How to oil these door hinges? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Full photos for reference: https://imgur.com/a/sEEZez7 (the post photo is here because Wefwef said I need to attach a photo)

Previously I've lubricated plenty of door hinges by popping out the pin, putting a bit of petroleum jelly, and hammering out back in. This door goes to our garage, tho, and it seems to have different looking hinges.

I'm curious what's the best course of action. Is there a pin that can be easily removed like most interior doors, or do I need to do something different?

Thanks in advance to this new community!

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[-] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

That's a spring hinge - I would not attempt to disassemble it. For this one, I'd use a light oil, like 3 in one oil or sewing machine oil and just do my best to get it into the hinge, either through the upper hole with the bar coming out of it, or allowing it to penetrate down the seam in the center of the top. You'll probably need to work the door back and forth a bunch to get the oil where it needs to go.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I'll second this.

Machine Oil is amazing.

It keeps my girlfriend's sewing machine, my 3D printer, and every fan in the house running smooth for years.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Squirt/apply lubircant, open and close the hinge to work the lube in.

WD40 works as a lazyman's option, for a short time. However really WD40 is more of a solvent and not a lubricant - it will dissolve out any real lubricant, then dry out much more quickly than a proper grease and also possibly attract more dirt.

You can get plenty of other lubricant sprays. A quick search suggests things with PTFE (teflon) in them can be good. WD40 do a teflon spray can, that was the recommended lube for my crosstrainer.

Other, possibly better lubricants are silicone or lithium based.

Petroleum jelly can work also. Any lube is better than none, but this website suggests petroleum jelly < PTFE < silicone or lithium. However I'd defer to some proper science to decide which is really best.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Thanks! I found some old "Liquid Wrench Powerful Penetrating Oil" in the toolbox. Looks like it has a spray nozzle. Do you think that would be good? I don't mind buying a new oil, or even using something from the kitchen (coconut?) as long as it's a good solution.

Thanks again!

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

“Penetrating oil” sounds like a WD 40 competitor, meaning a solvent rather than a lubricant. A lithium grease is what I use for that sort of thing, which I happen to use the WD40 version of (it’s a yellow and gray there, rather than red and blue).

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

As jrbaconcheese said, penetrating oil is likely a solvent, designed to clean stuck joints rather than add lubricant. The greases are pretty good, however it may be difficult to work it into the hinge without disassembling it. PTFE sprays come with the nozzle though and are very thin liquids, so you might have better luck getting them in just by aiming in the gaps and working the hinge.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Like others have said. Silicone spray is magic. Put a paper towel on the ground underneath it, spray the gaps a little, nove the door back and forth. Repeat a few times. Clean the outside afterward by wiping the excess.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I would use a spray lubricant with silicone in it. A Teflon one will work too but Teflon is horrible for the environment so I avoid them. Something like this

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Blaster-11-oz-Industrial-Strength-Silicone-Lubricant-Spray-16-SL/202529794

Or you could use a gun oil and squirter a couple drops on it.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

3-in-1 in the gaps might help. That hole on the top might do it?

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I use white lithium grease (spray bottle with thin straw) in the hinges. Maybe you can find a way into the inside with the straw. WD-40 and similar oils are too thin for a hinge long-term.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Ah man I love your profile pic.

RIP 🪦

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That's a weird one! Can you press that little pin in and push from the bottom?

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Nope, I started to look as disassembling, but as another commented said, these are pretty different. That pin it turns out goes all the way through, and the holes on the bottom let me poke all the way through. That means the inside is hollow! Looks like I'll avoid disassembling

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Dude I think I found it. Look up spring hinge or Bommer spring hinge. Lots of videos for it.

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this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2023

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