Search the Community

If you are here because you are having difficulty finding 180 weight oil, you have come to the right place. Early Dodge service manuals call for 180 weight oil for use in areas like the steering box, but the search for 180 oil will be a pain in the ass. With the exception of some specialty early Ford parts companies, you will find 180 oil expensive and mostly likely in quantities larger than you will ever need. You may also hear that a direct replacement is MOBIL 600 weight oil, but you will quickly come to see that Mobile 600 is mostly sold in 5 gallon pails and you need far less. The good news is this, you can do much better than either of those two lubricants. In fact, for the steering box, both of those lubricants will work for as long as it stays in the steering box. Lubrications have come a very long way since the 1930s and, just like plastics went from Bakelite to Polyethylene, the lubricants we can apply to the steering box are far superior even in the limited roll of the steering box. Enough said, here we go, forget about 180 oil and 600w Mobile. Go down to an Auto Parts Store and get one of the following: - CV GREASE - STP Oil Treatment - Lubriplate 250 One can also go to John Deere and get Corn Head Grease. Ask for An102562 in the grease gun tube. All of above are superior to the 80 year old specified lubricant. Why are they superior? Well not only can they do the “pressure” part of simple gear lubrication but they will do something the earlier oils don’t do at all….they will stay in the case. I use CV Grease in my steering head in a 1934 Dodge DR. I like that I can buy a small tube of it, I like that it stays in the box, and costs $4, even in 2023. To make the whole process a fast 5-minute job one needs: 1. Grab a 3/8 socket and a short handled wrench, add a 6” extension 2. A small scissors to clip the corner of the CV grease bag 3. I use a medium size syringe that I buy on Amazon. . I take the smallest size heat shrink tubing and shrink it on the syringe, That allows me to effortlessly load the CV grease from the bottom of the box up. Just open the top threaded cap of the filling box (not the one with the standard screw driver rounded head) and fill it so that the gear assembly is well covered. Carefully tighten in the cap and you are done.

Hello Mopar enthusiast, I am attempting to reseal my steering box on my 48' Plymouth P15. Just wondering if anyone has a lead on where to get the good seal kit for this application. also would like to replace the steering wheel/shifter boot on the floor board. Any information would be great appreciated. Thanks in advance Bob

Hello Mopar enthusiast, I am attempting to reseal my steering box on my 48' Plymouth P15. Just wondering if anyone has a lead on where to get the good seal kit for this application. also would like to replace the steering wheel/shifter boot on the floor board. Any information would be great appreciated. Thanks in advance Bob

I've got a 48 plymouth and my steering has quite a bit of play. I want to get steering nice and tight again and I'm wondering if there is a rebuild kit available or where to send it to be rebuilt. I remember seeing an article in a magazine, maybe rod & custom last year about a shop in southern IL that rebuilds them. I even got a quote from them and have since lost the contact info and can't find the magazine. Can anyone help? I don't really want to do the cavalier rack swap. Thanks!!

I just got this 51 cambridge with a built up slant 6. The steering box seems damp at the bottom with a small drip. Where do i check & refill. Want to make sure it isnt dry since it steers just fine. Thanks ( can see car in my signature)

Hello, Been searching high and low, went to several shops, called around, including "vintage powerwagon" ......and they all say I need to rebuild my steering box. It must be pulled and sent off to rebuilder. With that said, one of the guys states the steering wheel itself might break all apart and may not be repairable. Geez...cuz they said I cant buy a repoduction, theyre not available. Id have to buy a used one and Ive never seen a used one, during my year of searching. So my question is, has anyone gone through this and been successful? The last thing I want is my truck down for a month or 2 and no steering wheel on the planet, I drive it everyday. Any advice will help out. I had 2 real good shops in town look underneath/front end and theyve all said the truck is in good shape- its the steering box. Thanks for the help

I have a 52 b3b im restoring and i have a few questions. 1. What kind of oil should i put in my steering box 2. Where can I get seals and gaskets for it? 3. I have a 218ci, should it have a harmonic balancer on it. Thanks