Lots happened and I didn’t winter bike for a season and a half – left my winter bike outside for over a year. I was good at taking care of the lock prior only using de-icer, graphite lubricant and heating my key up in boiling water. Needed to get my bike off quick on Tuesday and used hot water and locked it up again a couple hours later (awful
I know). I know I’ll probably need to do the same to get it unlocked.
AFTER THAT – I’ll let it dry inside. Assuming
there’s no visible rust should I just use a lot of graphite lube inside it?
by spa1unk
22 Comments
Id use a penetrant like pb blaster or something to get it unstuck. Then use Isopropyl alcohol to wash out any residual penetrant. Then lubrication.
Water Displacer 40
There are lock de-icers you may want to look into. What you’ll need to do is bring it inside and dry it out. After that you’ll want to lube the lock with light oil, like Tri-Flow or a wet chain lube, or something heavier like motorcycle chain lube.
Hopefully your lock isn’t damaged from these freezing cycles with water in the core.
It’s probably just frozen so thaw it and bring it in to dry. I’d recommend a real oil lube though, it’s probably rusty inside and graphite won’t help protect the metal.
I’m not sure dry lube is the best idea if it is exposed to water and weather. I think I’d drip synthetic oil in to the lock a few times a year.
gotta let it dry out which won’t happen when it’s frozen…
Blast brake cleaner all through It, let it dry then any kind of oil really. Of your always in harsh minus temps a graphite lube is best.
Get it open, then clean it thoroughly with an aerosol degreaser, such as brake cleaner. Them use aerosol graphite to lube it and work the key many times. It will make a mess and that shit stains everything.
Hit it with the hot water then clear the water out with water displacement 40…aka WD40
Wd-40, isopropyl, compressed air, let dry, ws2 / powdered graphite- in that order
Take it inside, melt it, put gun oil in it, dont use wd40 it will attract dirt.
Just thaw it out and dose the internals with WD40, then work the lock mechanism a bunch. Should be fine. But when I say dose, I mean spray a shit-ton in there. Like, until it’s leaking out. Then work it, drain the excess, carry on.
Take a small torch lighter and heat cilinder, or you could insert a key, and heat a key. This will unfrease cilinder, so you can turn the key, but while it hot use pliers.
Just in case brake cleaner or WD-40 something won’t work.
Unfreeze the lock to liquify any water. I he us corrosion X. It is like WD 40 it it also neutralises rust
Once you get it open you need to get the water out of it.
Warm it up and flush it out with a light solvent. WD-40 (water displacement formula number 40) will do. Heat the thing up with a blow dryer to help dry out the inside.
Methalhydrate
I use 3-in-1 multipurpose oil for mine when the elements get to it.
Spray WD-40 into it
In a pinch Pam cooking spray works.
Use a de-icer for locks, then a lock lubricant.
Most autopart stores should have them.
Lockdeicer instead of hot water
Are you wearing socks in the snow?