What is lubricating the doors all about?
Doors allow the driver and passengers to enter and exit the vehicle. They are usually supported by their hinge at one end and a latch at the other end. Some doors operate on a track, allowing the door to slide open rather than swing. When a door is open, the full weight of the door, window, and locking mechanism is supported only by the hinge.
Keep in mind:
- Lubricating the door will allow the hinge or track to operate more smoothly, but will not repair a broken component.
- Doors that shake or sag will need more than lubrication to work properly again.
- Poorly lubricated doors may be more difficult to open and may be noisy as well.
How it's done:
- The vehicle doors, hood, and trunk are opened
- The hinges and sliders along with the latches are cleaned of old dried up grease
- The hinges and sliders along with the latches are lubricated with lithium lube
- The door is opened and closed several times to spread out the lubricant and more lube applied as needed to fully lube doors
- The excess grease cleaned up and all doors are closed
Our recommendation:
When doors show the first sign of excess friction when opening or closing, an appropriate lube should be applied to keep it operating correctly and smoothly, preventing excess wear and tear. When the lubricant on the doors begins to be less effective, it is a good indicator that lubricated or greased components elsewhere on the vehicle may be experiencing excess friction as well. When the door hinges or tracks are being inspected and lubricated, it is a good idea to inspect and lubricate other moving parts on the outside of the vehicle such as the hinges connected to the hood or trunk lid. Extreme weather conditions will cause the lubricant on hinges and joints to age prematurely as well, so those living in very hot or very cold conditions will need to service these parts more often.
What are the common symptoms indicating you need to lubricate the doors?
- Loud squeaking when opening or closing doors
- Door movement is less smooth than it once was
- Door gets jammed while opening or closing
How important is this service?
This service is somewhat important for doors that swing open on hinges. Doors will get noisy and become harder to open and close as time goes on if they are not properly lubricated, but as long as they operate properly they will still serve their purpose. This service is more important for doors on tracks. These doors have more parts that need to be lubricated regularly and are significantly more prone to jamming if this is not done. This could also cause the door to close improperly, allowing the door to open while the vehicle is in motion. Proper maintenance of hinges and tracks will prevent expensive repairs in the future.
