Freezing Doors and Locks etc. (1 Viewer)

[6DollarRooster]

I know this sounds lame to most of you guys since at any given time there’s at least one thread complaining about overheating, but it’s cold in Alaska.

A couple months ago I picked up my third 80 series. Lately my lock cylinders on both the driver and passenger side are freezing up. Literally. My locks have locked up, frozen, where I can’t turn the key and unlock the door. Sometimes the key won’t go all the way in. My others never did this, even in negative temps. It’s gotten bad enough that I have cracked my rear slider winder just in case I get locked out, or even worse, that my wife gets locked out when I’m not around. In the last week, this has happened about 5 times. After about 20-40 tries, it then turns like it was never frozen. Smooth as butter.

Then today, I pulled in to give her some fuel, and the fuel door was frozen shut. I pulled on the little toggle handle and nothing happened. I tried 2 or 3 times but I didn’t want to break a 22 year old part and since I still had a quarter tank left, I figured I’d try again tomorrow.

Any experience from you other Northerners out there?

Thanks for reading. Now you can go back to your regularly scheduled arguments about red vs green coolant and customized blue fan clutches.

 

[voodu3]

I’d keep something like this on hand Liquid Wrench Lock Lubricant and De-Icer, 3 oz. Size LLD03/6 | Zoro.com

 

[BILT4ME]

Consider changing your belt moulding on your windows. You're getting too much moisture into the door and keeping water in your lock cylinders.

Also do the lubricant listed above and be liberal with it.

Some will say no because it's oil and will attract dust, but where you are, it's more important to displace water.

Use a hair dryer to warm the locks first and hopefully dry them out. Use a toothpick to hold open the little door while blowing the hair dryer on it.

 

[1911garand]

Cold Minnesota here. I assume things are "freezing" up not because of H20, but dirt, age, and temperature. (because you never mentioned ice or H20 in your post).

My 80 does the same thing, especially now that it is cold. When I purchased it in August this year, every lock cylinder, door pivot, fuel door hinge, door hinge, tail gate hinge etc...on the truck was TIGHT, slow and sticky.

I agree with cleaning and lubrication! I flushed each lock cylinder, pivot, hinge, and joint with Aerosol REM OIL (because my guns like it and I had it on hand). It is a light fluid, it cleans, totally drys up, and leaves a layer of Teflon for lubricant after it evaporates. Worked great and now my locks are working like new. Good Luck!

 

[scottryana]

Keep a lighter in your pocket, run it under your key for 15 seconds before inserting it into your lock? lol

 

[NMC_EXP]

Wipe the rubber door gaskets and contact surfaces with Armor All. Water still gets into the joint but the ice does not stick to the silicone very well.

Not sure why those particular locks freeze up. Like someone said water getting into the door past the window seals.

Could be the cabin HVAC air is stuck on recirculate and the humidity in the cabin is way up? Or maybe the heater core is leaking.

Does the interior fog up badly?

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

It's more then likely the PO used a lubricant that has now frozen the tumblers. Get into a garage and clean them up, should be okay afterwords.

 

[Cruzerman]

Don't lock the doors?

 

[Howard705]

Just some WD with the tube into the cylinders- hit the latches- stops- hinges- hood rear latch- tailgate too. if you have the energy some silicone sprayed on a rag onto the door seals and down the edges of the door windows.

 

[6DollarRooster]

All these ideas make sense. I agree that it has something to do with water inside the locks. I’ve actually been going through the touchless carwash a fair amount trying to keep her clean as some of the boroughs (counties) up here use salt on the roads. I don’t want to gum up the locks so I’ll look into what might be best for that. Good thoughts guys. Thanks.

 

[clx16]

Might consider installing keyless entry. When i see salt i also hit the carwash liberally and especially undercarriage.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I have had this happen a few times when it's really cold. I heated my key up and got the lock to open but the door itself was still frozen shut. I have only had this problem when the truck was wet before it got cold. If my rig is all dried out before I go ice fishing or into the cold weather it isn't an issue. If it gets wet and I know it is getting cold enough than I leave a door cracked so I can pry on it if I get the lock open.

 

[LINUS]

As others have mentioned, oil to displace water 1st - I hit mine with Hoppe’s & a rubber tip on my compressed air to blow it around in there.

Then, IDK where to buy it - I was given a bottle of pure silicone oil.
I pipette dropped a few drops in the Driver door, but left the PS & hatch dry - but I also have a great keyless entry / remote start unit.

If it freezes, I can remote start & usually in 10mins the body is warmed to where frost is starting to melt on glass, door seal isn’t frozen.