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This is an older post but I just recently went through my '77 manual steering box, cleaning and inspecting every piece, including the (68) reciprocating ball bearings. Maybe Toyota used gear lube instead of grease due to the reciprocating balls travelling through the worm gear, rack block, and ball return "tubes". My gut feel is that grease would not make this trip sufficiently to keep everything lubricated adequately in the ball path. I couldn't find a good diagram of the Toyota box so I've included a pic of a Saginaw box that is very similar. (The bearings on the worm gear are adjustable with a threaded ring instead of the shims Toyota uses but otherwise it's the same.) I don't think the Toyota design is all it could be for keeping gear lube from leaking. No seal under adjustment lock nut coupled with metal pre-load shims under the worm gear cover plate. I used a very small amount of Indian Head sealer on the sector shaft cover gasket and intend to put a seal-type washer under adjuster lock nut but thought sealer on the shims would throw off the pre-load. I'll probably run gear lube and see how it does. If it leaks I'll probably cram it full of grease.
I just replaced a steering gear box in my 68 f 250 and am using a mix of 80w90 gear oil with white lithium grease .It it helps the mix flow and cling to the gears and with the temp. No leaks yetThis is an older post but I just recently went through my '77 manual steering box, cleaning and inspecting every piece, including the (68) reciprocating ball bearings. Maybe Toyota used gear lube instead of grease due to the reciprocating balls travelling through the worm gear, rack block, and ball return "tubes". My gut feel is that grease would not make this trip sufficiently to keep everything lubricated adequately in the ball path. I couldn't find a good diagram of the Toyota box so I've included a pic of a Saginaw box that is very similar. (The bearings on the worm gear are adjustable with a threaded ring instead of the shims Toyota uses but otherwise it's the same.) I don't think the Toyota design is all it could be for keeping gear lube from leaking. No seal under adjustment lock nut coupled with metal pre-load shims under the worm gear cover plate. I used a very small amount of Indian Head sealer on the sector shaft cover gasket and intend to put a seal-type washer under adjuster lock nut but thought sealer on the shims would throw off the pre-load. I'll probably run gear lube and see how it does. If it leaks I'll probably cram it full of grease.
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I always have a few rebuilt steering boxes on the shelf . You are welcome to leave voicemail at the shop to followup.@65swb45 do you have any rebuilt looking for a home?
Wilco. Much appreciated.I always have a few rebuilt steering boxes on the shelf . You are welcome to leave voicemail at the shop to followup.
www.marksoffroad.net
You gotta have a lotta balls to rebuild a steering box like that.