? capacity of c-1 steering box

[Mike M.]

not wanting to get 90 wt gear oil on my tuxedo when pulling wheelstands, would like not to overfill the rebuilt steering gear assembly on the 55 i'm re-doing.no mention in the shop manual. thanks,mike

[Fenwick B.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

Mike, a lot of the 53-55 owners have put chassis grease in the steering box, because they couldn't keep them from leaking. The oil also has a tendency to "climb up" the shaft, and leaking out on the carpet. I Just took the fill plug out and replaced it with a zerc fitting.

[John H.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

Mike -

I'd recommend chassis grease - that's what the TSB's told the dealers to use on leak-complaint units; did three of mine with it, never lost a drop.

[Tom P.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

This is one of 2 service bulletins issued related to this issue. So far, I've never been able to obtain the other bulletin, which I THINK was dated about 1957.
I use grease in the 56 box as well as in the 51 Chevy box. I pull the plug, stick the end of the grease gun fitting into the hole and pump until the box is full, replace the plug.

[Roy B.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

Mike -

I'd recommend chassis grease - that's what the TSB's told the dealers to use on leak-complaint units; did three of mine with it, never lost a drop.

Greased mine 30 years ago

[Mike M.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

i've always used wheel bearing grease in all the c-1s i've restored in the past BUT in the case of the 62 box i just rebuilt with repo worm and sector, the mfgr and joe clacagno's article suggest 90 wt gear oil. i decided to put enough gear oil in to contact the upper worm gear bearing and race. will periodically check for seepage . we'll see.mike

[Bill M.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

From the '59 owner's manual:

"....maintain level at filler plug hole...the pipe plug is installed in its particular location in the steering gear housing to prevent overlubrication, generally occasioned by the use of a presure gun. Overlubrication of this unit might result in forcing lubricant up the steering gear tube to the horn button and steering wheel,.."

[John H.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

From the '59 owner's manual:

"....maintain level at filler plug hole...the pipe plug is installed in its particular location in the steering gear housing to prevent overlubrication, generally occasioned by the use of a presure gun. Overlubrication of this unit might result in forcing lubricant up the steering gear tube to the horn button and steering wheel,.."

And a TSB was issued during '59 that told the dealers to pull the steering wheel and turn signal housing, insert a big felt washer/donut down the shaft to keep the steering gear oil from going up the column and dripping on the customer's knees, and to drain the gear and replace the gear oil with chassis grease.

[Tom P.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

And a TSB was issued during '59 that told the dealers to pull the steering wheel and turn signal housing, insert a big felt washer/donut down the shaft to keep the steering gear oil from going up the column and dripping on the customer's knees, and to drain the gear and replace the gear oil with chassis grease.

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm, that's the SB I posted above.

[Bill M.]

Re: ? capacity of c-1 steering box

And a TSB was issued during '59 that told the dealers to pull the steering wheel and turn signal housing, insert a big felt washer/donut down the shaft to keep the steering gear oil from going up the column and dripping on the customer's knees, and to drain the gear and replace the gear oil with chassis grease.

Cool. When did Chevy start using chassis grease in production solid-axle steering gearboxes?