Freezing Thule Cargo Locks - What works?

[wooley12]

Living where it rains all the time and I'll be skiing 3ish times a week 20 min and 3500' up the road where it snows all the time. The lock and everything is well lubed with WD-40. Tossed the skis in the car (not in box) and drove up. Went to put the skis in the box for the trip home and the key wouldn't turn.

Anyone with the cure?

[mrburns]

Try heating up the key with a lighter, then sticking it in the lock. Never had to do it myself, but it is supposed to work on frozen locks.

[L7]

Jism directly into the key insert....just sayin,....not implying your johnson would actually fit there.

[wooley12]

Maybe give the box a BJ?

[iscariot]

Um...

How about trying lock de-icer...

[wooley12]

Never used it. So it works? Whooda thunk. I'll report back.

[bigdude2468]

After you get it open spray / lube it with WD40 (weasel piss). WD stands for water displacement so once you have it open this should prevent it in the future. At the end of the season I always give the locks a big dose to prevent corrosion.

[XXX-er]

WD stands for Water Displacing and 40 is the 40th concoction the engineer tried but it does not lub so I use WD 40 to displace the water then I lube

but 1st use lock de-icer to get the lock open

[hutash]

Don't know about prevention, but the above sounds about right, but the key and lighter trick works when they are frozen.

As for lubes, I use Triflow from the bike shop on a lot of things.

[wooley12]

A prevention solution is what I am looking for as I'm at the start of a 6 month ski vacation and the condition will repeat a few times a week. Compounding my concern is that I've broken the key off twice and am not a klutz. The particular cut of the key leaves it a really thin spot on the blade. The new OEM keys I just got hopefully are stronger than the Volkswagon blanks I was using.

[nobueno]

Wd 40 can freeze up. Zep penetrating grease or graphite lubes work better.

[Jim S]

Wd 40 can freeze up.

at approximately -50 degrees F

[Kevo]

What about liquid silicone spray?

[nobueno]

at approximately -50 degrees F

I've had it cause/not solve enough problems that I don't use it anymore.

[flipsRscary]

Just filling the lock cores with grease is the only thing that's really worked for me. I get 2-3 months out of an application.

[SB]

I say you should stand on the roof of your vehicle and urinate on them then stick the key in real fast.

[jfost]

I say you should stand on the roof of your vehicle and urinate on them then stick the key in real fast.

backup plan for when you run out of jizz?

[SB]

backup plan for when you run out of jizz?

Jizz is for da money shot, piss on it I say.

And we better not catch you pouring beer on it, dats alkeyhol abuse.

[frorider]

WD 40 is not a lubricant. it's a water-displacer and can be useful for cleaning things but then you should lube what you just cleaned.

For locks that get wet and then exposed to cold temps, I've had good luck w/ PB Blaster as a lubricant.

[Jim S]

WD 40 is not a lubricant. it's a water-displacer and can be useful for cleaning things but then you should lube what you just cleaned.

For locks that get wet and then exposed to cold temps, I've had good luck w/ PB Blaster as a lubricant.

Does that imply that it will hinder water liquid or solid from sticking to the lock jamming it? Rhetorical nerdy question as I'll find out this week. Have to wonder why Thule doesn't make more locks optimized for winter conditions for ski boxes in the first place.

[XXX-er]

if you get water in any lock its gona freeze/jam ... its a maintenance thing

I have unfroze a lock enough to get thing moving by cupping my hands around the lock and blowing on it

useless trivia, when I had a key made 10-15yrs ago I was told Thule uses the same key blank as Fiat

[Jim S]

cupping my hands around the lock and blowing on it

[Teh Poacher]

A liberal application of Vaseline over the key-slot will keep water from entering the lock mechanism. Reapply each time you use the lock, or before a trip uphill. This only works if the lock is free of water to begin with, however.

[jamal]

I'll occasionally take the locks out and clean them and the cylinders they slide into. You want to grease the outside where the pins stick out and the cylinder too so everything can turn easily. Packing the inside with grease is just going to get it on the key and your hand and pockets and such. Have had my rack for like 15 years now and it all still works perfectly.

[Hugh Conway]

Order replacement lock cores from Thule.