1957 Steering wheel play

[DynoDan55]

Much like the later/aftermarket wheel bearing castle nut, the steering box tang should likely have more slots. Too tight, and the wheel doesn’t return (and the gears also wear faster), one tang looser, and steering gets sloppy (car wanders).
BTW: Most boxes that haven’t been rebuilt will leak 80-90 wt., and heavier chassis lube will ‘channel’. STP won’t leak, but the jury is still out on it’s qualification as a stand alone lubricant.

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[RogerV]

Adjusting the steering box can be dangerous. Front wheels/gear box must be absolutely straight ahead so your adjusting is on the gear's highpoint. That's the tightest point so the car doesn't wander in the normal most often driving position. When you turn either direction the gear is looser to aid turning. If you tighten the adjusting screw off center, you may cause a bind turning across center, for instance right to left or vs versus and not be able too complete the turn. Pretty much what Doug is alluding to.

 

[RogerV]

STP won’t leak, but the jury is still out on it’s qualification as a stand alone lubricant.

STP recommends no more than 10% so it's not a lubricant but a thickener.

 

[DynoDan55]

STP recommends no more than 10% so it's not a lubricant but a thickener.

Likely 10% max when added to engine oil. A completely different application. Testing for steering box use would probably be such a novel issue, no one would bother. Animal fat (bear grease?) wasn’t technically a lubricant, but it kept wagon wheels from squeaking 😁.
When STP was originally released, a common marketing gag was dipping a screwdriver, and daring someone to hold the end with two fingers. You couldn’t convince them after that, it wasn’t a ‘lubricant’.

 

[dadspony]

My 57 Teebird has about an inch or inch and a half play in the steering wheel would just be the steering gear needs to be adjusted or replaced ?

So do most Tbirds this old. Yes there is a screw on top of steering box that you can tighten which will give some relief...unless it's already down to the end. I drained the box of existing oil, flushed it out and then carefully pumped grease in it. It did help some it still turns hard when moving very slowly. Only real solution is to replace gears in box. Hope this helps.

 

[RogerV]

Supposedly you don't want grease vs. oil as it slides off of gear teeth. Having this issue with Model A Fords, Ford early on used a pipe plug so oil would be used. It was today's equivalent to 250. Since there were no modern seals, many would replace the plug with a grease zerk which helped against leaking but not wear. Many Model A owners opt for Penrite which is thick but supposed to cling. This might be an option for a leaky T-Bird steering box.

 

[Tom Alpers]

Things people have suggested/used include the below. I have not tried any of them as my box does not seem to be leaking and has the 90 gear oil in it.

Redhead Steering Gears 00 grease

NGLI 00 grease

PennRite semi-fluid & steering box grease which is NGLI 00.
cotton picker spindle grease. It is about1/3 the cost.

John Deere corn head grease. It acts like catsup, it is like a solid until it is moved and then it flows like a thick liquid.

 

[DynoDan55]

$6.19 a qt. at Tractor Supply. Looks like the way to go. Now, if I could only figure how to remove the STP. Likely the bulb on my turkey baster isn’t powerful enough (?).

 

[DynoDan55]

‘Mix-Master’ syringe (commonly available/for 2-stroke mixing) did the the job nicely. The 00 lube looks to be the same viscosity.