The steering box in the old truck leaked like a sieve. Surprisingly, and without obvious reason, it was about the leakiest area on the truck. Not having any idea the history of the unit, including past maintenance, I decided it was appropriate to complete a full rebuild.

You can find almost any parts for these old trucks, including a complete steering box rebuild kit from The Filling Station. With the front clip removed from the truck, the steering box was readily accessible.

The project was rather simple, and also pretty interesting. I had heard of “recirculating ball” steering before, but really had no idea what it meant. Unfortunately, I didn’t capture any pictures of the ball bearings, so you’ll have to visualize that there are 60 little steel balls running around inside the tubes pictured here.

Basically, all the project entailed was disassembly and a thorough cleaning of all the components, then reassembly with all new bushings, bearings and gaskets. Oh, and I discovered why it was leaking so badly. Someone had used too light of an oil in the unit, in which case they’re notorious for leaking. A little research on the Stovebolt forums resulted in learning that the best lubrication was John Deere Corn Head Grease, which is a little thinner than standard grease, but not by much.

Here are a few pictures of the components before reassembly.