Steering Knuckle Juice

For Dana 27 front axle my Chilton manual says SAE140,GL3 knuckle lube.
I can't find a straight 140 lube but I have some 85W140. Are they both the same? What is the difference between the 85W140 and the straight 140? What is the GL3? My 85W140 says its good for GL4 and GL5 requirements. What lubes will work?

 

85w140 is a mix of 85wt and 140wt. obviously not the same, but you can mix some grease in with it to make the "pudding".

go to a farm and ranch supply to find the straight 140wt oil. (much easier to pour but might leak a little).

chris

 

not again!

 

Dump in a mess of gear lube, then grab a grease gun and stick about 30 pumps in there! makes the pudding in the knuckle. Straight gear lube leaks out too quick, straight grease doesn't circulate very well.
-Hill

 

Guys while trying to clean up a manual Saginaw steering box this week, I looked at what you're suppose to put in it from GM and guess what, it is is listed as manual steering lube but gives a description as stated (half way betweeen grease and 140wt gear oil), says not to put oil in it that it will leak past the seals but that grease is to thick and won't lube the recirculating balls right. If you don't want to make it look into getting some of this from a GM dealer and squirting it in there straight from the tube.

 

Here's a link to the Novak site that explains Lubrication and rebuilding the knuckles quite well. Hope it helps!

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/steering_knuckle_repair.htm

Lubrication
Use of the proper lubricant for the steering knuckle bearings is very important. The lubrication section of the Jeep Service Manual specifies Universal Joint Lubricant #0 for winter and #1 for summer. This material is a semi-liquid grease. Unfortunately, this semi-liquid grease has not been available for some time. An acceptable substitute can be made by mixing chassis lube grease with SAE 140 gear lube until you have the consistency of cold molasses. A half pint of this should be pumped into each knuckle housing with a grease gun. A putty knife can be used to load it into the grease gun. Any lubricant thinner than that described above will leak from the knuckle seal. It will also work its way out into the hub area and contaminate the brake shoes. DO NOT use SAE 90 or 140 gear lube by itself as it is not the proper lubricant.

 

Don, interesting find on the Novak site. I'm actually going to use that site for knuckle help.
The service manual for our Universal CJ-5s simply say to use SAE 140 wt. lube, and that "should" be available at NAPA (via order, at worst). For some reason it's not available in NAPAs in Arizona. (right James P.? )

 

Install a narrow trac D30 like I did.

 

Knuckle pudding sounds like the consistency of STP in the blue bottle. Is there any lubricative properties in STP, or is it strictly an additive package?

 

Hippo: It's available in CASE LOTS at Napa.

 

Ah hahhh Jim, that's what it is.

(let's not let w3srl see this thread R))