Steering Box Leak

[Jim Clement]

there are a few good rebuild write ups..
I am in the process of rebuilding mine.. so looked around.
This work would apply to an early 1957 or older - basically early vw box.

http://tallerdelbug.blogspot.ca/2012/02 ... build.html
the parts are available from Stoddard.. possibly others.. and not that much $$

I have taken mine apart.. was easy.. did a media blast. have it all painted up and ready for reassembly..

[Tom Wavrin]

I've restored the exteriors and replaced the seals on two ZF boxes. I removed them from the cars and cleaned them up with stoddard solvent followed by lacquer thinner. Then masked off the seal areas and lightly glass beaded the boxes to be paint free. I removed the seals and took them to a local bearing supply store and they used the numbers on the seal surface to reference the replacements. I had new seals delivered to the store within a couple of days. For reinstallation of the seals I placed aluminum foil over the splines and lubricated the foil to protect the sealing surface of the seal. Not having a correct seal installer I used washers and metal tube to fit over the shafts to drive the seals in. I used Loctite aeronautical sealer on circumference of the seal. Repainted boxes and refilled them with factory recommended amount of a 140 weight gear oil and each box remained leak-free.

[Al Zim]

The ZF steering box became available with the 1958 T-2 body style. As late as 7 June when my car arrived at Porsche for the running gear the cover plate over the steering box was welded in place. It was not till late in 1957 production that this vertical cover received the four screws to hold it in place at the 356 received two adjustable tie rods.
Now that the newest 356 is nearly 50 years old some leakage will occur on the seals. In the far distant past we purchased all the steering boxes we could to use in rebuilding the ZF boxes. Unfortunately we have run out of parts. The worm gear is the critical part if it is pitted or has a bump on the spiral gear you have a situation that is difficult to over come. We are trying to have the worm gear duplicated but there is not an easy way to do that. When rebuilding the steering box we try to smooth the spots to there are no glitches when turning. There are other places that the gearbox can leak and these should be addressed as you replace the seals.
Over the years we have redone hundreds of gearboxes and filled them with oil. Usually we let them sit in front of the heater or in the sun for a few days to check for leaks.
If you want to fill your gearbox with grease I would suggest synthetic grease it will not harden. al zim

Copyrighted 2014 all rights reserved.

[Al Zim]

Something new learned every day. I have just finished a one page article in an English car magazine about steering boxes on English cars and trucks. Some of the cars used the same steering gearbox as the trucks! I think David Cornwallis quote is appropriate. "They can also make the mistake of filling them with grease. As soon as you turn from lock to lock you wipe the lubricant off the bearing surfaces and they start to wear."
This would be true of the bearings in the top of the gearbox that would never get lubricated because the grease would not flow upward. al zim

[Jim Clement]

well.. I followed along with the instructions in the previous post..
after taking it out of the car.. disassembled the steering box, bead blasted the body parts all clean, used black high temp ceramic paint, gave it a new coat of paint, put new seals in it, re assembled it.. looks good enough to put back in the car now !!
I have included a before and after picture.

[Brad Ripley]

Just for the record, Jim's photo above is of the earlier VW steering box.

[Jim Clement]

yes.. most correct.. It is from a early 57 coupe.
Brad.. do you know of any source for the plastic gasket that is between the cast body and the light coloured lid ?

[Ralph White]

I've read the two pages of posts re: this subject. I'm experiencing a consistent leak in my 61 box. All seals have been replaced and the internal components are not pitted or corroded. It appears to be leaking at the top cover (which we lapped) or from around the adjustment screw in that cover. The repair shop uses 80/90 wt gear oil. I'm thinking of moving up to 140 wt gear oil or synthetic light weight grease. Additionally, am thinking of cutting a thin gasket to go between the top cover and box (shop says a gasket isn't intended there). Wonder if a thin gasket will upset spacing specs? Is there a production gasket now available for between the top cover and box? Will use a thin sealant around the adjustment screw. Since the previous posts are years old I'd appreciate any latest revelations, thoughts and advice.

[Vic Skirmants]

No gasket; use your favorite sealant.

[Ralph White]

Michael Bowen - What did you finally do and was it successful?

[Stephen Masefield]

Having driven Landrovers (old 88's and 109's) for quite a few years the saying was .."if it ain't leaking its empty"; this is sadly true of many other British cars too (and let's not get into Lucas).

Anyway, to the point. The front swivel ball/joints on Landrovers are notorious for loosing their 90 weight oil, and many folks now use a grease called PLX039 - Nicrotec, it comes in 375cc tubes. Made in the UK but readily available here in US from Rovers North and others.

My 356b box has been leaking and I have steadily topped up with this (sloppy) grease till leak stops, ie: I have substituted oil for grease. Land-rovers take a harder pounding than Porsches - if driven correctly - so should be just fine. And unlike 'grease' the mixture is "sloppy" so no grease cavitation around the peg.

[Peter McCurdy]

Michael,
Please contact me.
Regards,
Peter