Steering: Can anyone tell by looking if my Ross SL54 has any huge issues?

[mw2013]

I have to make a gasket, repair manual says use 90 wt mineral oil, i put in assembly lube when i first go the car and some grease mixed with oil too, that is what you see, in there now, it say don't use hypoid, i am considering just rear oil, should i use GL4 or GL5

[enjenjo]

John Deere Corn head grease.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Nothing...is moving very fast, most ANY lube will work fine.
I've used motorcycle chain lube more than once in steering boxes, with zero ill effects.
Again, most any gear oil will work well. BUT, the thinner is, the more likely it is to leak .

Mike

[mw2013]

thank you, what happen to the edit feature?

[StudeRich]

The question you wanted to know is not answered, it is where is the Wear?
Unfortunately you can't see the Tip of the "Follower Pin'" that rides on the Worm Gear where the wear is, without disassembly.

Do Not use GL-5 that IS Hypoid Oil. GL-1 is Mineral Oil, talked about here often for Manual Transmissions, but Better stuff is available >

The John Deer or other Brand Corn Head Grease is Semi-Fluid, so should not leak much or at all.


The Edit has been temporarily? Removed by the Admin's. -Proof, Read, proof read!

[Skip Lackie]

Is that true about the edit function being removed on purpose? Was that posted somewhere? Typing was the only course I flunked in high school, so I really need it!

[StudeRich]

Yes Skip I didn't dream it. Verified, but time is not known for it's return, deliberate, Yes.

[jackb]

Have you been driving the vehicle and found steering problems ?

[mw2013]

oh yes what 63 year old car does no have some steering and other problems? surely the steering part can be improved, hence my getting dirty and popping the cover and getting dirty some more, i didn't know that i could until i started reading the repair manual

[bezhawk]

Clean it up better and inspect the roller bearings on the pin. They often are pitted and rusted. The cross -shaft bearings are available new, but don't have the oil holes drilled in them. Always replace the pitman arm shaft seal.

[mw2013]

ok, balls look ok, can i do this stuff on the car? what is a cross shaft? and what is the pin?

[StudeRich]

Pin described completely back in post five.

[62 Lark]

I have used corn head grease on several steering gear boxes, and it does work well.

[bezhawk]

The cross shaft is the assembly that the pitman arm attaches to it includes the roller pin that follows the worm gear. That pin is the part with the nut in the picture. That nut controls the pre-load on the tapered roller bearings of the pin. Earlier versions of the Ross steering boxes did not have bearings in that area and the pin would develop flat spots where it rode on the worm gear.

[skyway]

Isn’t just swapping in a later Lark Saginaw box & shaft still considered to be an improvement? Better steering, no leaks, less turns lock to lock.

[mw2013]

beyond my ability to source a grade A saginaw, do the mods, and real don't want to pull mine out of the car let alone try to fit another in, that said, the Ross box, is smooth a silk at slow speeds, very nice feel, i don't need more, i guess i like leaks, since it's manual I may need to more turns lock to lock and quick steering ratios is going to kill my parking even more?

[mw2013]

so you are saying, if you see the nut then there are tapered rollers, and if there is no nut, then it is an earlier version, and i extrapolate that since it had bearings ( if they were bathed in 90wt, which i found my box was empty dry in 2020) would not "develop" flat spots? and would live a long life?

ok i have to look at the manual some more thanks
the Willi Jeep ppl deal with these ross boxes i find on youtube, so i get some stuff there.

[64studeavanti]

The ball bearings and races are on the "worm" gear. The tapered bearings are on the follower behind the nut with the locking washer. The follower can be worn. Replacements are available. The ball bearings are readily available from your local hardware store. The plastic ball bearing retainers and the races are the rare parts. AFAIK, the SL 54 was only used on Avanti, GT , and maybe some trucks. The Avanti is a little different as it is setup to use a rag joint to connect to the steering shaft.

FWIW, by replacing seals and bushings, I have been able to use the specified GL1 without any leaks on my Avantis. Others have used cornhead grease, semisolid lubes as sold by SI, and even CV joint grease with success to minimize leaks.

[mw2013]

rag joint make taking the thing out easier

[mw2013]

i bought cornhead grease, and got a tracking number