Jam nuts (heim) - Loc-Tite Blue or Green or ???...

[Greg72]

I have a feeling the rear toe link adjusters have come loose on my DD.

Under hard acceleration from 70-110mph, the car is super squirrelly, which usually means a toe problem. I just had some aftermarket toe-link adjusters installed, so my suspicion is that they have vibrated loose already...

I was going to get the rear toe checked and then use either Loc-Tite Blue (applied to threads before threading the jam nuts all the way down) or their Green which is more of a "wicking" product designed to seep into the threads after everything is completely tight. I will occasionally need to readjust these links so I don't want something TOO aggressive, and the Green appears to need heat to break it loose later on. Is Blue the right product?

The link material is 6061-T6 aluminum if that matters...

-G

 

[Fordum]

As far as I know, all the lock-tite products will let go with some heat. As long as its a part that can be easily heated without danger or damage, I tend to use the stronger types unless I know I will be removing it soon.

Having said that, if you have jam nuts, they should hold, they might just need a little more persuasion.
So, the blue would probably be enough.

 

[mtnman210]

For whatever reason I was researching the different loctite's and this is what I found on the subject

271, Red: High strength threadlocker for larger diameter hardware.

262, Red: High strength threadlocker for for hardware smaller than that which uses 271 (more like heli parts). Either does a good job for our stuff, however. I see 271 most commonly in auto parts stores.

609, Green: Retaining compound, high strength, for mounting slip fit bearings to shafts. An appropriate product for tail boxes.

603, Green: Retaining compound, high strength, similar to 609 but good where the parts may be a little oily. Good for mounting oilite bushings in housings, BTW.

640: Green: Retaining compound, high strength. Similar to 609 and 603. Lacks the oil tolerance of 603. I use it where I might have trouble with adjacent bearing contamination with the product, such as start shaft bearing blocks, since it has a little greater viscosity than 603.

638, Green, rather thick: Ultra strong retaining compound for assemblies with a marked amount of slop in the fit, min 0.004". Don't try to use this stuff for our normal bearings on healthy shafts. It sets almost immediately in the tight gap, and you'll never have the chance to get the bearing into place.

290, Green: Wicking product for thread locking AFTER assembly. Medium strength, much stronger than 242 blue in my experience. Not the correct choice per loctite for bearing mounting.

242, 243 Blue: Classic medium strength threadlocker for most of our threadlocking applications. 243 is the oil tolerant version.
222MS, Purple: Low strength threadlocker for small diameter or otherwise delicate fasteners.

Bottom line:
NEVER choose a loctite product by color alone.
You can build a really good model with 242 for thread locking parts you'll need to remove, 271/262 for screws you really don't want to ever move on their own, and 609/603 for fixturing bearings to shafts. 290 is great for set screws which needed to be tweaked for ideal postition of the part on a shaft (like a bevel gear) and which you don't want to have to go back and remove the screw to apply the loctite.
I know guys use other products for these tasks, but these recs are based on the specs and technical data sheets published by Loctite.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I have a feeling the rear toe link adjusters have come loose on my DD.

Under hard acceleration from 70-110mph, the car is super squirrelly, which usually means a toe problem. I just had some aftermarket toe-link adjusters installed, so my suspicion is that they have vibrated loose already...

I was going to get the rear toe checked and then use either Loc-Tite Blue (applied to threads before threading the jam nuts all the way down) or their Green which is more of a "wicking" product designed to seep into the threads after everything is completely tight. I will occasionally need to readjust these links so I don't want something TOO aggressive, and the Green appears to need heat to break it loose later on. Is Blue the right product?

The link material is 6061-T6 aluminum if that matters...

-G

The problem is you're breaking the law for speeding and this is payback for doing so, keep it at or under the speed limit and you wont have any issues.

 

[ryoken]

I've used the green 638... don't ever plan on getting it apart again.. stuff is sick...

 

[Greg72]

The problem is you're breaking the law for speeding and this is payback for doing so, keep it at or under the speed limit and you wont have any issues.

4 seconds of lawlessness my friend.... it happens real quick.

-G

 

[MrSchaeferPants]

I don't have as specific info as mtnman210, but we used 'blue' religiously at our shop, on cap screws that needed to stay put, yet be taken off regularly. No issues, it never came undone, and we zipped them off by hand or with impacts on a daily basis. These were fairly big 18mm (bolt head) bolts.

 

[ryoken]

high strength red was always the go to for decades on the boats.. but when the medium blue came out awhile back, we switched to that on many jobs for future service ability..

 

[dangerdog]

I would go with the blue. I use it on my prostock 1000 drag sled to keep things from falling apart. It vibrates pretty good with solid motor mounts and a stroked crank.But they disassemble easy also.

 

[4X4HIGH]

4 seconds of lawlessness my friend.... it happens real quick.

-G

I guess you do have a problem if it took you 4 seconds to go from 70-110mph.

 

[Greg72]

I guess you do have a problem if it took you 4 seconds to go from 70-110mph.

Yep...

It was pretty uncomfortable with all the squirminess. I wasn't that excited about keeping the pedal down. The car is pushing 570HP with the latest mods...it definitely demands my full respect and attention.

-G

 

[ryoken]

I would go with the blue. I use it on my prostock 1000 drag sled to keep things from falling apart. It vibrates pretty good with solid motor mounts and a stroked crank.But they disassemble easy also.

well, if you wanna keep things from falling apart, red is your better bet.. blue is medium strength.. red is high strength...

 

[blazinzuk]

If your using red you need heat to take it apart to mention good threads, I have seen red used and taken apart multiple times and it does start to damage the threads. I would use blue, I think 272 is the number, it won't gall threads as quickly as red, it also cleans off easier than red. I have only used the green on already assembled parts that I didn't want to take apart again

 

[dangerdog]

well, if you wanna keep things from falling apart, red is your better bet.. blue is medium strength.. red is high strength...

Yes I know the blue is medium and it is enough to keep fastners in place but still be able to remove them. I do use the red on the studs, which you can't get a strong enough loctite for them. Actually a little grit and rust hold them in place well. Okay enough talking about sleds I think it is still summer but it has'nt felt like it around here lately. Stupid Rain!