Oiling squeaky door hinge

Use a hammer and a nail set or equivalent punch-like tool. A 16 penny nail with the point ground off works ok, or you can use the pin from another hinge also. But you can probably get WD-40 to work its way in without removing the pin--just squirt a bit on the pin area.

Thanks Donald.

To clarify Donald's suggestion, if you need to get the hinge pin out, you tap a nail or other object into the bottom of the hinge. This is much more effective than trying to wedge a screw driver under the head of the hinge pin.

Anyhow, I have never removed a hinge pin to stop a squeak. I just squirt a little wd 40 on the hinge, wipe up any overspray or drips, and the squeak stops like magic!

Thanks Skippy for your suggestion.

Eric

Personally I am not a fan of WD40 unless the joint in question has dried grease. WD40 is more of a solvent than lubricant, use oil (3-in-1) or white grease instead. I've had too many experiences where WD-40 was used and after a short time the hinge/shaft seized up.

John

I'm not a fan of 3 in 1 either... gums up everything it touches. WD-40 is mostly solvent as the above poster notes, and doesn't last long... can tend to wash out some previous lubes too.

I too like to take doors off, clean out the leaves and pins then reassemble with a light coat of white grease. Don't forget the load bearing leave edges. It can be a little more hassel, but you only have to do it maybe once every 5 - 10 years on a high traffic door.

And wow, do they work smooth once done, and stay that way...

Note, the spray white grease sold all over town is ok, provided you take the door down, and clean everything as above... it doesn't penetrate well enough to use on door hinges without disassembly... careful, it's messy when sprayed, can be difficult to clean off some surfaces.

Erik

PS, funny this subject should come up, just recently did a friend's squeaky apartment door. It had been dry for years, and had a lot of leaf/pin wear... sounded horrible, and took effort to open and close, red iron oxide came out for a long time cleaning it up.

The next day she called and said she wanted the squeak back... said she now worried someone could sneak in un announced, and had trouble sleeping. She's right. We rigged up a nice looking 'shop keepers' type bell and solver her problem. (You can hear the other units doors squeak open and closed, day in and day out too...)

What's the group opinion of graphite dust? I should think it would last longer than an oil. TB

On 30 Jun 2003 03:36:56 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net (Tom Baker) wrote (with possible editing):

...snip

FWIW, I've used it in the past, but even when I'm careful to use just a tiny bit, some of it seems to work its way out of the hinge and ends up on the carpet below, where it's close to impossible to get out. I've switched to Elmer's Slide-All.

-- Larry snipped-for-privacy@lmr.com

WD 40 was developed to remove water and moisture - not as a lubricant. (WD stands for water displacer). It will work but very temporarily. I like to use either graphite when possible (if you can removed the pins) or better yet - go to a sporting goods place and find a small aerosol can of gun lube that contains banana oil. A small shot will remain within the moving areas and takes a *very* long time to wear out. This is the same lube used in handguns (mostly police work).

Jim

Thanks Jim,

Great stuff you learn here!

Eric

After you get the pins out and clean them and the hinge holes, lubricate them with shaving cream and put it all back together.

Assuming that the squeak eventually comes back and you don't care to regularly lubricate the hinges, try using some anti-seize lubricant. The ones that contain molybdenum are the best. You'll have to remove the hinge pins and paint it on, though.

Good Luck

(Remove ng from e-mail address to e-mail directly)

It won't help the load bearing inter leave surfaces though... it'll be squeeking again once they get dry, unless you could rework the the whole assembly to accept teflon washers between the leaves. Way to much trouble... A little cleaning and white grease are cheap, simple, effective, and long lasting.

Erik

I have used shaving cream with success. Found the suggestion somewhere on the internet somewhere.