Pacific Energy Summit - Door Handle Lubrication?

[MongoMongoson]

I have a 2020 Pacific Energy Summit. The door handle was never "smooth" feeling. It started out feeling a little rough, and through the season it started to get harder to turn. I thought... maybe the little roller needed some lube so I hit it with some dry moly lube, but that didn't do anything. I put a drop of oil on it, no good. When I took the door off during our mid-season cleaning I lubed the hinge pins with anti seize, and I squirted some PJ1 Black around where the handle passes through the door. That did the trick! It wasn't the roller. It was the handle that was rough and felt like it was dragging. With lube, it turns very easily and the PJ1 lasted the rest of the season. I was surprised at that. That door gets pretty darn hot and it is just motorcycle chain lube. I picked that one because, conceptually this assembly is similar to lubing a roller chain with the way the handle is assembled.

There is nothing in the manual, that I saw, about lubricating the handle. Is it normal for it to feel this rough without lube? I never lubed the handle on my All Nighter but that was always smooth-feeling. It's difficult to access the handle's penetration through the door on the Summit. It is pinned in and has washers in the way, if I remember correctly. I feel like I'm stuck using some kind of spray lube. I don't think I can get any powdered graphite in there.

Thanks!

 

[Woody Stover]

SIL's T5, 2019, is still working smoothly, as far as I know. Better check it when I go over there to sweep the liner; That might be something she wouldn't notice or mention. I know that at one point I sprayed the hinges with graphite dry lube, but can't recall if I gave the handle a shot as well.
You might try searching it here on hearth; Seems like I may remember someone bringing up the Summit rough door handle in the past.

 

[Mike the heater]

Can Graphite dry lube spray be used on the handle of my Catalytic? I mean the lever that is used to engage the Catalytic unit. It squeaks loudly. Also, could this lube the squeaky door handle too? One does not want to wake a spouse at 5 a.m. but she wants it warm by 6 am.

Thank you!

 

[begreen]

Can Graphite dry lube spray be used on the handle of my Catalytic? I mean the lever that is used to engage the Catalytic unit. It squeaks loudly. Also, could this lube the squeaky door handle too? One does not want to wake a spouse at 5 a.m. but she wants it warm by 6 am.

Thank you!

There's no harm trying it there. It depends on the design. Sometimes it's easy to disassemble the door handle assembly and lubricate the shaft with Never-Seez.

 

[PaulOinMA]

I have mentioned that I use CRC Silaramic Brake Grease, a ceramic-fortified pure silicone grease according to the label. Good to 3,000 F. I use it on the hinge pins and handle. Just a tiny dab for a thin film. I have it in the garage for brake jobs anyway.

Available at Autozone and the like.