Bicycle Mechanics - My RD hates the winter

I my winter ride is a 10 speed with a 105 rear derailleur but it seems to have stopped doing it's job properly because of wet roads and the amount of salt on them. Basically it's lost its will to spring back into position. I take it apart and clean it every once and a while and get it working again but it seems to be seizing more and more frequently.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening, tighten the spring, lubricate?

Thanks!

Try replacing your cable and housing, and lube and clean all guides the cable routes through.
Perhaps your lube isn't rated for the low temps in Halifax, and gumming up the mechanism.

I drive daily in Montreal - the city is using a lot of salt on the bike-paths - it's great - but - the mixture of salt and slush is so abrasive you just have to write-off any component you use in winter. I try to WD-40 the chain and derailer every day I drive in this sh*t.

I agree with wng about the housing atleast pull the small piece of housing that goes into the rear der off and replace as it is probably gummed up with road crap that can spray up from the front wheel. That piece of housing might be able to be cleaned out also and work fine.

Godwin:
I had the same problem with my old Suntour derailleur last winter. I replaced it with the bottom of the line SRAM 3, which is almost all plastic, and it seems to be working pretty well so far.

I really pour the oil on the drive train in the winter to try to keep things running.

Try replacing your cable and housing, and lube and clean all guides the cable routes through.
Perhaps your lube isn't rated for the low temps in Halifax, and gumming up the mechanism.

Thanks but the problem isn't in the cable or housing, the derailleur isn't moving freely even when I remove it from the bike. I usually hate to do it but maybe wd40 is the best option because of it's abrasive nature. I usually use Pedros chainJ or syn lube.

Try Break-Free CLP as a lube. You should be able to get it at a gun or sporting-goods store. Works fine in Maine.
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Time for an internal hub! Just laced up an old Sturmey Archer for my winter bike.

Full fenders (witha front mudflap) would go a long way toward keeping the gunk out of the derailler.

I my winter ride is a 10 speed with a 105 rear derailleur but it seems to have stopped doing it's job properly because of wet roads and the amount of salt on them. Basically it's lost its will to spring back into position. I take it apart and clean it every once and a while and get it working again but it seems to be seizing more and more frequently.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening, tighten the spring, lubricate?

Thanks!

That's just your highway department telling you to ride fixed in the winter. I started riding fixed in NH 23 years ago just for that reason.