Can someone help me with a Loctite question?

[TomB19]

I have some important axle bolts that need locktite.

When I pulled the old shaft, I immediately cleaned up the bolts with WD40. That's just how I do it.

Later, when I applied Locktite Blue, I realized the WD40 film (wiped off with a clean rag) might impede the hold of the Loctite glue.

I installed the bolts but wonder if I should pull them and re-do them. I don't want an axle falling off at highway speed.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[A**holes Garage]

Parts need to be clean and dry.

Need to clean with alcohol, acetone, or disc brake cleaner before applying loc-tite.

 

[DWP1726]

I want to know who was the genus that put the red in the blue bottle and blue in the red bottle. And yes i had the camera upside down.
DWPView media item 61663

 

[MoonRise]

I want to know who was the genus that put the red in the blue bottle and blue in the red bottle.

I hear you, but in this case it is because you are dealing with two different companies.

Permatex puts their threadlockers in blue bottles.

Loctite puts (most of) their threadlockers in red containers. So Loctite blue 242 (or the 'new' version 243) is in a red bottle. So is Loctite 'red' 263, or 'green' 290, or 'purple' 222MS, etc.



As to the OP, yeah, clean the oil/grease/antiseize/WD40 off before applying threadlocking compounds.

For something 'critical', RTFM and see if you also need primer or activator as well. Depending on what material(s) you are dealing with and just how 'critical' the application is.

 

[PapaBrad]

They're right, clean off the residue. WD is solvent based, and leaves a film.
I use an old spray bottle top and screw it right on a bottle of 91% (70% works too, just takes longer to dry) rubbing alcohol, then spray parts clean. (It also works great as a brake parts cleaner)
The alcohol dries quickly, and I've never had loctite work better!

 

[Whitworth]

Don't need solvent clean. Ideally, yes, but paper towel dry is fine.

 

[Sundodger]

In addition to what others have said, adding lube to your joint will change the tq/tension relationship. So if your tq spec is set to a dry clean joint you might elongate the bolt more or possibly even break it if you don't adjust your tq spec.


Note: All of the liquid loctite products I have tested, none have changed the tq/tension relationship of the joint. Which is impressive, I can only imagine the amount of time and money it took to develop that. Lock patches are another story..,

 

[WhiffySpark]

I wouldn't worry about it. What bolts are you taking about?l

 

[TomB19]

I wouldn't worry about it. What bolts are you taking about?l

Inner drive axle CV to transmission bolts. 2006 Jetta TDI.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Yeah I've never loctitied those. You'll be fine.

 

[AnthonyJ124]

Yeah I've never loctitied those. You'll be fine.

X2. Done a few.

If you're really worried, pull them out and clean with brake cleaner and put them back.

 

[Jake C]

I always take the bolts to a wire wheel to get the threads all cleaned up and dry, then spray them down with brake clean, blow them off and then put thread locker on.