Everything You Need to Know About Loctite

Learn about the different types of Loctite, Green, Purple, Blue, Red. Applications and uses. How to pick a color. Anaerobic sealants and adhesives.

[@GrumpX]

I needed to find out about Loctite. Luckily KZbin recommended this. Excellent explanations that even those with zero knowledge will understand. The best explanation there is out in KZbin Land.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@captainotto]

I felt weird not knowing what locktite to use and where. Now all my questions and the questions I didn't know I had are answered. Thanks for an awesome explanation!

[@PetesGarage]

Glad I could help!

[@philippe_durel]

One GREATEST clearest and fastest tutorial ever on Loctite Threadlocker products ! Thanks Pete !

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you Philippe

[@TheWtfnonamez]

"Hi! Im some rando internet dude in a garage ... so lets talk about history, science and anaerobic thread locking sealants". Im sold Honestly clicked on this video expecting some dude to say "use the blue one, it tastes nice". Never expected a master class in science history. Colour me impressed.

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you my friend

[@TheWtfnonamez]

@@PetesGarage You are very welcome. Its brilliant that you give people the information that they need, and throw in some entertaining background education too.

[@octane8267]

I've got Loctite that is 30 years old and it still works!

[@PetesGarage]

Sure it will work, but does it have the full holding strength

[@grahamefreestone5309]

I'll bet ChrisFix gave this a thumbs up.. ;-) 🇬🇧

[@tydshiin5783]

You just helped me answer why my 4 year old loctite wasn't working as it used to, very useful and informational video

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it helped

[@Icriedtoday]

Never saw a better A to Z.

[@jamesanderson83]

Good show Pete! That tightens up my understanding of all the various colors of thread locker, especially the wicking kind. Thanks!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks James, it a simple product most people misunderstand.

[@scrapplepig]

You are a great speaker, just the right amount of energy.

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you my friend

[@darrenlegallais1974]

WOW that was a brilliant explanation of the differences in loctite and their applications, so thank you very much Pete 👍🏼 especially the wicking top tip 😊

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robertpierre82]

Hey Pete thanks for the videos this is great info for a future diesel mechanic like myself, you deff have a subscriber for life..

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks and good luck

[@tattoos1988]

Great video Pete I’m now a new subscriber this has taken the confusion out of loctites numbers thanks again

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks for the sub! Glad it helped

[@jmcenterprises9591]

Great info. I just put a water pump in a Grand Prix 3.8l engine, went to buy thread sealant for the water pump bolt threads but all they had at the auto parts store was thread locker/sealant. The thread locker was blue so I used it, but all I really wanted was the sealant. Thanks Pete for another great video.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks J, that water pump is on there for sure. I'm surprised the blue sealed the threads.

[@meggo159]

You're a great communicator. Thanks!

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you Meg

[@lllCANDYMAANlll]

I found this very interesting, answered every question and more thanks.

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sneakysnake109]

Very informative. Thanks for sharing this information. It is greatly appreciated!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks for watching Steve

[@billstewart1524]

Excellent video really liked the tip to make wicking loctite. Thank you

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rocketcitymoto2883]

Thanks Pete! I learned a lot from this video and I appreciate you for making it.

[@PetesGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tompizza9858]

Thanks Pete, great and helpful information.

[@PetesGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it Tom

[@markwybierala4936]

My Harley Davison cannot live without locktite. Thanks for the additional info.

[@PetesGarage]

I believe it

[@stevelindsay3643]

That's a very informative video. Thanks, Pete.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Steve

[@jeffarp7409]

You are right about tourk being the primary fastener but the best reason is if a bolt or nut does come loose it will keep it from coming completely off and getting into moving parts and causing complete destruction of whatever it happens to be in. The best tip i heard from this is using the alcohol to make it draw down into the threads. Great video thanks.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@heloc3]

Excellent info, thanks!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@caswellthompson6432]

Great video! One thing you didn't mention is that loctite can help keep a nut from rusting onto a bolt as bad. I've used it for that on a lot of farm equipment parts that I don't want to use anti seize on

[@PetesGarage]

Great tip!

[@Si1verArrow]

I am NOT a gear head, but I needed info for a project I don’t want to mess up and this video was understandable and very helpful. Thanks so much.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks David

[@wysetech2000]

Real good information, Pete, thanks.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@ButaneBear]

Hi Pete's Garage! Thx for the great informative video. I was just hired by Henkel and I think this is helping me to understanding threadlockers

[@PetesGarage]

That's awesome!

[@drice847]

Love the Isopropanol alcohol trick. Thanks for sharing!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Denny

[@AustrianAnarchy]

Awesome Pete! Thanks! Glad you gave a little mention to the thread sealer too. I'm in the camp of using thread sealer when putting anything threaded into a passage that has oil or coolant on the other side, rather than a thread locker. Like the just replaced oil sending unit on my 1996 Jeep. The new one came with some red stuff on the threads, no idea if that was a sealer or a locker. I used Permatex white thread sealer. BTW, the failed one that came out (aftermarket part installed about 16 years ago) had no signs of any sealer or locker visible, and no sign of oil leaking past threads either.

[@PetesGarage]

The thread sealer works great! More and more OEM's are providing fasteners with some kinds of sealer or locking patch on the threads. It's probably not a good idea to put anything on top of the factory applied stuff. I can't imagine any manufacturer using thread sealers in 1996.

[@AustrianAnarchy]

@@PetesGarage Add no more? Oops, maybe next time :) The failed sending unit was installed around 2002/2004 ish Walmart broke off the factory original while changing my oil, cost them about $145 to replace it. I used the white Permatex that doesn't harden. BTW, I would not use the home plumbing thread sealer on an engine. Maybe superstition on my part, but I am sticking with it.

[@arthurfricchione8119]

Pete you are a walking book of knowledge. Been using lock title for years ( red or blue ) in the aircraft industry but never knew the particulars about it. Great idea to change it to wicking. How many times do we put a fastener together and say damn forgot the locktite. Thanks buddy for sharing your knowledge Artie 😊

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Artie!

[@PrincipeCharro]

Awesome, I'll probably comeback here again when I actually use locktite but for now it's good to get a general idea, great vid :)

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks

[@raycooke2510]

A Great product thanks for the detail 🇬🇧

[@PetesGarage]

No problem 👍

[@tonym6920]

Very informative. thanks👍👍

[@PetesGarage]

My pleasure

[@BrewCityRider]

Good informative vid Pete. One important tip that you may not have mentioned is to shake your loctite tube before applying. I come from the Harley world and have been using Permatex Blue threadlocker, which can be used in all applications calling for a Blue. This way i don't have to get separate Blues from Loctite (242/243.) Bummer that all this stuff expires after a year. When Red is called for, we use the 262 because our bolts are under 3/4", and the H-D service manual specifically calls for 262.

[@PetesGarage]

That's an excellent comment, thanks my friend

[@MeMelon4u]

Exactly what I was searching for!life saver!

[@PetesGarage]

Awesome!

[@vinaybeeharry3893]

Hello Mr.Pete. Valuable information hat's off to u Boss..

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@danielesilvaggi]

Awesome bro I always wanted to know what the differences were and now I know. Thanks

[@PetesGarage]

There are so many different types, but only a couple available locally, unless you know the specific number you're looking for and order it online.

[@markbelden6919]

Thanks Pete, I had no clue about the expiration date

[@PetesGarage]

It's just a general rule

[@scottk0623]

Mark Belden I never knew that either, great information

[@HangarQueen]

Great tip on how to make your own wicking loctite with IPA. A very handy tip that I'm certain to use. Thanks.

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johnd5805]

Thanks for sharing the history as well. Had no clue locktite and superglue were older than me. Great info. A video explaining how engineers on an engine determine the torque requirements is something I've always wondered about.

[@PetesGarage]

It's older than me too.....lol. Determining torque is not that difficult. There are standard charts and tables for almost every fastener and material. Do a web search for Recommended Torque Charts and you'll see tons on them. It's all based on the material, thread engagement area, and desired clamp load.

[@Sergvrn1]

Hi from Russia! Thanks a lot, excellent info!

[@PetesGarage]

Hello my friend

[@SuperDave21]

Thanks for this video Pete... I had no idea it had a shelf life of 1 year! There goes a one time used application of Blue gel locktite from my tool chest!

[@PetesGarage]

You can extend the life considerably by putting it in the freezer...due to low humidity. For safety related hardware I always make sure I use stuff that's not expired.

[@bbolanda18]

@@PetesGarage can you put regular blue loctite 242/243 in the freezer as well?

[@dabonehead101025]

Great info, thank you.

[@PetesGarage]

You bet!

[@davidbardsley9350]

Thanks, appreciate the info

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks

[@ahmadyusuf2175]

Great video Pete

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Ahmad

[@darrylcampbell4411]

Awesome info dude. very helpful. Cheers.

[@PetesGarage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@shakejones]

great video+presentation+explanation mate! well done! NEW SUB 🙏🏻

[@PetesGarage]

Awesome, thank you!

[@nolimit7]

Thanks for the tip on making the wicking loctite

[@PetesGarage]

Glad to help

[@richiet3490]

Good tip with iso alcohol, did not know that. Handy bit of info right there

[@PetesGarage]

It really helps out when something is already together. Thanks Richard.

[@tjwatts100]

Really handy video. Cheers mate 👍😃

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Tim

[@furonable]

Thanks a lot brother, I learned a lot.

[@PetesGarage]

You're welcome my friend

[@termike55]

good tip on the wicking trick with the alchol

[@PetesGarage]

Works every time

[@abdulwarrior]

Just what I needed thx alot

[@paulallenpierceandpierce]

Great Video :) Very good explanation!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks! 😃

[@chronicnielsen]

Learned something ,thx!

[@PetesGarage]

Awesome

[@andreayun]

Wow that was so helpful. Thank you

[@PetesGarage]

You're so welcome!

[@timwilsononline]

Really useful info, and loved the tip on making your own wicking loctite. Any advice on how to (or whether it’s advisable to) clean dirty threads prior to applying loctite?

[@PetesGarage]

Dirty threads can just be either sprayed with degreaser and/or brushed with a wire brush.

[@bbolanda18]

@@PetesGarage what can you use to remove old loctite from a screw or something you need to reapply loctite to and use again?

[@griffincui]

Great info on green

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks for watching!

[@atticstattic]

Very informative...... and Balloons!

[@PetesGarage]

Gotta have balloons

[@caseygindlesperger3632]

Love your vids

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Casey

[@jtmcfarland3512]

I’ll mostly agree with your statement about not needing Loctite when working on a car. The engineer generally determines a torque spec to provide a particular amount of tension which also causes high friction between the threads and thus locks the bolt in tight. However, I have found that adding it to any pass through bolts on the exterior may significantly improve serviceability (think exhaust studs and bolts).

[@PetesGarage]

That's no problem

[@LittlePeterP]

Bravo !!!! Great video !!!!!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@troy1672]

Pete, as always, great video. Like the tip with the alcohol. In aerospace, they use bolts/nuts with holes and tie them with wire for the secondary fastening. Pricey, but cheaper than a plane falling out of the sky...lol. I actually have a David Brown tractor that uses wire on the bolts for the timing gears. Are certain penetrating oils better at breaking Loctite than others or is heat your only option?

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Troy, there are quite a few secondary retention methods, maybe I'll do a video on them. I use PB Blaster, works pretty well. Acetone can dissolve Loctite.

[@RaufLKC]

Thank you!!

[@PetesGarage]

You're welcome

[@edwardgrabinsky6369]

Ive used the green loctite retaining compound as well... i think it was 680... used it on a spun pinion bearing and it worked. Not a super legit thing to do but sometimes thats how it goes. Good tip on the wicking loctite.

[@PetesGarage]

There are many uses, it can be used to hold fitted machined parts.

[@tudajfor]

Yup, it helped. Thx and here's a 👍

[@TahoeRealm]

Great video👍

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks 👍

[@FB-bl7ez]

Hi Pete Another very nice video

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@shumyinghon]

Thank you for the great video! Can brake cleaner really help dissolve the Permatex brand ( blue loctite) I have on my pipe?

[@PetesGarage]

You can try, heat works best

[@rfreitas3298]

Nice video, I have been using 3M TL71, which I guess is the same application of Loctite 271. I always think, better safe than sorry with thread lockers

[@PetesGarage]

Safe is a good way to go

[@vicpetrishak1077]

Recently replaced Cummins ISX-15 camshaft which does not use a key . It has a tapered shaft which has a final torque of 109 ft. lbs . Used Loctite 609 (green )after cleaning oil residue from camshaft and gear . Use ether or Brake Klean to remove oil residue before assembly . Great Information ! 7/2022

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Vic

[@narc46]

Solid info as always. I didn't know about the expiration date or wicking Loctite. On the topic of Loctite, if you are working on a Harley especially an older single cam Harley almost every bolt should get at least Blue Loctite and driveline stuff Red. I recently bought a 98 Road King with a 113 Evo and the previous owner/ builder did not use any that I can see and the bike is literally falling apart as it goes down the street.

[@PetesGarage]

I get many questions about Loctite so I thought I'd share with everyone. Yeah, that Harley problem is just bad engineering. Imagine owning a Harley before Loctite was available.

[@MrHitchikerOz]

"Superglues" (cyanoacrylate adhesives) are not cured by the anaerobic process, and therefore not affected by the absence of air (or more accurately, oxygen).

[@PetesGarage]

Interesting

[@vevenaneathna]

yeah the fact that they cure in an "anaerobic environment" just means they dont need oxygen to cure, like polyurethane/window weld. they rely on the catalytic surface effect of metals, just like how a catalytic converter works in a car to clean nox/sox. because aluminum is so much more reactive than most other metals, it near instantly forms a nonconducting oxide surface on top which makes cure times significantly longer for fasteners that are going into aluminum. lock tight might never set up if you used an aluminum fastener in an aluminum thread. for the people wondering how you clean a bolt off so you can reapply locktite, thats a mute point. oils are bad and should be cleaned coz they can prevent the metal surface reaction, but old locktite is itself catalytically active so as long as its not covered in oil, it will continue to polyimerize the epoxy. think of the surface as the activating agent for a 1 part epoxy which is basically what locktite is

[@angelorosello7290]

Very informative. Just a question. Im using a 8.8 grade bolt and nut to my motorcycles exaust pipe, which will be the best to use for the nut not to loosen?

[@PetesGarage]

Blue or red, blue if you want to be able to take it apart

[@jonienglish3231]

i Like your Garage and the Holy Cross in the Back Ground - Thanks for the Idea

[@PetesGarage]

Thank you, you have to be grounded in faith, any faith

[@timeless6964]

I Also Noticed This!!.....It Is Good to See!!

[@DEVGRUnotST6]

Informative video, actually! I've just been trying to discover how different gel Loctite (or Permatex) is from its liquid counterparts. Usually, in regards to curing time.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Philip

[@Nypsie98]

Awesome video. Straight to the point with lots of information. I have loose screws that hold the crank of a sill of casement windows. The screws can be tightened (but I'm worried about stripping the threads). Should I use red or blue (does removal matter-is ue less strong than red)? Or a different material, like epoxy? What if the screw can turn and not tighten down? Epoxy? Thanks.

[@PetesGarage]

I would use blue

[@laserbrain7774]

purple for small diameter bolts.

[@rfreitas3298]

I use Loctite to prevent loosening from vibration but also to prevent rust locked bolts. It prevent rust on the thread... trust me, It saved me tons of time while reparing my suspension and brakes

[@PetesGarage]

Interesting, thank you

[@danduane1413]

Good info Pete, love your channel. Never heard about mixing 242 with Isopropyl before... One thing you never touched on, that I have always been curious about. If using loctite, does it change the value of your primary retention [torque]? As it is viscous, you would think that the torque values should be lower. Thoughts?

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Dan, it's not the viscosity that changes the torque, it's the lubricity. The answer is YES, Loctite will act as a lubricant so adjust accordingly

[@danduane1413]

@@PetesGarage Is there a general rule of thumb? What I've been doing is that if a torque range is specified, I will use the lower spec. I agree with what you are saying about the secondary fastener retention, but working in aircraft maintenance where there is usually always a secondary retention requirement, I use it quite a bit more than when you say it should be used [high vibration].

[@PetesGarage]

There is no rule of thumb per se, but there are specs for fasteners by size with and without different kinds of lube.

[@BK3P]

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge ! I would like to know if ethanol would do the trick to make a wicking threadlocker or if i absolutely need IPA?

[@PetesGarage]

I suppose any alcohol would work

[@BK3P]

@@PetesGarage thanks again

[@jaumeg9657]

Very useful that video, but I remove a bolt with blue loctite, how can I clean the thread to assemble and put it new blue fixer?? Thanks

[@PetesGarage]

Clean the threads with a bottoming tap

[@davids1681]

Good stuff, thanks for the rundown. And BTW, what's the right solvent to unseal my lips? :0

[@PetesGarage]

Good question!

[@danwilliams5334]

How do you remove it to remove the cv axel nut.

[@h8GW]

Making your own wicking -Loctite- threadlocker is the BEST tip, even if I can't think of my own personal use case for it ATM.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@skylinefever]

3:03 I have occasionally had suspension parts come back out, despite proper torque. This is why I loctite suspension parts before I torque them to final specifications. I have seen OEM shock bolts with blue stuff on a few threads, so I suspect that some suspension components were treated with Loctite at the factory. 4:25 I prefer the Loctite tape so much, I don't even buy liquid Loctite if I can avoid it. I did not know that Permatex threadlocker used the same color codes as Loctite. That is a good thing to know, since I often have to go where there is Permatex brand goods, but no Loctite/Henkel brand goods.

[@PetesGarage]

Suspension parts are good spots for Loctite. You will get some OEM bolts with Loctite patches on them. Permatex kinda jumped on the Loctite bandwagon. No need to confuse everyone with different colors.

[@raybahadur6555]

Can I use this on wall mounted bath taps. Compression has failed with ptfe, so I have too smash up a tile get to the back will this do the job looking for recommendation on which one I should go for.

[@PetesGarage]

If compression with PTFE fails on water, I think you have mismatched threads

[@Limeayy]

Thank you Pete, i had an issue that i didn't know about... I never knew some people used locktite for manual transmission and some other parts. If you also find time, can you update your description as to where you found some of this information?

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend. You can go right to the Henkel website and find the information I shared and more.

[@Limeayy]

@@PetesGarage thank you.

[@dhananjayatrey2822]

Hi, can Loctite 510 be used to mate motorcycle crankcase halves made of aluminium alloy, without a primer activator? I bought 510 since 518 was not available. Thank you.

[@PetesGarage]

Yes you can

[@alfredocuomo1546]

Well done, you covered a lot of information concise & to the point, Good Video.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@charlieb308]

My 86 Monte Carlo SS I had tubular control arms installed and a bolt fell out, I used blue loctite when putting in New bolta

[@PetesGarage]

That will help, just make sure it's properly torqued.

[@AndysDogHouse]

Thanks Pete. Very informative. Just one thing I don't agree with. Just last summer I was putting things together on my old Fargo and I used red loctite that was over 15 years old. That was all I had.. A couple of months later I had to remove the bolts and they were very hard to loosen. So even old loctite works. Now if I was using it on my engine, I would use new stuff. But I won't be throwing any of my old loctite our any time soon. Still all your videos are great. I watch them all. Thanks for sharing.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Andy, I have bottles that are a couple year old. It's not that they won't work anymore, the grip strength does decrease over time. As moisture gets in the ability to cure changes. On safety related fasteners I will use new stuff, but keep older stuff around for minor fixes. I asked the chemist right at the factory, unless he's also the salesman!....lol

[@AndysDogHouse]

@@PetesGarage Thanks Pete. Keep all the good info coming.

[@latino8791]

I'm late to the party but which loctite red is the strongest? I used both 262 and 271. Cleaned the bolt n but with brake cleaner, wire brush, paper towel and heat them up a bit with a torch to dry out the brake clean, then let them sit for a full 24 before applying loctite, wait 24 hours for it to set but they both fail, I can remove them easily with a vice grip so I dunno y people say u have to heat the assembly up to remove bolt or nut that has red loctite.

[@PetesGarage]

Loctite is anaerobic so it cures in the absence of air. It is also dependent on surface area to hold. Red is the strongest, different numbers are for different surfaces, conditions, materials.

[@Xfacehack]

When it comes to Loctite products, you should always look up exactly AND i mean EXACTLY what product you going to use. There are sooooo many! Same product different name between origins and countries. I have an green loctite product with red bottle, with blue label (can't rememberer the name) but it's NOT wicking loctite like you mention (i know what kind of locitet you mean). Some green loctite are more like rubber and used both for plummeting product to see if they are open and to not get loose. The green loctite i bought was design for high heat and thread "fill".

[@vomdeich1011]

Here in workshop speech blue is 243 for thread locking and green is 638 for securing shafts

[@PetesGarage]

Yes, definitely know the number and what it's used for. There is blue 241, 242, 243. Just check the front of the bottle, There are many, many different numbers for each color.

[@masteravdRU]

Greetings! Which Loktite number would you recommend for fastening brass + brass (connections for high pressure water systems), as well as steel + brass, sometimes stainless steel + plain steel or brass. Thank you! =)

[@PetesGarage]

If you want to take it apart, blue 242, if you want it permanent, red 262 or 271

[@hawkdsl]

If you have any other questions about loctite, ask a Harley Davidson Owner.

[@PetesGarage]

Good point, those things would destroy themselves if you didn't glue them together Poor engineering.

[@sandchar]

Love the intro

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@madeinmadein1824]

A question please i put some threadlocker in my crankshaft bolts and I forgot to shake the bottle is it ever gonna hold The fasteners in place Thanks

[@PetesGarage]

Sure, unless the bottle has been sitting for years

[@vallan-anundson]

cool wick trick. but will it work on nylon enhanced nuts?

[@PetesGarage]

Yes it will

[@5jjt]

I have blue 242 and red 262. If I use these on 4150 steel, do I need a primer? I'm asking because after 24 hours, it wasn't fully cure, at all.

[@PetesGarage]

Hopefully you shook it first. You don't need primer. It cures in the absence of air, it won't cure sitting on a surface