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Old 01-06-2026, 08:04 PM   #1
MTD91
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Default 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Hi, I’ve been working on a 7 tooth gearbox. So it has a grease zerk where the sector shaft goes. One of the sector bushings has a partial hole drilled in the edge of it for the grease. My new sector bushings don’t have any hole in them. My question is if I run 600w gear oil can I eliminate that grease zerk? The new sector shaft doesn’t fit the old bushings.
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Old 01-07-2026, 09:43 AM   #2
Fullraceflathead
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

I would drill the hole if needed when I rebuilt mine there was just enough room between the 2 bushings I didn't need to drill it I would grease the sector shaft but use the 600W oil and the rest of the steering box.
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Old 01-07-2026, 11:13 AM   #3
MTD91
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Ok, thanks for the reply!
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Old 01-07-2026, 11:23 AM   #4
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Also I got a 7 tooth rebuild kit from Mikes afordable. It came with the original style steering shaft retainer nut. But Im wondering if i should get the one with the long tube to keep oil off of the light switch at the bottom. Or will the original style nut and seal keep it from leaking?
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Old 01-07-2026, 11:50 AM   #5
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Get the one with the tube. The seal does not seal in the long run.
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Old 01-07-2026, 12:08 PM   #6
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

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Old 01-07-2026, 09:10 PM   #7
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Be careful not to overfill, even with the tube set up. I overfilled mine and had to suck a bit of oil back out with a syringe. Then the tube worked very good.
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Old 01-08-2026, 10:33 AM   #8
Fullraceflathead
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

I used the long tube when I rebuilt my 7 tooth I recommended on any rebuild as you don't want 600W oil all over the garage floor cause it will drip out.
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"If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses."
-Henry Ford

"Primitive technology is not a design flaw"


1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup
1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor
1941 Willy's Pickup
1960 Thunderbird-For Sale
1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425
1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty
2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper
1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet
Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford
Engine Build up on DVD ask
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Old 01-09-2026, 08:59 PM   #9
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

MTD91, I would recommend the long tube as well. Make sure you check the depth of the counterbore in the bottom of the stearing shaft before you get things fully assembled. Mine had to be bored 7/16” about an inch deeper to accommodate the long tube. For me I had to buy a long drill bit to complete the job, a standard length bit won’t get the hole deep enough.
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Old 01-11-2026, 06:42 PM   #10
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

Thanks for the tip!
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Old 01-11-2026, 08:46 PM   #11
CT Jack
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

I recommend using John Deere Corn Head grease in place of 600W oil. This is a thixotropic based grease that flows without caking like most other heavy greases. This property provides grease circulation to occur within the entire steering box without leakage.
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Old 01-12-2026, 10:04 AM   #12
Jim16A1
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

I’m pretty sure that corn head grease is why I just had to rebuild my steering box. The lower bearing broke into a bunch of small pieces that absolutely destroyed the end of the shaft and the lower bushing. Inside was a bunch of nasty grease, metal chunks, and sad bearings. The box was rebuilt when the previous owner restored the car a few decades ago, and must have failed rather quickly, because all of that damage was done before I got the car. That grease won’t flow where it needs to go. The gears don’t generate enough friction to get it hot enough to do so. Needless to say, after I got my shaft and lower sector back from the machine shop ($$$), I put the box back together with the anti-leak tube and 600w.
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Old 01-12-2026, 10:48 AM   #13
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Default Re: 7 tooth steering gear box rebuild

You can't go wrong with the anti leak tube and using 600W lubricant!!!
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"If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses."
-Henry Ford

"Primitive technology is not a design flaw"


1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup
1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor
1941 Willy's Pickup
1960 Thunderbird-For Sale
1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425
1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty
2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper
1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet
Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford
Engine Build up on DVD ask
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