Sticky door locks? (1 Viewer)

[Bill F]

So, first decent freeze of the winter and the door locks are sticky.

Think I have a combo-pack of issues, specifically:

- old lock cylinders
- mediocre cut on keys I recently had made
- ice/cold gumming things up

Research and past experience tells me to get in there with some Tri-Flow. Searching shows many are using WD-40 and PB Blaster, and I even saw that the Fluid Film people are saying you can shoot it into door locks. Anyone have success with any of these products and care to share?

TIA,

~ Bill

 

[CJF]

Lol.

We're currently talking about this in another thread.

WD-40 is my go to.

 

[Bill F]

Lol.

We're currently talking about this in another thread.

WD-40 is my go to.

Yeah - just saw that! Thanks for the WD40 feedback!

 

[CJF]

Please report back. We've got too many folks on the "Oh noes wd-40 is the debbil!!1!" bus.

 

[Bill F]

Please report back. We've got too many folks on the "Oh noes wd-40 is the debbil!!1!" bus.

I will report back to the team ASAP!

 

[Bill F]

Well, since in my wisdom I waited until dark to do this little project, everything was froze up and sticky - and the stupid little red tube that goes on the WD40 can wouldn't fit in the nozzle. (My suffering knows no end). So I just soaked down the key until dripping, jammed (figuratively) in the lock and worked it around back and forth. Seems to be effective so far, so the anti-WD40 jihadists among you can take that as a data point. Perhaps my head gasket will blow as a result.

 

[bajaphile]

I always used graphite because "it was the best hands down"... then I ran out of it and tried WD40 and it blew my mind! WD40 is real good for locks in my experience.

 

[ERG80]

Pretty good walk through.

 

[gummycarbs]

WD-40 is a mediocre lubricant, a decent solvent, a great water repellent, and a pretty bad dust magnet.

But you know what's in the lock cylinders from the factory? Some kind of heavy multipurpose grease. Mine was pretty hard and waxy feeling, and had clearly mostly been washed out of where it was needed anyway. Here's what a brand new lock cylinder looks like (from the complete cylinder and key set p/n 69005-60330):

I bought the entire lock set because my driver's door cylinder's dust/water shield was broken, and the ignition switch felt sloppy and would stick, even after multiple attempts at lubricating it. Once I priced a lock cylinder, an ignition cylinder, and re-keying, it quickly approached to price of the entire new set!

In the past, I've mostly used graphite lock lubricant. Seems to work well.

 

[LINUS]

I'm kinda used to all the flavor pressure can lubes & I even went WD40 in the other thread, mainly because it gets things freed up & 'vanishes' compared to Tri-Flow, PB Blaster, etc. Even Kroil is too heavy.

You're trying to just get the key working the tumbler, not give it a sticky, tacky lube for life. WD40 has a lot of solvent, so it gets a introductory lube where the others take heat/time etc.

Fluid Film is a foreign substance to me, but if it's a tacky oil or ATF content, that rules it out too.

Graphite powder is great for residential locks that hardly see a blast like a high pressure wand or some similar as a car gets. Working in the sulfuric acid plant we piped H2S gas in & made acid but also had a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) that made molten sulfur that was trucked over to a sulfur priller (goes in fertilizer) - the whole area is very rich in H2S gasses & is corrosive AF to metals like brass (turns blue/corrodes/pits very quick).

We had a ton of locking doors in that SRU, and it seems all that crap made in the late 60's is brass internals - sucks when you need enter a switchgear / I&E room.

We slather those locks now in WD on a checklist item, just to coat the locks - such a nasty environment the steel doors seep out WD wash from the bottom sill, iron doors regularly painted just eaten from the inside out.

But the locks work.

 

[Bill F]

WD40 for the win. Or at least for the now. Went out for a drive and tried 'em out, and it is like buttah. If buttah smelled like WD40, that is. Thanks for all of the help.

 

[Tools R Us]

We use silicone dry slide on locks, good lube and drys so doesn't attract dirt.

 

[gsi18867]

"H2S gas in & made acid but also had a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) that made molten sulfur that was trucked over to a sulfur priller (goes in fertilizer) - the whole area is very rich in H2S gasses & is corrosive AF to metals like brass (turns blue/corrodes/pits very quick).

We had a ton of locking doors in that SRU, and it seems all that crap made in the late 60's is brass internals - sucks when you need enter a switchgear / I&E room.

We slather those locks now in WD on a checklist item, just to coat the locks - such a nasty environment the steel doors seep out WD wash from the bottom sill, iron doors regularly painted just eaten from the inside out.

But the locks work.[/QUOTE]

Sooo... Should I use straight triazine in my door locks?

 

[LINUS]

^^^^ IDK, if you see any brass or similar turn cobalt blue, then yeah. All I know is the H2S attacks the gold metals.

And if your stuff is turning ::that shade:: of blue, you prob want to park somewhere else. Just a suggestion

I honestly don't know what triazine is, I got something new to google.

 

[logicbyondreaso]

Has anyone tried the Toyota Body Grease in locks? It looks similar to what was described above in a new cylinder and old buildup.