[DeTomaso] Steering Rack

[Asa Jay Laughton]

Here's one for the lubrication engineers...

What would happen if you mixed this zero weight grease Mike speaks of, 
with the 90 weight lube Jack speaks of?

Asa Jay

Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired

& Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA

1971 Mach I Mustang  [ASA JAY]
1973 Pantera L 5533  [ASASCAT]
    
******************************     
http://www.asajay.com
http://www.351c.info
  



MikeLDrew at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 10/15/08 7 12 32, pvperry at earthlink.net writes:
>
>
>   
>> So if one is lubricating their original steering rack can they do it with
>> grease?
>>
>>     
>>>>> Yes.
>>>>>           
>> What kind of grease would be recommended?
>>
>>     
>>>> The Ferrari 308 and 512BB uses a derivative of the same rack as ours.   
>>>>         
> Rick Moseley did a bunch of research and finally wound up talking with a tech 
> engineer at TRW.   TRW bought out Cam Gears UK, which had an Italian subsidiary 
> that built our racks.   This guy was knowledgeable about the various Ferrari 
> racks, and said that although back in the day they were lubricated with heavy 
> gear oil (same as you would put in a differential), they learned a lot since 
> then, and now they are all lubricated with 0-weight moly grease.
>
> He looked high and low for this stuff, and couldn't find any except in 
> massive quantities (55 gallon barrel!).   However, CRC engine assembly lube (comes 
> in a black tube, available at any auto parts store) is rated at 0-1/2 weight, 
> and the TRW guy said that was fine.   I used to use oil all the time, but for 
> the past few years I've been using this grease and it's been working fine.   I 
> can't say that it works better or worse because there's no way for a person at 
> our level to test it scientifically.
>   
>>
>> What is the technique for lubricating with grease while the rack is in the
>> car?
>>
>>     
>>>> Step one:   remove rack from car.
>>>>         
>
> Step two;   fully dismantle it.
>
> Leaving the rack in the car is an excellent argument for using oil instead of 
> grease.   Make sure your steering rack boots are in excellent condition, not 
> leaking, and make double-sure the clamps are tight.   Then you can jack up one 
> side of the car has high as you can get it, and dribble axle grease into the 
> rack.   Supposedly the specification was for 5 1/3 ounces.   However, I don't 
> think you would hurt anything by putting a bit more in, especially in light of 
> the fact that if your suspension is at stock height, the tie rods will droop 
> from the rack down to the spindles on each side, and as a result, most of the 
> oil will simply pool in the rubber boots.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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