The Loctite is a very famous German-owned American brand.
The brand sells cutting-edge ranges of adhesives, sealants, and other surface treatments.
Most of the surface treatments include acrylic, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, epoxy, hot melt, silicone, urethane, and UV/light curing technologies.
Loctite products are sold internationally and are critically acclaimed for their usage, where many use them in a variety of industrial needs.
What Is Yellow Loctite Used For?
The composition of Yellow Loctite is Dimethacrylate ester.
- Use it to lock and seal fine thread nuts, some crucial bolts, and studs
- One can remove it with hand tools later down the road
- Other applications of this product are mount bearings, bushing
- Some people also use them for other shaft related applications
Meaning of Loctite Color Coding
Typically, it is a common notion to listen about Loctite’s color-coding.
The famous color-coding helps us to differentiate and distinguish between all the thread lockers types
- Color codes help to differentiate different thread lockers varieties
- The red bottle is common to all, which ensembles a Loctite Trademark on it
- Color also refers to the actual substance inside the main bottle
Applying Threadlocker
Following the proper method for thread locker application is critical.
One can follow some techniques for Red and Blue Loctite thread lockers application–
- Begin by cleaning your nuts and bolt thoroughly
- Make sure they are free from any oil or dirt
- Clean both of them properly to develop the bonding strength at max level
- Put few drops of Loctite on the given bolt on the nut engagement area
- Do not apply the thread locker around bolt throughout the way
- On twisting the nut, the threadlocker will spread automatically, creating a sealant
- Twist the nut to the maximum stretch you want and allow it to reach typical cure times; 24 hours is the best!
Removal of thread locker
Application is one thing, and removal is another thing.
First of all, one should understand the type of thread locker you are working with.
For a Loctite blue, just remove it with simple tools.
For Loctite 271 Red, which is a heavy strength thread locker, it is a bit complicated process as follow –
- Wear the mandatory safety glasses and Heat resistant gloves
- Heat the given fastener with the blow torch
- Do this for 2 to 3 minutes
- Move the torch everywhere for uniform heating of the sealant
- Stop the blowtorch and then remove all nuts
- Do this with a hand wrench
Threadlockers and Corrosive environment, a match made in heaven!
The corrosive environment is the perfect working conditions where we need a thread locker.
An environment like underwater nuts and bolts is perfect for Loctite products.
Cover the area with a thread locker beforehand to prevent any corrosion later down the road.
This will promote longevity and prevent any corrosion build-up.
Some other questions,
Related Questions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1.) Which is the weakest Loctite at present?
Answer: Loctite Purple has got really low strength.
- For any fasteners less than 6mm, Loctite purple automatically becomes the perfect choice.
- It’s also ideal for all types of metal threading or for soft metals prone to bending like aluminum.
Q2.) Which color is the removable Loctite
Answer: Blue thread lockers are the perfect example of removable Loctite.
Permabond Green HL126 Thread locker is also a famous option.
One can pretty easily disassemble the Blue TLs with any of the hand tools.
Q3.) What is the right time to use a Loctite?
Answer: Loctite comes in handy whenever an individual wants to avoid any accidental chance of bolt or nut falling.
Wheel bearing bolts are one of the common examples of its applications.
It helps in binding the nut and bolt by solution from accidental vibrations or similar sort of things.
Q4.) Is blue Loctite strong?
Answer: Medium strength
Q5.) When should one use or invest in a thread locker?
Answer: There are some most popular reasons as follow –
- To avoid the accidental fall of any fastener machines due to strong vibrations
- Or use the solution in any case where one places together the nut and bolt
Q6.) How to differentiate between Loctite 242 and 243?
Answer: The Loctite 243 is a better version than 242. The upgrade is unnoticeable.
The real difference is in the slightly better oil tolerance that 242 lacks in comparison to its modified version 243.
Q7.) What is the shelf life of a Loctite?
Answer: Loctite self answers this question in their FAQ section, and according to them only, 242 or blue has 12 months shelf life if it is kept open.
On the other hand, the red one or 271 has a 24-month shelf life, provided one does not open the tube.
Q8.) How to remove the Loctite?
Answer: We know that Loctite is a brand house of various adhesives and thread locker units that assist in keeping bolts and screws in one place.
And due to this, it is not easy to remove the adhesives of brand Loctite.
One can do this with only certain proper techniques.
Q9.) Are Loctite products strong in general?
Answer: Yes, the strongest ever permanent thread lockers rate at 3,000 psi in their shear strength.
Q10.) Which Loctite should one use on a scope mount?
Answer: No one
Don’t even bother about it.
Most of the companies often refrain their customers from using the Loctite as per their company policies.
We should do the same as well.
Q11.) Which is the best Loctite for the gun screws?
Answer: Use the 242 Blue ThreadLocker for mounting bolts, pumps, or even some compressors.
Q12.) What is the basic difference between the Threadlocker Red, Blue, and Yellow?
Answer: One can replace Loctite blue with common tools, whereas red means a permanent fixture.
On the other hand, Yellow is a medium straight type fastener.
Q13.) Which color of Loctite should one use if they want to lock their preassembled fasteners like set screws?
Answer: Loctite Green is the matter of choice here. This can easily handle a medium to high range of strength.
- It comes in a liquid sachet as well
- It cures as fast as in 24 hours!
- One can remove it later with simple heat & hand tools.
Q14.) Why are Loctite products costly?
Answer: Loctite products are typically much more costly than their other counterparts.
The main reason for this is the Bottling method, and this is true according to Loctite as well.
The bottles allow air to move through the circuit, and this curing process gives it more longevity.
Q15.) How to cure the Loctite fast?
Answer: Cure the Loctite with 125 degrees C for 60 minutes or around 65 degrees C for 3 hours.
One loss happening in this technique will be the loss of some strength.
Q16.) What happens if we use Loctite products beyond the expiry date?
Answer: Some people reported using over a decade-old Loctite without any issue whatsoever.
However, Loctite does not promise the quality or performance of material beyond the expiry.
Q17.) What is the ideal temperature to store Loctite products?
Answer: The safe range and for optimal storage goes from 2 degrees C to 8 degrees C.
Storage beyond or above the recommendation will only harm the product and not be useful.
All products are cyanoacrylates which have certain temperature ranges.
Q18.) Which is the principal company that manufactures Loctite?
Answer: Henkel
Henkel is the German-origin American brand for Adhesives, sealants, and other surface treatment product ranges.
Q19.) Are there any fake Loctite products as well?
Answer: Yes
There are many counter-fake Loctite products on E-Commerce sites like eBay.
Just see the prices, and you will know for yourself.
To safeguard yourself, buy from online bearings distributors.
Q.20) Which is the best product from Loctite to repair the freshwater/ saltwater aquariums?
Answer: The Loctite Multipurpose and waterproof sealant silicone is an ideal solution to this.
It will make a strong bond to repair any freshwater/ saltwater aquariums.
It also works fine on most tiles, porcelain, and glass.
Final Verdict
Henkel’s Loctite aims to offer the perfect solution to preventing any fall up of nuts and bolts.
It also provides fantastic prevention of fasteners from rusting.
The different colors help to differentiate the strength and ease of removability.
Loctite Purple is the weakest in strength among all and is good for less than 6mm sealants fixes.
On the other hand, the Loctite Blue is the most hit product as it removes easily as well for any need later down the road.
The Loctite Red, on the other hand, is more of a permanent solution to the nut and bolts fixture.
It has been there for long times and possesses the highest strength among all.
To remove Loctite red is a pretty darn issue as one needs a blowtorch to melt the sealant from everywhere.
Loctite green and yellow are pretty useful for a wide variety of fixtures and also can be removed easily if needed at any time.
The cost of Loctite products can be easily explained by the method of bottling they use for curing.
Thanks for reading!