C-1 - 61' Steering Box

[Jim K.]

As a follow up to my posts from May of this year, I have started using my newly rebuilt steering box and it is tight and smooth. The only problem is the puddle of lubricant on the floor of the garage. I'm thinking it is from the threaded end of the main shaft cap with the big lock nut; maybe I should have used some pipe dope there??? Any ideas? Also, I remember seeing or hearing about a grease fitting change to pack the box with greaase instead of fluid, any thoughts there too???
Thanks!!! Jim

[Christopher R.]

Re: C-1 - 61' Steering Box

Leaking C1 steering boxes are common. Chevy issued a Technical Service Bulletin ("TSB", except it wasn't called a TSB then) advising that if this condition occurred to use grease instead of 90 weight gear oil in the box. Heat from the nearby exhaust manifold causes the oil to thin and leak out. Many have posted here and in other boards that the thicker grease does not have the same tendency to leak.

So how do you get the grease in there? Corvette Central (and probably others) make a grease fitting that replaces one of the bolts on the side cover. Pumping about 10 oz of grease in there until it comes out the top fill plug should do it. I used a grease gun with a needle attachment to squirt it in the top fill plug. I was concerned about voids in the grease with my method, so I tried to pack it and also poured some 90 weight gear oil in there. I figured the gear oil would fill the voids and would mix to some extent with the grease. Pumping up through the fitting is probably better at avoiding voids than my method of squirting down. You want to fill the box to capacity. But not pump grease up the column.

Chevy sells some grease for this purpose - p/n 12377985. But I believe any quality chassis grease would do. Constant velocity joint grease seems to be the highest quality available.

[Lonnie Johnson]

Re: C-1 - 61' Steering Box

Jim,
What ever you do, be sure you follow the advice of not pumping it up the steering column. There have been horror stories before about people not recognizing that they had charged the entire column with grease only to be driving down the street and have a large plop of grease land between their legs. Not always easy to explain!! Taking the plug in the top out until it fills to that point is important.

[Theodore K.]

Re: C-1 - 61' Steering Box

Jim,
When I rebuilt my '57 gear box it came with the bolt and grease fitting. If you don't want to buy one you can make it. Just drill out a correct sized bolt and tap the top hole for the grease zert. Be sure to remove the bolt with the zert and replace with the normal bolt when full. The advice about filling until it comes out the top hole on the box is correct. Mine works fine and does not leak. I think the exhaust manifold heating liquifies the grease and it gets easier when used.
Good luck,
Ted

[Jim K.]

Re: C-1 - 61' Steering Box

Thanks Chris, Lonnie and Ted, great advice and a good laugh as a bonus. Now I know why I needed to rebuild the box to begin with!!! Jim