point of leakage is the
output shaft of the steering box where the sector shaft sticks out. There
is a replacement seal kit available for the output shaft from places like
Chevy Duty and Carter's to name a few.
The lubrication of the box can be with an oil such as Multi purpose or
Universal gear oil of a minimum of 140 W. This will not leak out as readily
as the 90 W that you have been using. The other way of lubricating the box
is to use a Multi purpose grease. You remove the bottom bolt from the side
cover then fill the box with grease through the fill hole on the top of the
gear box using a grease gun. When the box is full the grease will push out
through the bolt hole. Reinstall the bolt in the side cover then with a
suitable tool remove some of the grease from the fill hole on the top of the
box. Fill the void that you have created with the 90 W gear oil and
reinstall the plug. With the heat generated by the engine and specifically
the exhaust system adjacent to the steering box the heat will be enough to
allow the grease to freely move and fill any voids in the box. I have
filled the steering box on my truck in this manner and have put on over 5000
miles with it this way. There are no leaks, as of yet, and I have not
noticed and stiffness in the steering because of the grease. From time to
time I check the steering box through the fill hole and if there is room
apparent I top it off with the 90 W oil.
Hope this helps and Happy New Year
Mac
52 Chev 1300
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