I've come to realize that the biggest thing i hate about driving the MX6 in the winter is that the driver's lock is sticky, and the door latches don't work well when cold. (Slam door over and over and over again, no latch.)
Bearing in mind that i'm a dummy and have never really had a car do this to me before... what's the easy way to fix these things? Spray a bunch of WD40 in the lock, take the panel off and spray silicone all over everything?
Don't put WD40 into the lock, that's either not going to do anything, or not going to do anything positive. There are special spray for locks that are designed for this application.
As to what sort of grease you'll need to use for the rest of the mechanism, I guess that depends on the type of joints/connectors. I'd use something like lithium grease for the metal-to-metal contact areas and if there is plastic or rubber involved, some silicone grease on those areas.
Locksmith buddy of mine told me to use Super123 lube from Lowe's. This was several years ago, so i don't know if they carry it anymore. You want a graphite lube for locks.
make sure what you spray in there does not have salt. That'll rust everything 'cept the plastic. I've taken the latch out, cleaned it really well, then used graphite lube. Way more labor intensive though.
I use Dupont Easy Entry lock lubricant with Teflon for lock cylinders nas Dupont Teflon Multi-Use dry wax lubricant for everything else in the car and the house.
I got them both at Lowes. The lock lubricant comes in a little plastic squeeze bottle and the multi-use in an aeresol can.
Been using both for a number of years now and have had no problems. Plus the Multi-Use is the only thing I have found that works on the mechanisims of our crank-out Andersen windows without gumming up the works.
Ranger50 wrote: Locksmith buddy of mine told me to use Super123 lube from Lowe's. This was several years ago, so i don't know if they carry it anymore. You want a graphite lube for locks.
Well - I always used graphite in locks. I had a key break in the ignition cylinder once and AAA sent a crusty old grump out to make me a new key. He was able to do it off my VIN code. Darn thing worked better than it ever had. This guy was one of those dudes who had an opinion about everything and was kinda funny to be around for a bit, though I'd guess it would get old after a while.
He told me that graphite lock lube was the best thing that ever happened to his business. He said once any moisture hits it it turns to goo and gums everything up. His suggestion for a sticky lock was to take it apart, clean everything well with solvent and hose it all down with spray silicone. That's what I've always done since and I've never had another problem. I did it on my front door lock too and there sure was a lot of black gunk that came out of it. Do I know for sure it was graphite? Nope, but it sure was consistent with what the old codger told me and has worked awesome ever since.
Huh. Found this.
http://www.captainlocksmith.com/faq.html
"Q: WD-40 or Graphite – Which one of these should I use for the lock of my vehicle? A: Both should not be used in the locks of any vehicle. WD-40 is like petroleum-based lubricants which turn dry over a span of time and turns into a sticky film. This will in turn trap dirt and road grime and destroy the lock from inside. On the other hand, graphite is a good choice for security locks in houses, offices, and hotels. But it is not a good choice for vehicles. Most vehicle locks are pre-greased in the factory and putting a lubricant like graphite can only make the inside of the lock sticky and gluey. For longevity, vehicle locks function best with Teflon or silicon-based lubricant which are found in most hardware and home improvement stores. We use Tri-Flow for ours services, but remember there are other brands in the market that work well with any vehicle type."
I use dielectric grease.....probably the wrong choice, but I've never had a stuck door handle or problems with the door latching.
In reply to fast_eddie_72:
Super Lube is PTFE based. I misspoke about the graphite.
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