lock shrunk in the cold?

[wjhall]

this morning was quite cold, several degrees below (~25F in merkin) When i stuck the key in the ignition, it wouldnt then turn to take off the steering lock and onto the ignition.

My thought was the the cold ignition had shrunk a litttle and as a result the warm key wasnt quite mating properly, i.e slightly too big, for whatever pins were inside. After i let the key sit in the ignition for a few minutes to cool down, it turned the ignition, the bike started and ran fine and i was on my way to work, though with a few minutes delay.

Does my hypothesis sound reasonable? has anyone else had a similar problem?

[Matao87]

Last winter I had plenty mornings of single digits and teens (F) and still made the 2 mile ride to work without any problems with the key, starting or any other such issues.

[shisoshin]

the logic is sound,, could also be ice in there, aside from
relative key to lock size, which could prevent movement
and could melt with warm key in that few minutes..

suggest spraying wd40 in there before, stowing bike away,
[anytime] and/or vaseline on the key then into lock
a few times to get vaseline in there to help prevent
ice forming.. to help prevent moisture getting in
place any top from a medicine etc container
over the lock when stowing her away..

just for interest, next time it happens try
heating the key with a hair dryer and/or
directing hot air into the lock..

mine did that a couple of times after rain
in cold but not ice forming temp..
wd40 liberally into lock did the trick..
[ mild corrosion on spring ?]

[pooder7]

Originally Posted by shisoshin

suggest spraying wd40 in there before
.
and/or vaseline on the key then into lock

NOOOOOO!

GRAPHITE is the only thing that should go into the key slot of a lock; it's the only lube your lock will need. Your WD40 or <shudder> Vaseline will gunk up the lock, requiring a locksmith to take it apart and clean up the mess before reassembling with GRAPHITE to make it work right again.

Uhhh . . . actually there is a deicer product that combines GRAPHITE with a fluid that evaporates after deicing the lock . . . leaving GRAPHITE to lubricate your lock; look in a well-equipped hardware store or car parts store and ask for GRAPHITE-based lock deicer . . . .

[shisoshin]

its been a year now and the wd40 ive [liberally] spayed into my lock
after prolonged rain [she lives in the open] from the first time wd40
solved a locked lock, has not 'gunked up' the lock, which now
works nicely.. that was an anti water solution..
vaseline is used by car owners whose door locks
have iced up, as a preventative to ice formation..

not suggesting wd40 [or vaseline] as alternatives
to graphite or anything else, as, lubricants..

if graphite works to remove water, or prevent ice formation,
then great, theres another handy new thing ive learned today

[Aufitt]

WD40 and better still Inox on locks for 30yrs, never a problem.

[Conundrum]

Never had any issues with 'automotive' locks, but I've only used graphite lube (lock lube) on house doors which have jammed/stuck.

[feliz]

Mine always shrinks in the cold....glad it's not only me!!

[Aufitt]

Originally Posted by feliz

Mine always shrinks in the cold....glad it's not only me!!

Bit o lube always does the trick.

[thefinalgamer]

use graphite lube on my bike, had a problem with the steering lock not wanting to turn off, put a little lube in there and its good to go