Please don't laugh at my plea for advice on how to stop locks (especially on land rovers) from freezing in wet and high wind chill conditions? Is there something I can spray into the locks that will stop this for a longtime?

When they are really frozen I have had to revert to peeing on the lock to gain access! Of course this is only is a temporary cure, long time it just makes matters worse!!!

(thought I would ask in the Alaska forum as you must incounter this problem regularly)

Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Please don't laugh at my plea for advice on how to stop locks (especially on land rovers) from freezing in wet and high wind chill conditions? Is there something I can spray into the locks that will stop this for a longtime?

When they are really frozen I have had to revert to peeing on the lock to gain access! Of course this is only is a temporary cure, long time it just makes matters worse!!!

(thought I would ask in the Alaska forum as you must incounter this problem regularly)

Cheers!

Any thing you would put on a gun to repell moisture. Wen you get -10 to -50+ you need a graphite based product (dry) Good luck

Simplest way is to heat the key with a cigarette lighter.

If a certain lock is a chronic offender, it may be best to remove the lock and throroughly flush it out with carburetor cleaner, then use a very light oil on a key several times to lubricate it.

The official protocol is to "never" use oil but powdered graphite. I have never found this to be satisfactory so I don't do it.

If your locks get frozen over, instead of sticky, due to an ice storm or freezing fog then I think the best thing to do is use those business card sized refrigerator magnets that companies hand out as promo items and cover the lock with those when you park the car.

Now, to hijack it back to guns I don't have a whole lot of experience with guns in super cold conditions, but for January hunts around here if it gets cold I'd just clean everything and use a dry silicon lube and never had any problems.

Dear Nightwalker:

Get a can of WD-40 and insert the tube extending from the nozzle into the key slot and spray it up. It will loosen a lock up pretty quickly.

I have done this in the wet winters of Pennsylvania and in sub-zero winters in Colorado. Miraculously, after a couple of applications of WD-40, your locks will not freeze up anymore, since the dirt and more importantly the water is gone.

I'd be tempted to try G-96 gun treatment, which I use on my firearms. Supposidely it will not congeal even in sub-zero temperatures, but I cannot confirm this independently.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

I just used some WD40 a couple days ago to unstick a frozen lock.

Cheers fellas,

This morning after apllying Napier gun cleaner aerosal spray into the locks, they all worked OK, had about a half inch of freezing fog everywere, no peeing this morning!!

Cheers

we just drip a few drops of antifreeze on them - works to -30 or so

Another vote for powdered graphite.

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Cheers fellas,

This morning after apllying Napier gun cleaner aerosal spray into the locks, they all worked OK, had about a half inch of freezing fog everywere, no peeing this morning!!

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Please don't laugh at my plea for advice on how to stop locks (especially on land rovers) from freezing in wet and high wind chill conditions? Is there something I can spray into the locks that will stop this for a longtime?

When they are really frozen I have had to revert to peeing on the lock to gain access! Of course this is only is a temporary cure, long time it just makes matters worse!!!

(thought I would ask in the Alaska forum as you must incounter this problem regularly)

Cheers!

I spray in Break Free it stops locks from freezing

quote:

Originally posted by nightwalker uk:
Please don't laugh at my plea for advice on how to stop locks (especially on land rovers) from freezing in wet and high wind chill conditions?
Cheers!

Nightwalker,

On a LandRover, the best idea is to divert the all the oils that leak out of the various seals so it ends up in the lock mechs...Problem solved!

Regards,

Pete

In our water utility in AK we have the same problem on our padlocks. (over 200) Graphite can work, but hand warmers work well, alcohol based deicers also work. Warming locks to fast seems to promote future icing as diff. temps draw moisture. Then you have to use heat every time. WD 40 in extreme temps will have problems
in my experience. Try unlocking padlocks in -25F all day & you will sooon find out what works & does not.

NW,

you ought to be careful peeing on the lock,

don't get too close, you imagine, something wet and fleshy touching frozen metal you could get yourself in all sorts of trouble, did you ever lick the inside of a freezer door when you were a kid?

potentially a whole world of trouble!!

you could get stuck up on the moor, hanging by your old fella stuck to the door lock.

your only saviour would be a 50 year old rambler with a map case and peter storm parka on!!

"hey mister any chance you could blow on this"

Sub zero weather in the Colorado rockies, WD40 has never let me down on my 1979 FJ40 Landcruiser. Once a year is sufficient.

There is a lubricant specifically made for locks...
Called (strangely enough) Lock-E-Z.

It's graphite in a light oil carrier dilued with an evaporating
solvent.

Most gas station convenience stores carry little
aerosol cans (scarcely bigger than a butane lighter)
of lock de-icer, (essentially aerosol isopropyl alcohol)
the poblem is that when you need them they are usually locked INSIDE the car with the frozen lock

My tailgate lock (only the right side one) on my pickup truck topper kept freezing when I was in wyoming I de-iced it by heating it with a miniature butane torch then pumped it full
of aerolube (a thin lithium grease)

AD

quote:

Originally posted by Alex.Y:
NW,

you ought to be careful peeing on the lock,

don't get too close, you imagine, something wet and fleshy touching frozen metal you could get yourself in all sorts of trouble, did you ever lick the inside of a freezer door when you were a kid?

potentially a whole world of trouble!!

you could get stuck up on the moor, hanging by your old fella stuck to the door lock.

your only saviour would be a 50 year old rambler with a map case and peter storm parka on!!

"hey mister any chance you could blow on this"

Ether will dispell moisture and unfreeze car door locks. It's sold in small spray cans for that purpose.

Don