frozen wd 40

poorboy · Feb 8, 2003

I had the lift lever working pretty stiff back in the fall so I gave it a shot of wd. Worked slick until it froze and almost broke it off. Blamed it on junk tractor most wd40. Below 20 again and froze. Must be the spray. Question, can anyone reccomend a spray to use during times like these? A friend of mine said to use Breakfree.

BTW the way wd40 did help me get an eight point this season after it froze up my dad's browning in the next gap over. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif But it seemed like his heart wasn't into the drag /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Patrick

cpicton1 · Feb 9, 2003

poorboy,

I guess I've never heard of WD-40 freezing before. I've used it to thaw out frozen locks from freezing rain and such. Maybe you have something else stiffening up in the freezing weather? The MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET for WD-40 doesn't show a freezing point for it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

edt · Feb 10, 2003

Hi poor boy i sprayed wd-40 on my water hydrant handel when it was freezing have had no problem with freeze up and is working great temp last week low's 4 deg
EDT

JohnMiller3 · Feb 10, 2003

( Worked slick until it froze and almost broke it off.)

Maybe coincidental...? How about moisture/water frozen in lift lever mechanism...? You may look closely and even find a grease zerk hidden... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Pacesetter300 · Feb 10, 2003

WD-40 will absolutely freeze up. Years ago I worked part time in the gun department of a sporting goods store. We told everybody NOT to use WD 40 in the action. Depending on the requirement, I would use PB Blaster to break down rust or Rem Oil to coat and lubricate. I'm sure there are countless others out there, those are two I am familar with.
Pacesetter

CTyler · Feb 10, 2003

I've never heard of WD-40 freezing up. I did a quick poll of a few peeps around work and they hadn't either. It's common practice to spray car locks with WD-40. I've done this for 20+ years and never had one freeze up.

Everything will freeze at some point. What is the freeze point of WD-40? I haven't found it -20 deg or colder weather. Maybe it makes a difference if you have small pool in of it settling somewhere??

The guys I work with hunt and a couple collect guns. A couple of them at least, didn't check with everyone, use WD-40. They have never had one freeze up in the cold here in Nebraska.

One of they guys just told me they use it on thier reels when ice fishing, not using a hut, and have not had any problems.

Inspector507 · Feb 10, 2003

I'll put it this way...........I used to work construction and the WD-40 slept outside in the truck all the time. I had to take inside somewhere where it was warm before you could use it.
I think it freezes, but thats just me

Jerry

CTyler · Feb 11, 2003

Well it didn't get very cold last night, only 17 deg. This is about the same temp as the freezer in the fridge. I sprayed a little WD-40 in a spray can lid and left it in the freezer for a few hours. No detectable, eyeball method, change in viscoity. So I left a can of it outside last night about 6pm. This morning it sprayed just fine.

Has anybody found the freeze point of WD-40? I looked for it last night but not real hard.

WVBill · Feb 11, 2003

( the WD-40 slept outside in the truck all the time. I had to take inside somewhere where it was warm before you could use it. I think it freezes, but thats just me. )

According to the WD-40 web site, the propellant in the can is CO2 so maybe it just had to warm up to build up the pressure enough to spray.

Their web site doesn't say anything about freezing (it doesn't say anything about much other than marketing hype, actually)

Inspector507 · Feb 11, 2003

WVBill,
You may be right about the propellent needing to warm up.
According to the MSDS sheets, it is insoluble in water. To me, that makes a lesser chance that it froze.

Jerry

PitbullMidwest · Feb 11, 2003

Has anybody found the freeze point of WD-40? 

It isn't listed on the MSDS

CTyler · Feb 11, 2003

I saw that, it lists everything else...LOL!

poorboy · Feb 11, 2003

In regards to dad's gun that is recoil operated I know for a fact that it slowed down the friction ring below 20 degrees. In regards to the tractor who knows its a junky little 2000 ford that I use to set rolls out to the cows. I have had the hydr. freeze up below 10 degrees unless I stuck the prongs into the bale halfway up and let the pressure off. But think lately has been the lever itself. Sprayed wd and could barely move it . Could be because it sets outside. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Warmed the gun up in the truck and functioned well from there on.

Patrick

bgott · Feb 12, 2003

I've always read that in really cold conditions you want to clean all of the oil out of your gun to prevent malfunctions.

wdn · Feb 12, 2003

Do they carry PB Blaster at Wal Mart??

How much does a can of it cost. I have heard a lot about it.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 12, 2003

WD-40 should freeze at the same point as K1 kerosene, since that is the major component of WD-40.
WD stands for water displacer, and the 40 is the number of the formulation when they finally got it to be what they wanted.
K1 kerosene brings under 2 bucks a gallon and works equally well in most situations.
Lubricating quality of WD-40 is close to none.
PB blaster blows the socks off WD-40 for penetration, and should NOT be used as a lubricant because it has NO lubricating propertys.

poorboy · Feb 14, 2003

Franz thanks for the heads up about pb blaster and lubrication. It is a great penetrant I noticed when a buddy did some work on my truck. Kerosene, I suspected as much in the lubrication dept.

Patrick

pruntyc · Feb 22, 2003

I have to disagree on the PB Blaster not lubricating. I have never found a "penetrating oil" that didn't leave a film of oil. So I went out into the garage, and got my can of PB Blaster, and it says on the can that it "does not evaporate, it remains on the surface as a lubricant and rust inhibitor". I do agree that kerosene does not lube at all. It will dry to a dry feel and not do anything more after it is dry. Grew up useing that stuff in the oil lamps as a child, hey when it was all you had, it was pretty good. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

pruntyc · Feb 22, 2003

Oh yes Bill, I forgot mention, yes they do sell PB Blaster at Wal-Mart. It's in the automoble section, with additives and etc.

Bird · Feb 22, 2003

( Grew up useing that stuff in the oil lamps as a child, hey when it was all you had, it was pretty good. )

I guess we were too well off; had electric lights in the house from the time I was old enough to remember, but only in the house, so those kerosene lanterns sure saw a lot of use for nighttime fishing, milking the cow, and just going to the outhouse. And while they didn't put out as much light, I believe they were more reliable and less trouble than the later "white gas" and LPG lanterns.