Steering Gear Box Filler Plug

[Tom in Iowa City]

1941 Farmall A
I drained the steering box oil.
Two questions:
1. The filler plug has a hole in it, as if it is "vented." I took the old "packing" out to clean the plug. What is the purpose of the hole and what kind of packing do I use?
2. There is supposed to be a level plug, but the only plug in the position that the picture has is a zirc. What gives?
I plan to put back in 1 quart 80-90W.
Tom
Filler plug

 

[little john]

Someone must have pumped grease in there instead of pouring in oil. Maybe due to leaks.

 

[Slappy]

Little john is right - the PO probably filled it with grease because it started leaking oil. You"ll likely have to change the seals and perhaps even the gaskets before switching back to oil. A lot of bolts will have to come off but it"s not a hard job.

 

[TheDurk]

Or you could stick with the grease. I do. Even if you change seals/gaskets it will probably leak again in four or five years. Just remember to pull the fill cap before you start pumping into that zerk--otherwise you can pop a shaft right out of the box. Then pump away until it comes out the top. Pro's recommend cornhead grease, but I use regular chassis grease on my lightly used 140.

 

[Hugh MacKay]

Tom: Every one of these steering gear boxes leaked gear oil by the time tractor was 5 years old, POOR DESIGN. Put a grease zerk on the drain port, and pump in grease until it comes out the top. Use moly gease, it will take 3+ tubes. You must fill it, thus any new grease you add goes to gears. After the initial fill up, I grease it about 5 pumps every time I grease the front end. I've got two tractors, been on the grease 25 years, and have never been apart since. Using grease the front axle stays dry, not a mess of oil and dust 24-7.

Another interesting item, these steering boxes all had free travel after ten years from new. My steering boxes have remained tight for 25 years now. Believe me, I've had 6 of these in the past 50 years, one of them for the entire 50 years.

 

[Haas]

The hole in the fill plug is a vent.