frozen locks

landpirate

landpirate

campervan untilising nomadic traveller
Got back to my van last night and all but one of the locks on my van were frozen. I managed to get in through the back but had to chuck my dog onto the bed and then clamber in. Didn't make for a quick entrance. Anyone got any tried and tested cures for frozen van locks? It wasn't even really that cold last night so I can only see this problem becoming for regular. Don't want to get stuck out in the cold :(. I've googled it and got a few ideas but thought maybe you guys might have a secret technique.
 
Wow that sucks and you don't have a freaking electric outlet for that handy dandy hair dryer. How about spraying in a silicone lubricant - found at a service store? I have to get some of that for my one lock on apartment (not because of cold - just because it's a stupid @$%$% lock) - but I think that will do good with the weather and stuff for you. http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infsil.html
 
Vodka, straw and a cup. Fill cup with liqour, use straw to blow alcohol into hole keep the spring loaded trap open with a key or whatever is handy. Celebrate success by drinking the rest of the cup.

A can of WD40 heated in some pretty warm water should do the trick though:)
 
USed to happen to my car all the time. I would get a bottle of water and hold it up to the keyhole and squeeze water in there to thaw it. It would work but only ever made it worse as time went on.
 
I often have a burning hatred of the cold also Matt... hehe... Don't know why I put up with it.
The only reason to bear with cold weather would be a beautiful landscape... Alaska comes to mind...
Anyway... I digress...
I want to add to the car door lock thing... the magnet idea in the article is good. I bet the most effective method would be to use one of those flexible refrigerator magnets... like the small advertising ones you might get from a business like a pizza joint or tax preparer... with a calander on it.
This pirate ship would be cool too hah... also you have less chance of messing up your paint job... (instead of using a large clunky metal magnet)
that is if your a big baller with a Mercedes... hustling the corner for milk money in Minot North Dakota in January.
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Thank you for all your useful tips. I've sprayed my locks with WD40 and I've got a lighter to try heating my key. Since I started this thread the weather has actually been a bit milder. So i'm yet to put this to the test. I'll let you know how I get on when the next freeze comes.
 
When. I lived in misourri we had this small can of lock de-icer that could fit in your pocket/pack all I remember is it was in a yellow can with a small blue nozzle that said "de-icer" on it.
 
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