Dahon Jack folding mechanism very stiff

WantToBeFitter

Hi all,
I have a Dahon Jack folding mountain bike. It's about 9 years old. I rode it, not very often, on and off for the first two years of having it. For the last 7 years it has been sat in the shed in the unfolded position. I got it out the other week and could not fold it. The folding mechanism was completely stiff. I turn the bike upside down and sprayed some WD40 and a good amount of oil in the folding mechanism hole that I could see. Two days later I was able to fold it but I literally had to stand on one half of the bike and pull, with all my strength, the other half to get it to fold. I tried this process a few more times in hope it would lessen the stiffness but it didn't. Looking at, what I can see of, the folding mechanism bar I cannot see any rust - but the majority of the bar is in the bike's frame.

Have others had this problem of the folding mechanism being this stiff (I mean 'incredible hulk' stiff)?

Have others got the folding mechanism loose again after suffering the stiffness?

I see other Dahon Jacks, the same age as mine, for sale with the mechanism folding fine - I guess it must be due to the 7 years of not using/folding it that has caused this.

Any remedies to get the folding mechanism loose again?

Thanks in advance.

fenix

Can you immerse this bit in oil maybe ?

Never even knew you could get folding mountain bikes !

WantToBeFitter

It's a mountain bike style. It looks more like a mountain bike than any other type of bike.

I cannot submerse the part in oil as I would need to submerse the whole bike. I do not have the know how or tools to remove the part.

Any further ideas anyone?

fat daddy

whats the mechanism made off ? ... it will help determining the corrosion.

I suspect steel

wd40, well its ok as a light lube and as a water displacer, but kind of rubbish when it comes to penetration compared to others. I would pull out the big guns and use something like plusgas penetration oil .... keep spraying and soaking it in that for 24hours, then start to fold it .... one you get it moving, keep moving it and stick some more penetration spray on it keep it moving

WantToBeFitter

It looks like the pin is made from steel.

Have you had experience of this problem on folding bikes? Is this plusgas oil likely to do the trick?

cooldad

Bike is aluminium, so if the hinge pin is steel, probably galvanic corrosion. Bit of ammonia or similar might help. But Google first so you don't gas yourself dead.

WantToBeFitter

I've just purchased some plusgas oil - hopefully that will do the trick (fingers crossed).