TR2/3/3A tr3 steering box leak

[Jim Lee]

I have a 1959 TR3a that no matter what I do I cannot stop it from leaking the 85 weight oil that I pour into the hole in the steering column that lubricates that gears in the worm gears in the steering box. I am really not sure if it ever held oil. I have replaced the bottom plate, the brass nut the 'acorn'. I have wrapped that white sealing tape that I cannot remember the name of around everywhere that I can think of and it still leaks drip by drip and overnight the oil will be gone.

Any hints or tips out there? I was thinking about putting thicker oil in but do not have high hopes that that would help as a leak is a leak is a.... Is there any reason not to just put some kind of light grease in there? Anything that would not flow out so that I at least have some kind of lubrication going on in there? For all I know I might have been driving it all this time with nothing in there but residual 85 weight transmission fluid.

I would imagine this would be pretty specific to the TR3 and more modern LBC's seem to have that new fangled rack and pinion steering.

Thanks very much,
Jim Lee

1959 TR3a

 

[TR3driver]

No doubt, that means the bushing and seal are shot. Only proper cure is to replace them; plus possibly the rocker shaft if it is badly scored. I put off doing this for many years; after I finally did it I wished I had done it much sooner. It (and the other changes I made at the same time) really made a remarkable difference in how the car drove.

Using grease will make it drive even more like a truck; you may wind up looking like Popeye! However, if you do want to go that way, try using Penrite Steering box lube which is so thick it's almost grease.

 

[6TTR3A]

I agree w/Randall..bushing & seal are shot...but for now STP will shore up the
leak...(Quick-fix only!)
Frank

 

[Don Elliott]

If you or some PO has over-tightened the adjusting nut on the top cover of the steering box, then it's possible that this may have caused an upwards "jacking" force that may have "bowed" the top cover upwards. If this has happened, the gasket will not seal the cover. You will need to remove the top cover and flatten it as best you can with a huge hammer on an anvil and then lap the mating (sealing) surface.