Steering box seal

Big Bill · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:42 pm Post subject: Steering box seal

Ive beenlooking for a steering box output shaft seal for my 61 bus,but cant locate one. Anybody know if they are still made? I talked to one guy that said I could drain the oil out, pull off the side plate and pack the box with grease. Has anyone done this, or do you think it might work? Thanx Bill.

Stocknazi · Samba Member Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150

according to bently this can be done, but i have never attempted it myself. i know the early bay boxes are not supposed to have grease put in them, this makes me question why bently would say what it does. i would try to locate a seal (dealer possibly) and replace it .
goodluck

dstefun · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:13 pm Post subject:

OACDP 58-67 parts book says the shaft seal is # N14907.1, size is 25x36x7. Any bearing/seal shop should be able to get it based on size, I got one from Bus-boys.com last year and it was under $5. I should still have the new seal somewhere because I didn't fix that steering gear after all.

Regular grease won't work as it just moves away from the gears and stays there. I have read other posts saying CV-joint grease can be used as it stays liquid but is thicker than gear oil so it leaks less but I have not tried that. Others say 50/50 grease and gear oil works.

EverettB · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:14 pm Post subject:

Your local bearing house should have it in stock

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Installing it with something I had on hand:

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Campy · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject:

My 1957 bus, which I bought 28 years, ago, had a steering box that had a grease zert on its side; it used grease and not oil.
Years ago, the steering box was wearing out and I drove the bus to Bus Boys in Redding, CA, where I bought a rebuilt steering unit and installed it right there (they loaned me a steering wheel puller). What I got with it was their homemade lubricant. It was thicker than oil; they sell it at Bus Boys but it is rather expensive.
A few years ago, I was at Wolfgang Int'l. and I told Steve (former part owner of Bus Boys) about it and he gave me the formula for making it: part STP and part graphite grease. I have forgotten the ratio he gave me, but I'm sure if you telephoned, he would give it to you. I got the feeling that he didn't want people to get ripped off at Bus Boys by buying their high priced steering box lubricant.

Big Bill · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the part numbers and tips I would rather use oil in there over grease. Ill check the local parts house with the CR number. Thanx Bill

hazetguy · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject:

if you search "Bus Steering Box Seal Replacement" in the gallery under "hazetguy" (me), you will find a 10 picture walk-through of the procedure:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_keywords=Bus+Steering+Box+Seal+Replacement

use gear oil. that's gear oil, same as the tranny.. not grease.
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EverettB · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:03 pm Post subject:

Campy · Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:43 pm Post subject:

That is interesting. I think the zert was on the left side of the steering box. I never found a threaded plug at the top where I could put oil into the steering box.

EverettB · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:17 am Post subject:

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Big Bill · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:28 am Post subject:

hazetguy I looked at all your gallery photos, great info on many different repairs. Id like to get a good tierod / draglink removal tool, are Hazet tools sold in the states? Iam going start replacing worn frontend components before too long so your gallery photos will be getting a real work out from me.

EverettB · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:32 am Post subject:

Here is some tool info:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=123103
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berniedd1 · Samba Member Joined: October 20, 2003 Posts: 155

On my bug, steering box seal gave out and lost oil. Too lazy to change it, I put in some grease into a big hypodermic syringe I had, and injected as much of it into the filler hole as would go in. I then topped it off with SAE 140 gear oil. That was 7 years ago and it still doesn't leak.

sventinker · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:19 pm Post subject:

Well this is the thread to post this question even if its from 2005! This picture is from Hazetguy's tutorial on steering shaft seal replacement. My question is I have this same tool and my box is out how do get the tool in the seal to get it out? my seal is bone dry and old and hard. I located a box that is real "tight" and turns freely and smoothly considering its out of oil. No slop at all! I want to reseal it and not dissect it to accomplish this. Anyone have any tips for getting this seal out? Jon?

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RPGreg2600 · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject:

Try tapping the seal remover in with a hammer if you can't push it in by hand.

D!esel · Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 9:53 am Post subject:

Get a screw or two into that seal and pull at those to get it out.. this helped me a few times..

hazetguy · Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 10:04 am Post subject:

sventinker · Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 11:00 pm Post subject:

bustedtype2 · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:41 pm Post subject:

Does the steering box have a drain plug. 64 bus?
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Eric&Barb · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:33 pm Post subject:

No, but you can loosen up the four bolts on the bottom of the steering box and pop down the plate there. When done draining clean off the plate edge and rebolt back on.
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