JD Corn Head grease for steering

[Joe Immler]

I use Corn Head grease. I bought a bolt same thread as the nut on top of the steering box. Put a grease fitting in this and use it to fill the box. I think it works well.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Kahuna

To Andy & JSeery
If the box is in good shape, adjusted well, etc, how do you drain the old stuff out?
I understand the kerosene trick for flushing, but am unclear on the drain proceedure.
Thanks
Jim

As far as I know the only way to drain the box is to remove the lower cover (after removing the light control switch on pre-40). Would have to keep track of shims and recheck the bearing load!

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

My experience has been that Ford steering boxes are "self draining".. sorry.. I couldn't resist!

Yes, they actually can be self draining, and I had this very problem on my Avatar, Rouge Class, original 35 fordor sedan. I did not care to pull the complete steering column, and go through a hassle one week before leaving on a long driving tour, of rebuilding that box just to replace a mickey mouse cork seal that should never had been designed that way in the first place. I don't know what Ford was thinking on that one, and obtw, the brass tube, that goes up through the bottom of the steering box and shaft, was not broken where it mounts to a steel plate. Anyway, I filled that steering box with John Deere Corn Head Grease and that turned out to be the best move I could ever have made. Leakage stopped dead in its tracks, and turning the steering wheel when parking and while driving was much easier than it ever had been since I owned this car. That was four years ago, and I have never looked back, and have no intentions of removing that steering box just to replace a crappy, poorly designed piece of cork seal. Not gonna happen while I am the caretaker

[David J]

Pretty sure he's talking about the part in the pic . Removing this will allow you to flush the box out . On 33-34 stuff like mine you need to remove a snap ring and fork-spring also . The pre-load on the bearings is done with the top though and not this . Simple gasket on this .

Originally Posted by JSeery

As far as I know the only way to drain the box is to remove the lower cover (after removing the light control switch on pre-40). Would have to keep track of shims and recheck the bearing load!

[Ian NZ]

I sucked the oil out of my steering box by making a adaptor to fit a thin piece of plastic hose so it goes down the side of the worm on the shaft and fitted it to hand suction pump. It would only suck a small bit at a time so it took a while to remove the oil.

[adileo]

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Originally Posted by Kahuna

To Andy & JSeery
If the box is in good shape, adjusted well, etc, how do you drain the old stuff out?
I understand the kerosene trick for flushing, but am unclear on the drain proceedure.
Thanks
Jim

Hi Jim

I read that many folks mixed the STP & corn head grease. Since that (stp) was what was in my box and pretty sure most leaked out. I did nothing (did not drain) just stuck my grease gun tube in the box and pumped till full.

Stay well

Andy

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by adileo

Hi Jim

I read that many folks mixed the STP & corn head grease. Since that (stp) was what was in my box and pretty sure most leaked out. I did nothing (did not drain) just stuck my grease gun tube in the box and pumped till full.

Stay well

Andy

How did you determine "full"?. Seems to me that if you keep pumping, the level will go above the inside tube that the light switch/horn rod goes through and then leak out the bottom into the switch no?. Perhaps this question is better asked of those that install a grease zerk but still.
P.S. just noticed that this thread is in the 32-53 forum and i am referring to a '31 steering box so don't know if what I am asking is relevant.

[adileo]

I have no knowledge of 31. My 39 has a fill bolt on top. I removed it and pumped the corn head grease in until it was full. Easy to see on the 39.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by adileo

I have no knowledge of 31. My 39 has a fill bolt on top. I removed it and pumped the corn head grease in until it was full. Easy to see on the 39.

So you would pump for a bit, then remove the hose and take a look, then pump some more, take a look and so on? I just looked up a 39 box for a pic and thy are quite a bit different. I appreciate your response. I'll post the question over on the 28-31 forum just to make sure I'm talking apples and apples. . Thanks

[koates]

Hi all, because John Deere corn head grease is not fluid at room temperatures, I heat some up on the stove (wife not at home) in an old soup/fruit can until it is fluid and just pour it into the steering box until the box is full. That way the box is really full with no air pockets. Squeeze the top of the can to make a pourer. Don't mix anything else like STP or engine oil with the corn head grease. It will become semi fluid when the steering box heats up being right next to the exhaust manifold on most old Fords. No more leaks at all in my 34 Ford steering box, and steering is lighter as well. Regards, Kevin.

[SofaKing]

Originally Posted by koates

Hi all, because John Deere corn head grease is not fluid at room temperatures, I heat some up on the stove (wife not at home) in an old soup/fruit can until it is fluid and just pour it into the steering box until the box is full. That way the box is really full with no air pockets. Squeeze the top of the can to make a pourer. Don't mix anything else like STP or engine oil with the corn head grease. It will become semi fluid when the steering box heats up being right next to the exhaust manifold on most old Fords. No more leaks at all in my 34 Ford steering box, and steering is lighter as well. Regards, Kevin.

That is a great idea!

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by koates

Hi all, because John Deere corn head grease is not fluid at room temperatures, I heat some up on the stove (wife not at home) in an old soup/fruit can until it is fluid and just pour it into the steering box until the box is full. That way the box is really full with no air pockets. Squeeze the top of the can to make a pourer. Don't mix anything else like STP or engine oil with the corn head grease. It will become semi fluid when the steering box heats up being right next to the exhaust manifold on most old Fords. No more leaks at all in my 34 Ford steering box, and steering is lighter as well. Regards, Kevin.

Thanks koates. I was thinking along the same line, was going to put some CHG in a bowl and set that bowl in a pot of water and bring that to a boil to melt the grease without risk of burning it, then pour it in the box. I suppose I could nuke some also. Thanks again for the confirmation.

[jimTN]

I found another approach to grease for the top bearing. Tore a Model A steering apart I bought with a bunch of other parts and found the column tube was half full of grease. The gears, bearings, worm all were in like new condition.

[ct1932ford]

Buy mine online! http://www.greenpartstore.com/

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by David J

On 33-34 stuff like mine you need to remove a snap ring and fork-spring also . The pre-load on the bearings is done with the top though and not this . Simple gasket on this .

David brings up a good point, the lower gasket depends on the year of the steering box. I work with mostly later boxes, but I believe the early steering boxes up to 36 use a lower gasket (part number 3592) and the bearing load is adjusted using the upper gasket (part number 3593). 37 and later boxes use the 3953 gasket at the lower position and it is used to adjust the bearing load.

[FlatheadTed]

As a experiment I mixed chassis grease with oil about 3 to 1 On a warm day using a funnel let it slowly fill the box over a hour or so .the boxes is half full and the worm screws it up and lubes the top , Some of the greases I find are to thick such as Penright and it looks like Corn head when its warmed up it should flow a bit .but you judge how much .37 and later boxes need a thinner oil to lub the roller So a mix will work , .I notice some GM cars have a hole in the Colom up near the clamp to put a drop of oil in for the top bearing ,a hole could be drilled there .

[V12Bill]

I used STP to fill the empty box. That was 5 yeas ago, so far no leaks and it steers easily. I also replaced the seal at the sector shaft also.

[Lawson Cox]

Which worked, the new seal or the corn head? We'll never know

[B-nut]

The crud in the bottom of my steering box was beyond belief when after years of carefully topping up the leaky steering box I opened up the bottom to replace that brass tube.So much junk it was a wonder the steering was smooth. So ditto CSArno in post #3 drain the box and clean it out if you have not so yet.Went with John Deere corn head grease and never dripped again.