55 Fargo

This grease is very thin, and do not think it would have any issues with ruining things inside. A lot of times, steering boxes went dry and were worn before someone came along and filled them up with grease......

Why no add a little of the semi-fluid grease into the gear oil, now. That way it is even more fluid, and may stop all leaking....

Thanx Joe, I may go the 0 weight JD corn head grease route. I just finished cleanign and painting this steering box. Going to look into getting seals for it too...

Would be interesting to know, a friend has a 60 Chevy Apache, and he installed a power steering set-up in it, but maybe it was available for GM trucks by 1960....

Sounds like a good product, and for the application, it obviously did a better job than a gear oil.

Pics of an Ingersoll Steering Box

Hi Jeff, sounds like that product is much like John Deeres Corn Head Grease, the consistency of mustard...

Only if you take a sip or 2 or 3 or heck empty the bottle. I am partial to Seafoam, some like Jack Daniels, or Crown Royal better.........

Okay this thread is not to tick anyone off, or rile anyone up, just a process of discovery, to determine the facts of the age old steering box lube question. Okay I have read a lot of the threads, have added my 2 cents, and may have started a few in the past. I always thought my steering box on the 47 was a bit loose, but it has some play, but is actually quite good, as compared to the trucks current steering gear. Now on Canuck built Dodge and Fargos, they used Ingersoll Machine steering gears, not sure if this is unique to Canada or not, design is no doubt the same as the US built Dodge trucks. As I have revealed, my current steering is dangerously sloppy, the tie rods ends, have slight play, but the box is the culprit. So I have a donor box on the bench, got to clean it and paint it. But it is another leaker, which would indicate, time to replace seals. Now seal replacement on this box, will it require a machne shop to install, does it require any other itmes to seal this thing up. How many of you have replaced seals to discover the box still leaks, or it was a success, and you have not looked back. How many of you still use grease,(as I do in m 47 Chrysler), without any adverse effects. There is Penlite, and John Deere Corn Head Grease, very thin viscosity grease, to allow some fluidity, while being quite solid and stable as compared to 90 weight gear oil. Now I am sure there will be the advisors who state only gear oil should be used, and others who claim grease is just fine. I want to find out, what is needed, and what I may need to do to seal this steering box correctly.........

Okay this thread is not to tick anyone off, or rile anyone up, just a process of discovery, to determine the facts of the age old steering box lube question. Okay I have read a lot of the threads, have added my 2 cents, and may have started a few in the past. I always thought my steering box on the 47 was a bit losse, but it has some play, but is actually quite good, as compared to the trucks current steering gear. Now on Canuck built Dodge and Fargos, they used Ingersoll Machine steering gears, not sure if this is unique to Canada or not, design is no doubt the same as the US built Dodge trucks. As I have revealed, my current steering is dangerously sloppy, the tie rods ends, have slight play, but the box is the culprit. So I have a donor box on the bench, got to clean it and paint it. But it is another leaker, which would indicate, time to replace seals. Now seal replacement on this box, will it require a machne shop to install, does it require any other itmes to seal this thing up. How many of you have replaced seals to discover the box still leaks, or it was a success, and you have not looked back. How many of you still use grease,(as I do in m 47 Chrysler), without any adverse effects. There is Penlite, and John Deere Corn Head Grease, very thin viscosity grease, to allow some fluidity, while being quite solid and stable as compared to 90 weight gear oil. Now I am sure there will be the advisors who state only gear oil should be used, and others who claim grease is just fine. I want to find out, what is needed, and what I may need to do to seal this steering box correctly.........

Now that car would be worth a few bucks today, My Dad bought a brand new 68 Old Vista Cruiser that wagon cost 5 grand, a lot of money it seemed in 68...I still remember going to pick it up at the dealers...

It has been said and done by others, that a 6 volt + radio will work fine on voltage reduced to 6 volts from 12 volts, and remainiing with negative ground. I Have not personally tried, it may be that the mechanical radio vibrator does not care about polarity, but the solid state might have to be polarity sensitive. In that case, an electronic radio vibrator could be changed to a 6 volt negative ground type. I see no reason why my 50 watt 1 OHM resistor will not do it's job to reduce voltage to 1- 6 volt heater motor. That is why I see no reason to invest in Koolcars heavy duty voltage droppers,. If I were running a radio, and wiper motor in 6 volt format, I would see the Koolcars reducers as something seriously to consider...

I wired in an in-line fuse, and used a 10 amp fuse. This is working great, so do not think I am drawing huge amounts of current. This little resistor is cheap compared to more Heavy Duty units aformentioned, but if I need to go that route, will just buy a 12 volt motor and be done with it

I would simply buy a 12 volt motor in my case. I think these are well made units, but maybe overkill for what I need. I actually know a few Guys who do not reduce the voltage to their 6 volt heater motors, they just use the speed control switch, and they are'nt used all that much. This little voltage dropper I made up, is working quite well...... and it was $4.00

Very slick, great idea........

Looks good Merle, keep the wind drifting off the box, better fuel mileage, and will keep a lot of water out of their if your caught in the rain.....

Thanx , here are some pics, not very good. Have a ride in the Coupe Have a ride in the 55 Fargo

Try and get an exploded view, and go from there. The window regulators,channels, can bea pain. You also have the door latches to deal with in tight surroundings. Just take a break, I have had mine in and out a number of times, so now can do them quite quickly. I regret I did not take pics of all I could, but will take some pics if you like.....

HEHEHEHE, HOHOHOHOO..................LOL PASS ME THE VALIUM, I mean volume

Okay here is what I ended up creating to reduce the voltage from 12 to 6 for the heater blower motor. I ordered on-line a 50 watt1 Ohm resistor, for $4.00, then made a mount employing a 4.5 inch long 1/4 inch bolt/nut, mounted on 1/2 aluminum, this is spaced from the firewall by 1/2 inch, and bolts on from under the hood. Tim Adams suggested mounting it somehow in the deforst tubes, prior to the hoses going out to defrost vents, this idea is excellent, but have not figured out how I may do that yet. I took the truck for spin, heat on, cold day today, resistor got good and warm, but not burning up, the variable heater switch and lead wires stayed cool. The truck cab was toasty warm. I still need to wire in prior to the switch an inline fuse, and think 10 amp fuse should be the higheest I should use.....

Just for future reference for anyone using a universal 7 wire signal stat switch, and if your going with 12 volts. #1 if you plan to use the tawainese made switch that I used keep in mind the wiring harness for it, has 18 or 20 gauge wire, not suitable really for any 6 volt application, I suppose it could be cut short, and 16 gauge wire could be used. My problem was the signal switch hazard flasher was staying on all the time, the problem was the flasher, on the pilot terminal, iwas live once power was at the X terminal. I replace it witha Tridon Heavy Duty 3 prong signal flasher EL13, and that solved my problem. I am posting this for anyone having this problem in the future...

Great lookin truck Al, like the chrome rims and dog dish caps, very nice paint....

On my 55 Fargo 1/2 ton, the leaf spring spacers are over 3 inches thick, keeping the back up real; high. Any idea, what thickness of leaf spring spacer is correct? I figure about an inch, might be more in spec. Why did anyone use such a thick spacer, was it for more load/weight allowance, before bottoming out the truck....thanx Fred

I figure often a lot of Guys have great intentions, and wind up in over there head,skill levels, equipment, time and money. I am 1 who likes to do things in sections, have learned what works, and what doesn't for me, and continue to learn. I do not mind the work involved, and I am the type who is driven to complete a task, but often MONEY, or TIME, throw up roadblocks faster then I can get over them. I am working on the truck, now, doing this that and the other, I am one who can do this section, or this other task, and go back and forth within reason, just my way of doing things. M<y 47 Chrysler, has not had any work done on her in a while, but she is in good condition, but still needs items, likea new headliner, bumpers chrome, pinion seal etc. I will get back to her soon. Here are some pics of a 55 Fargo all in pieces, without a engine and trans, where some Guys do not get beyond. Here is my Frankenstein truck. I am working different sections at a time, but am concentrating on mechanical and safety items currently. When it comes time for body and paint will take box off agaian, and fron clip, and will be able to work those in sections too....

Hey all the weather here in Glorious Southern Manitoba is more like Missouri today and tonight. It is March19th, technically still winter, and suually just the beginning of our spring thaw. But is has been highly unsually warm, with temps at 75 today. Tonight we had a major T/storm go through, thunder,rain and lighting. I have neever in all my life seen this kind of weather here in all my 50 years, it is quite bizarre, walking around with May or early June weather here, and I am not complaining. Okay now the wiring part, today my new Tawainese signal swtich came, wired her in, it works great, it has 4 way flashers too. The only thing is this, there is the little green indicator lights on the switch, which work, when you turn to either left or right, but there is a red light in the middle of the green lights, which stays on as soon as I power up the circuit, by in my case turning the key to on. Is this the way it is supposed to be, I am using a 3 prong 6volt electronic flasher on 12 volts, would that cause this? Anyway, it works well, it is made cheap, but what the heck, hope everyone is enjoying the weather. PS Aero 3113, the frogs are hoppin around here in full force, as you may remember from your visit here 2 years ago....