Steering Rack

[carolien]

I am rebuilding the steering rack on my 1959 Bugeye. The inner balljoints do not have grease nipples. Do you have to grease them before you assemble? I don't see how the single grease nipple on the rack is
getting grease into these ball joints.

 

[carolien]

I've also used grease in the past. I have grease in it now but like the idea of corn head grease. is mixing the 2 a problem?

 

[jlaird]

I am not so sure that grease grease is the answer or what was used initially. Although I expect it was very heavy oil. Miss Agatha had corn head grease which seemed to work well and what I would use in the future.

 

[longbridgehealey]

Yep, corn head

 

[Rut]

Another vote for corn head grease!
Rut

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Bought a new Grease gun at HF, added corn head grease. no more leaking rack. Of course I have the tip of the grease gun permanently attached to the rack fitting. Went on once and now cannot remove it. Had other things to worry about that have taken priority. On my Roundtoit List.

 

[jlaird]

Ha, bigger hammer.

 

[carolien]

Thanks guys. Yes, I have since purchased corn head grease

 

[RobbyL]

Corn Head Grease - obviously coming from corn - what does the rest of the world call it?

 

[jlaird]

ok, that's what it is called, wait for it..........

You can get it from any farm supply store.

Was developed to lub the corn picker heads on corn pickers. You know the big machines farmers use to pick corn.

And that's the facts folks. Tractor supply had it where I lived.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

NLGI 00 spec grease ... also used in cotton picking machines and a whole bunch of other harvesting equipment.

 

[SD Bugeye]

Ah so used in cotton picking corn heads

 

[Dscarson]

I am rebuilding the steering rack on my 1959 Bugeye. The inner balljoints do not have grease nipples. Do you have to grease them before you assemble? I don't see how the single grease nipple on the rack is
getting grease into these ball joints.

He nipple on the steer rack is for oil, not grease. I believe the thought is that if you disassemble the rack this is the easiest way to fill it back up. It takes ten ounces of hypoid oil

 

[jlaird]

Its for oil. We use Corn oul from farmers supply.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

And with Hypoid Oil it leaked from the where the the Gear that connects from Steering column to the rack. My brain is forgetting the name of that gear. Pumps Corn Head grease into the rack, no more leak period.

 

[RickF]

And with Hypoid Oil it leaked from the where the the Gear that connects from Steering column to the rack. My brain is forgetting the name of that gear. Pumps Corn Head grease into the rack, no more leak period.

Pinion gear.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Thanks Rick. Yes it was there back in the recesses of my brain. I replaced that pinion gear on my '68 many years ago. Was cheap at the time like $7.95 IIRC. Really sharpened up steering feel. Not sure if that gear is even available anymore.

 

[twas_brillig]

To summarize: the original manual called for oil to be pumped into the rack - clean out your 'grease' gun, pour the oil into it, then pump it into the steering rack. Since then, a lot of folks have moved to the corn head grease, with the advantage being that it lubricates extremely well and doesn't leak out. Same deal: clean our your grease gun, add enough corn head grease, and pump it into the rack. I believe that the consensus is to fill the rack, as the stuff won't flow throughout like the oil would. Have the wheels up and spin the steering wheel back and forth in both cases.
Me, I use Royal Purple 75W-140 (and I don't remember why I made that specific choice). I removed the grease fitting, and slowly poured the stuff in (small funnel) and moved the steering wheel back and forth. I don't remember if I attempted to fill the rack or used the recommended volume or just added the recommended minimum and then more. I do remember it as being a bit of a slow process, to move the oil out of the fill area and off to the various extremities.
If I've erred here in my summary, I trust that someone will speak up. And can anyone tell me how to not have my signature stuff show up? I knew how to do it on the old system, but haven't figured it out here. And absolutely no implied criticism of all the work and effort that went into the current BCF. Later, Doug