Blue Thread locker "Loctite"

[jim]

I have a small bottle of Blue Permatex Thread locker that I have had for a few years.
I shake the bottle before each use and it has the consistency of milk.
Does that sound right? Should it be thicker?
Does this go bad after a few years?
I have been using it on rifle stock bolts and it does not seem to be holding.
I clean the bolt holes and bolt threads with lacquer thinner and alcohol.
Thanks

 

[PCustoms]

I have a small bottle of Permatex Thread locker that I have had for a few years.

Ok?

 

[jetmechabq]

yes, it has a shelf life yes i would trash it and start over.


The shelf life of Permatex thread locker is typically 2 years when stored unopened at room temperature (46-82°F). Once opened, it is recommended to use it within 12 months. Factors such as temperature extremes, light exposure, and contamination can affect its effectiveness over time.

 

[mrhemi426]

If they are smaller than 1/4 20, you should be using purple Loctite for small screws and fasteners.

 

[Snap-on_rich]

It does have a lifespan. There are expiration dates on the bottles. 10 years past that date I've had issues with it actually working. The consistency i usually a thicker liquid. Dependent on type...

 

[CraigStu]

Well ****, I need to trash my 3 little tubes then. Thanks for the info as I had no idea.

 

[PoorUB]

If they are smaller than 1/4 20, you should be using purple Loctite for small screws and fasteners.

Blue is fine for small hardware I have used red on 10-24 and 8-32 when I wanted to be certain and never had issues taking the screws out later

 

[jubilee]

Just try a drop of it on something.
If it works, it works.
I have a large bottle of red I’ve had for over 20 years and it still locks things up.

They only more successful sales slogan than the expiration date
scam on some things is the ” rinse and repeat “ the shampoo companies came out with years ago.

 

[PCustoms]

Now that the OP actually has a question....

Use it.

At work we toss everything at expiration, but it always works fine at home....

I've got a bottle that's at least 10yrs old, still cures.

 

[liliysdad]

I have a large bottle of red I’ve had for over 20 years and it still locks things up

I've got a bottle that's at least 10yrs old, still cures

Same here. Yesterday I used my big bottle of Red I’ve had for well over ten years. Worked just fine, cured in the appropriate time, and I tried to remove one of aluminum plugs I used it on, and it wouldn’t budge.
Works for me.

 

[drmarkr]

I have bottles that are over 10 years old. I cures perfectly fine....no problem whatsoever. Just use it. Same for red and green, for that matter.

 

[Snap-on_rich]

The worst is when you use old threadlocker and you realize a few days later it didn't set up....

 

[PCustoms]

The worst is when you use old threadlocker and you realize a few days later it didn't set up....

Just curious, how do you notice it a few days later?

 

[whateg01]

Now that the OP actually has a question....

Use it.

At work we toss everything at expiration, but it always works fine at home....

I've got a bottle that's at least 10yrs old, still cures.

I have several rolls of solder that expired at work.

 

[Snap-on_rich]

Just curious, how do you notice it a few days later?

I knew it was years past the expiration date... like twenty or so... so I figured let me check on it... took a wrench to check on the hardware and it never set up. It was still a liquid with no threadlocking abilities in sight. Smelt off too. usually when u break fasteners loose that has thread lock you can see the dried threadlocker in the threads. That was 20 years ago and the threadlocker was from the late 80's from my dad that we still had laying around

 

[Meursault74]

I have several rolls of solder that expired at work.

I have several glass ampules of Iodine solution in our first aid kit at work. They're from the early 1970's as far as I can tell.

They're fine to be there as there's no "expiration date" on them. They don't even have the UPC bar code on them.

Regulations state we can't have any expired items in our first aid kit. Since these don't have an expiration date on them, they're good forever from a regulatory point of view.

I only keep them there for this reason, it's kind of fun when a new auditor sees them and has to agree. I wouldn't use them though.

When we're about to be audited I check the kit. If I see an expired item, I'll take it out and put it in my desk out of sight. Again regulations state we can't have expired items in our first aid kit. It's in my desk now, so it doesn't violate the regulation as it's not in the kit.

When you have to deal with bullsh1t, you need to know how to shovel it.

 

[MoonRise]

Yes, it has an expiration date. Depending on storage conditions, it might or might not still be usable after that date.

If in doubt, test it first or just throw it out and get a new bottle or tube of threadlock.

BTW, not all threadlock compounds cure with all different metals.

'Active' metals like plain steel (no plating or coating) can usually supply enough metal ions to kick off the anaerobic curing process.

Inactive metals like stainless steel or anodized aluminum usually don't supply enough metal ions to kick off the anaerobic curing process.

The chemists or wizards have come up with curing primers and different threadlock compounds to at least partially overcome curing problems with inactive metals.

You might have that going on.

Most of the time, if the threadlock is still liquid it might still be usable (for non-code applications).

RTFM for the specific compound you are dealing with.

You can read up about threadlock compounds at the Locktite website (or you used to be able to). Or use some google-fu and look it up.