Steering box/horn cable seal.

[56Alan]

My  steering box leaks oil from the bottom plate where the horn cable exits, obviously there should be some form of seal but there is nothing to suggest what type.

Can anyone help me on what type of seal is used and where i might get one? 

 

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, 56Alan said:

My  steering box leaks oil from the bottom plate where the horn cable exits, obviously there should be some form of seal but there is nothing to suggest what type.

Can anyone help me on what type of seal is used and where i might get one? 

 

Oil? I thought they were filled with a very thick grease?

[Plymouthy Adams]

factory and the manual called for 90W gear oil....for those that wish to lube and be better protected from leaks often fill with cornhead grease....

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, 56Alan said:

My  steering box leaks oil from the bottom plate where the horn cable exits, obviously there should be some form of seal but there is nothing to suggest what type.

Can anyone help me on what type of seal is used and where i might get one? 

 

while I have no part number for the seal they often can be bought by physical dimension once removed and accurately measured....OD ID CS

[knuckleharley]

25 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

factory and the manual called for 90W gear oil....for those that wish to lube and be better protected from leaks often fill with cornhead grease....

Thanks,I didn't know that. I just assumed grease. Never had to rebuild one,but have had to fill a few that were dry,and always mixed grease with 90 wt,a thankless job if there ever was one.

[dpollo]

There is no seal.  On the inside of the end plate, there is a tube which extends up through the worm gear and well above the oil  level .  Heavy Gear Oil is embossed on the filler plug so there is no question of what lubricant should be used.   ( It is possible that someone has forced grease into the box displacing the oil up into the column jacket.)

If there is a leak at this point the box is overfull (unlikely) or the tube has cracked where it is fastened to the end plate.   The gaskets for this plate are actually shims which set the worm gear roller bearings and must be replaced with the same thickness.

[ptwothree]

Here is what mine looked like...seal the steering shaft.  I can only guess it is there to keep oil from getting into the steering wheel / horn button area and leaking 90 wt during shipping.  Can't see oil working it's way up there when it's installed in the car.

 

[56Alan]

Thanks for the info guys, I will remove it and inspect the tube and check the oil level.

[ptwothree]

It also keeps debris  that gets into the steering tube from diluting the gear box lube.