original steering box oil/grease?

[rmk57]

  I took the cover off mine today for the first time I've owned the car and judging by the brownish / orangish slop in their I'd say some moisture has worked it's way inside. Only way I see to do it right would be to remove the column and flush it out. Were these steering boxes packed with grease or oil?

[mustang6984]

I believe with grease...heavy stuff. And I do not believe you need to take it off and clean it. Flushing it and then slopping new stuff in should be good.
That is what did with both of mine...never had any issues with either one afterward. I still have about 4 gallons left of HEAVY grease in a 5 gallon Atlantic Richfield can...I'll give you some! 

Joe? Gunther...?

[mustang6984]

I believe with grease...heavy stuff. And I do not believe you need to take it off and clean it. Flushing it and then slopping new stuff in should be good.
That is what did with both of mine...never had any issues with either one afterward. I still have about 4 gallons left of HEAVY grease in a 5 gallon Atlantic Richfield can...I'll give you some! It's across the water from you...in Sequim area. (Dungenesss actually) 

Joe? Gunther...?

[59meteor]

Randy, talk to another Randy, he operates Steering Solutions in Port Kells (Surrey) BC. He did a complete rebuild on the steering box in my 59, and previously the PS box in my 74 F350. Both vehicles drove so much better after he went through them. If you still have the original 57 box, a 58 or 59 is an easy upgrade. I thought my 59 drove OK before I took the steering box to Randy, but once he took it apart , it was evident that 60 years had taken a toll, with pitting on the steering shaft . His work not only fixxed the slop in the box, it also made the steering effort noticably lower.

[mustang6984]

So...are you saying that the '58/59 boxes are better than the '57'S? When I put mine back together would I be ahead to  swap mine out for one of them?s this a direct bolt in?

[djfordmanjack]

Hugh, the 58 up boxes are recirculating ball type, while the 57 is still a conventional worm type.
I am really not sure about your recommendation with grease. It will work obvioulsy but I reckon it should rather be a high viscosity grade oil. I will have to check the manuals.
I know that many guys update to the 58 for obvious reasons, but I have to say, the oem steering boxes in both my DR and CS still work nicely and can be adjusted to very little play.

[mustang6984]

If it was supposed to be oil..then I might have made a mess of mine all those years back! OOPs!

Sounds like a '58 might be the way to go then. Thanks!

[Hoosier Hurricane]

If you go to the '58 box, be advised that the '57 horn wire arrangement will not fit the '58 column.   John

[hiball3985]

57 box would use oil, 58 and later use grease. I put a 58 box in mine and it's a world of difference.

[rmk57]

  Had a look in the repair manual and it uses sae 90w for 1957. I may give steering solutions a call and get a quote on a rebuild. Even if I did locate a 58 steering box it would still have to be gone through. To bad this wasn't closer, it looks like the same box, bolt pattern as mine at a pretty fair price to.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/pts/d/san-jose-thunderbird-rebuilt-steering/7228088877.html
 

[mustang6984]

If you go to the '58 box, be advised that the '57 horn wire arrangement will not fit the '58 column.   John

Good to know...guess if I go that route I will need the horn stuff too then.

hiball...thanks for the info...wonder if I did damage to min e then? OOPs!I never noticed anything...

[KYBlueOval]

  Had a look in the repair manual and it uses sae 90w for 1957. I may give steering solutions a call and get a quote on a rebuild. Even if I did locate a 58 steering box it would still have to be gone through. To bad this wasn't closer, it looks like the same box, bolt pattern as mine at a pretty fair price to.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/pts/d/san-jose-thunderbird-rebuilt-steering/7228088877.html

Sent you a P.M. about '58's
John

[gasman826]

TECH NOTE:  If you remove a '57 steering box, prop it up with the steering wheel up.  There is no upper seal and though it may take awhile, stinking 90W will be everywhere.  You're on notice!

[thomasso]

If you find a steering gear with grease in it its because the 90w leaked out and the owner didn't want to reseal the gear POA so they pumped it full of grease, not good especially with ball type gear.

[bbskypilot]

My understanding is the 57 uses 600 W gear oil.  Kind of hard to find, but I got mine from Eckler's or some place like that.  When I was a teenager working in filling stations, we put grease in all of them.  But, I think the heavy gear oil is what is recommended.