Thread glue is a preparation that can be helpful in many situations. We use it for screws and threads that we want to protect against spontaneous unscrewing and loosening, especially on elements exposed to vibrations.
Thread adhesives are primarily anaerobic adhesives. This is the professional name of preparations that have a specific course of hardening. Glues anaerobic materials cure after contact with metal and cutting off the supply of oxygen in elements that adhere closely to each other surfaces. When tightening the thread, this condition is met, otherwise the glue will not harden. Already several dozen minutes after screwing in the thread, on which we will apply anaerobic glue, the glue will initially harden. The curing time may depend on several things, the metal alloy we are gluing, the temperature, or the size of the thread.
The hardened joint is characterized primarily by:
- Resistant to water, oils and fuels
- High temperature resistance
- Vibration and shock resistance
- Long durability
Elements that can be joined with anaerobic glue are primarily metals. Steel, brass, galvanized elements or stainless steel. In addition to anaerobic adhesives for threads, there are also anaerobic adhesives for cylindrical joints, bearings, rings, sleeves, shafts.
What thread glue?
Types of thread adhesives can be divided mainly by the degree of strength. We have a choice of light, medium and high strength adhesives. Also called easily disassembled, medium disassembled and hard disassembled.
Anaerobic adhesives with low strength and intended for easy disassembly can be used in connections where it is important to protect the thread against unscrewing, but the element itself is not exposed to vibrations that could contribute to its loosening. It is such a product Loctite 222 . The thread secured in this way can be easily unscrewed with tools.
The next type will be medium strength adhesives, for example Loctite 243 . They are used in elements that may be exposed to greater forces and vibrations. Used for all types of machines, motorcycles, mowers, vehicles where there is significant vibration. The medium strength of the adhesive allows you to unscrew the threads of the elements to be serviced or replaced. You will definitely need tools and a lot of force to disassemble it.
Hard-to-disassemble adhesives are most often used in connections that we do not plan to unscrew or replace in the future. Loctite 270 it is perfect for this type of mounting.
What if we are forced to disassemble the thread glued with an anaerobic adhesive that is difficult to disassemble?
With the strength of our hands it can be a real challenge, in some cases it will be simply impossible. In this case, we can try to heat the screw with a torch. Under the influence of high temperature, the glue should lose its properties and release the bond. Anaerobic adhesives typically have a strength of up to approx 150-180 degrees Celsius . Of course, before installation, you should pay attention to the environment in which the mounting will be and whether such heating will be possible in the future. We advise against such activities near flammable materials and fuel tanks.
Red or blue threadlocker?
Many people who have already dealt with anaerobic adhesives often recognize its power by the color of the adhesive. The fact is that anaerobic adhesives have quite characteristic colors such as green, yellow, red or blue. This allows the use of glue to be visible and stand out on the thread. So we know that this type of glue was used in such a connection. However, will we immediately recognize the strength of the glue? Not completely.
It should be noted that there are many manufacturers of anaerobic adhesives and they label their products differently. The most popular and by far the leading company in anaerobic adhesives is
Loctite – a brand of a well-known German concern Henkel . The most popular anaerobic thread adhesives are:
- loctite 222,
- Loctite 243
- Loctite 270
The following colors were used: Loctite 243 blue, Loctite 222 violet and Loctite 270 green. If we notice screws with such weld colors, in most cases we can assume that the glue was used. However, there are plenty of product models and let's not forget that there are also bearing adhesives , which can also be used for threaded connections, however, the rule that the weakest bearing adhesive will be stronger than the hard-to-remove thread adhesive may work here. So be careful and educate your staff about the adhesive data models. Loctite for each material has a technical data sheet and a description of the color and adhesive strength. Therefore, we advise against using only the expressions blue or green thread glue, because it may turn out that it is a product with a completely different adhesive strength than we expected.
Loctite 243 how to use?
anaerobic adhesives are very easy to use. It doesn't matter if it's Loctite 243 medium-strength anaerobic adhesive or another model. They are in shape liquid or in the case of an anaerobic sealant in a slightly thicker form, a paste. Adhesives of this type are characterized by the fact that they are very efficient. We really don't need a lot of application material. Due to the fact that at first it may seem to us that these are expensive products, they will last us for a long time.
When applying anaerobic glue to the thread, it is enough to apply a thin bead of glue along its entire length from top to bottom. When screwing in the screw, it will spread over the entire thread and we will be sure that the weld will provide the required strength.
Of course, before using this type of preparations, care should be taken to properly prepare the surface. Mainly degreasing and cleaning. Preparation specially adapted for this purpose Loctite 7063 will surely help us. Although anaerobic adhesives have a fairly high tolerance and will harden on slightly wet, oily elements, if we can fully clean the glued surface, let's just do it. This will ensure a more solid fixation.
After applying the glue, give the elements at least a few hours to harden. The initial bonding can start after several dozen minutes, but its full strength is obtained after more than a day.
Loctite where to buy?
Loctite products, or other anaerobic adhesives, or preparations for gluing and sealing pipes, threads, bearings can be found in installation shops, automotive shops and professional industrial wholesalers. We will not find these materials in the first better store. For our part, of course, we encourage you to visit our store and Henkel products.
There you will find the most popular models of Loctite adhesives. In the case of specific connections, it is possible to bring the material for your application. We provide assistance and advice in this regard. Preparations available in several capacities, usually 10ml or 50ml.
FAQ:
1. Thread glue, anaerobic glue, which one to buy?
There are a lot of thread adhesives on the market. The most popular brand offering this type of preparations is Loctite.
2. Which thread glue to choose?
The choice of thread adhesive depends on our needs regarding the strength of the fastening. We distinguish easily dismountable, moderately dismountable and high-strength adhesives.
3. How to use anaerobic glue?
Threadlocker is very easy to use. After degreasing, apply a thin layer of glue along the thread and screw it in. The adhesive will begin to cure when the oxygen supply is cut off.
