VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1940 Chevy Coupe Steering Gear Box

I have a question on what type of grease or oil the steering box is filled with on a 1940 Chevy Coupe. I have read references made to oil but when I tore mine down it was packed with grease like wheel bearing grease. Any help would be appricated.

Thank You !
Jerry Metz

The lubricant refered to in the 1940 manuals would be #90 gear oil.If the seal and bushings are new this may be fine.I have found that a combination of 85W-140 gear oil and chassis grease will do fine-especially for summer driving.I would fill the unit with gear oil-then if it leaks down top it off with chassis grease.As they mix together it should become heavy enough as not to leak.GM sells a steering gear lube for standard steering gears.It comes in a tube and is of the correct viscosity.The problem is that dealers do not stock it and if ordered you must purchase a case of 12.

I hate to disagree, but the lubricant wasn't gear oil. And neither 85W-140 gear oil (which is too thin) nor chassis or wheel grease (which gets pushed out from around the ball bearings) are good substitutes.

GM doesn't make the correct lube anymore. The closest match is sold by Restoration Supply Company - http://www.restorationstuff.com/ (steering gear lube).

I use it in my (newly rebuilt) 41 steering box and it works great! (I use it in my rebuilt 63 Nova box too.)

Jim

how much does one need per steering box?..and is this the correct lubricant for our '30, as well as the '40?..


epi

I use a combination of 90W and grease in my 1938 HB Master Sedan and it works fine. Mac

I don't know if its the same for a 30. The earlier steering boxes look like a different design. The late 30's and later boxes need about 1 1/2 bottles of the Penrite steering box lube to fill.

I'm sure there's any number of concoctions that will work. I've also heard people use STP. Heck, stuffing it full of greasy salami will work for a while. :arrow:

But after all the trouble I went through to rebuild my steering boxes, I tried to find the best solution for lube.

I think I will use a combination of all refered items then I should be fine. Actually I think I will use a mixture of chassie lube and 90 oil the mixture seems to be fairly firm yet will still move around in the gear box properly.

Thanks to all for your imput.

Jerry Metz