OT -- car door locks need lubrication

On another list, poster writes that all three key locks on her vehicle stopped working. She had always used the key fob remote, so never noticed. This is often due to rock salt, and weather. The metal they use on car door locks tends to corrode very easily.

There are a LOT of people who never noticed the salted up car locks. Car door locks are the only place I ever use 10w30 motor oil for lubricant in locks. I have a syringe with large bore needle, and give em all half a CC in the fall when I remember. Today, I have been reminded.

Oh, in this case WD-40 serves both as lubricant and also water displacer. Much better than leaving the locks dry.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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Stormy,

I thought graphite was the lubricant for locks.

Dave M.

Reply to
David L. Martel

For cold climates, I used to use graphite based lubricant, since it doesn't turn into sludge at cold temps.

Reply to
RobertMacy

Locks is one place I "specifically" will not use WD40. I have a little zip tube of "tuff-oil" and another of Chevron iso 15 "handi-oil" as well as a bottle of "lock eaz" - which has een my favorite for locks for decades.

Reply to
clare

Lock Eaz is a colloidal graphite that works very well.

Reply to
clare

Roofing cement? That's a _terrible_ idea! Ignition lock, OK, but _not_ door locks!

If you put it in door locks, your nosy neighbors will ask what it's for and you'll have to explain. They'll want some, too, and they'll tell their friends. Invent a better way to keep rock salt out of locks and the world will beat a path to your door, all wanting a free shot.

Did you ever have to go up on your roof in a hurricane to fix a leak with Lock Ease because you squeezed the trigger on your caulk gun and no roofing cement came out? ;)

Reply to
J Burns

It is much better to use graphite to lubricate door locks.

Oil attracks dirt and can gum up a lock.

Oil works well for hinges.

Reply to
terrable

A lot is based on the location. I'm in NY State, USA where they use a LOT of road salt. Which is much different than Arizona, Pacific North Wet, etc. In NYS, if you use graphite in your door locks, they turn into a useless lump of zinc and white corrosion.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

New York State is no worse than Ontario.(as far as salt use and winter conditions)

Reply to
clare

In the 1970s I lived in the North Country of New York for 5 years and never saw any rotted door locks. Worst winters of any place I have ever lived.

They use plenty of road salt here in the Philly suburbs and I don't see any rotted door locks.

Reply to
terrable

snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote in news:5jpq5ad3qmtnekqdhrfavla558rp61o1ql@

4ax.com:

Yeah, and graphite is a terrible idea in Ontario as well.

The correct stuff is the lightest oil you can find. Rust Check (red spray can) is the best there is, although it does tend to get stiff below zero F.

Reply to
Tegger

Nice, we're no worse than anyone else.

Would have made a great political slogan "Vote for Stormin Mormon, we're no worse than anyone else."

I forecast a landslide next election.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

In the eighties, I worked in a locksmith shop. I replaced a LOT of car door locks. That's my take on the matter.

My cobbler says everyone has bad shoes, too.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

We once had a VP who proposed 'We suck less.' for the corporate motto. Ut's accurate; we've had several sites that left for a while when another vendor promised them the world but came back because we sucked less.

Reply to
rbowman

Lock ease (sorry, I spelled it wrong)is a colloidal graphite lubricant - not dry lube - suspended in a very light oil carrier specifically made as a lock lubricant. I have had good results with it for several decades. It is made by American Grease Stick.

According to the msds it is:

1 Stoddard Solvent 8052-41-3 2 Dripless Base Compound Mixture 3 Graphite

No idea what the "dripless base compound" mixture is - but it works. It was first recommended to me by a very well respected locksmith WAY back in the seventies when we had him service some locks for us.

Reply to
clare

Well, we do see some badly corroded locks occaisionally. Last year I replaced the latch assemblies on my 18 year old pickup truck cap when I could not free the locks up any more.. They face slightly up, so water and dirt can run into them.

Reply to
clare

My 1950 Oldsmobile came with rubber covers, that snapped on, that covered the button in the door handle with the key hole.

They were in perfect condition when I got the car in 1965, probably because my cousin never used them.

My fob receiver is broken. I'll try D-40.

Reply to
micky

I do use graphite when the locks stay dry, such as inside an office complex. When they get wet like car doors, I'm forced to use oil based products.

I avoid "graphited lock fluid" in the little cans, that stuff gets thick after a while.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

In my cold climate, western NY, they use a lot of rock salt on the roads. I used to work in a locksmith shop, and we replaced a LOT of car door keyhole cylinders. In NYS rock salt areas, graphite would do nothing about the corrosion.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I did lock work for a motel, couple decades ago. Their guys would squirt "Lock Easze graphited lock fluid" into the the locks (key hole cylinders) on the rooms. The fluid would get sticky, and the locks would not work right. I used a lot of carb cleaner, to remove that graphited lock fluid. Me, well, I'd never use that stuff.

Oh, SORRY Clare, I FORGOT to use your SPECIAL notation when REPLYING to your POSTS. Just HAD to be a JERK for your ENTERTAINMENT.

Some folks use ATF "automatic transmission fluid" in car door locks. That could help, I don't have a lot of experience with that.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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