Let’s face it, for the sake of maintaining a vehicle’s efficiency they really should be taken off after every outing but, in all reality, most motorists who make the benefit of those large plastic tubs that you screw down to your roof-rack and leave them on for the duration of those long summer months in the hope of that last gasp trip away, even if it’s for a day out at the weekend.
While popular for transporting luggage to and from the airport or the odd B&B, thanks to the huge uptake in so called staycationing, they have fast become a necessity rather than a luxury when seemingly cramming the whole contents of a house into a family car.
The problem is, all too often they become a dumping ground on wheels. Those frequently used by holidaymakers end up with what seems like a sandy beach inside and those used for tip runs with garden waste will, undoubtedly, end up with a fair amount of debris left in their plastic wells.
The problem arises when the fairly fragile and yet efficient locking systems become clogged up, problematic and stop working.
And that’s where a decent dose of WD-40® comes in, specifically Silicone and/or Long Lasting Spray Grease or High Performance White Lithium Grease found within its Specialist range.
Looking at a fairly standard Thule ‘box, the system linking the central locking key to the two outer lock connectors are effectively two sliding pieces of metal which sit neatly together and move to lock the case on the turn of the key.
However, when this mechanism becomes clogged by sand, dust and general debris, the metal-on-metal system does not run so smoothly and can, in some extreme cases, seize. Keys have been known to snap in locks when forced, unravelling a whole heap of trouble, hassle that can easily be prevented by using WD-40® products.
Let’s face it, for the sake of maintaining a vehicle’s efficiency they really should be taken off after every outing but, in all reality, most motorists who make the benefit of those large plastic tubs that you screw down to your roof-rack and leave them on for the duration of those long summer months in the hope of that last gasp trip away, even if it’s for a day out at the weekend.
While popular for transporting luggage to and from the airport or the odd B&B, thanks to the huge uptake in so called staycationing, they have fast become a necessity rather than a luxury when seemingly cramming the whole contents of a house into a family car.
The problem is, all too often they become a dumping ground on wheels. Those frequently used by holidaymakers end up with what seems like a sandy beach inside and those used for tip runs with garden waste will, undoubtedly, end up with a fair amount of debris left in their plastic wells.
The problem arises when the fairly fragile and yet efficient locking systems become clogged up, problematic and stop working.
And that’s where a decent dose of WD-40® comes in, specifically Silicone and/or Long Lasting Spray Grease or High Performance White Lithium Grease found within its Specialist range.
Looking at a fairly standard Thule ‘box, the system linking the central locking key to the two outer lock connectors are effectively two sliding pieces of metal which sit neatly together and move to lock the case on the turn of the key.
However, when this mechanism becomes clogged by sand, dust and general debris, the metal-on-metal system does not run so smoothly and can, in some extreme cases, seize. Keys have been known to snap in locks when forced, unravelling a whole heap of trouble, hassle that can easily be prevented by using WD-40® products.
Prevention is often better than the cure and averting issues is simple and achieved by lining up the end of the straw familiar with the iconic cans with the joints between the sliding metal system and a liberal blast with Specialiast Silicone along the entire system should be enough to clear any debris and ensure its smooth working order. To be extra secure of a good job well done, this should be followed with a careful amount of either Long Lasting Spray Grease or High Performance White Lithium Grease and, of course, not forgetting the lock itself.