Question about Loctite Threadlocker Blue 242

[OrangeStreak]

I used the Blue to lock a thread on the mounting bracket for my bicycle seat and it worked perfectly. Now I discover that I need to do the job again because the seat needs to be re-positioned.

Loctite will not guarantee the results from a tube that has been opened and used before even if it is re-used before the expiration date. I've used this tube only one time and resealed it quickly afterwards and stored it inside. It does not expire until Mar. 2024.

Has anyone had the actual experience of re-using a tube of this a 2nd time before the exp. date and getting good results with a strong bond? Thanks!

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[Joeiconic]

I wouldn’t be worried in the least.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Good to go as long as it isn't dried out.

 

[Trigganometry]

We use it all the time. And past expiration. I have some purple that over 10 years old and still works.

Does not matter the type used, if you’re going to loosen anything that has been locktite heat the parts to break the bond. The Red stuff takes extra heat!

 

[OrangeStreak]

We use it all the time. And past expiration. I have some purple that over 10 years old and still works.

Does not matter the type used, if you’re going to loosen anything that has been locktite heat the parts to break the bond. The Red stuff takes extra heat!

Rick, the blue is supposed to come out with some extra torque without heat...what has been your experience with it?

 

[Trigganometry]

Rick, the blue is supposed to come out with some extra torque without heat...what has been your experience with it?

I normally don’t try to crack anything I know it’s been used on. Just leaves you wide open to skinning knuckles, rounding off bolts or worse. With the red I have seen sheared off bolts.

You heat the stuff it breaks free super easy and makes it simple.

 

[Frenchy]

You should be fine. It's not like you are going to have it come loose

 

[Dgc333]

FWIW, I worked in the defense industry for the past 18 years as an engineer. We would use gallons of Loctite every year. Inevitably everything we had in house would go past its shelf life a couple of times a year. Since we had to use MiL Spec versions of Loctite it was not as easy as running down the street to the local auto supplier to get more. There were times that delivery of the approved stuff would be a month or two out essentially shutting down production.

I had called Henkel (the manufacturer of Loctite) about extending the shelf life. They would not for liability reasons but they would describe what happened as it aged. The first change was viscosity would increase and as it got older the chemicals would start to separate and ultimately it would not cure. Henkel stated that we had to make our own assessment as to whether we could extend the shelf life. The MIL Spec versions of Loctite have much more extensive technical data sheets so I wrote a procedure on how to test the expired material that if it passed we would extend the shelf life for 30 days. The procedure would allow for the testing and extension two more times.

That being said I have a bottle of 242 in the garage that is over 30 years old. It is much thicker and it has separated but a good shake blends it back together. It still cures and works. If I am building an engine or fastening some thing critical I get a new bottle but I don't hesitate to use it when I just want a little extra assurance a fastener won't come loose.

 

[SigOris]

FWIW, I worked in the defense industry for the past 18 years as an engineer. We would use gallons of Loctite every year. Inevitably everything we had in house would go past its shelf life a couple of times a year. Since we had to use MiL Spec versions of Loctite it was not as easy as running down the street to the local auto supplier to get more. There were times that delivery of the approved stuff would be a month or two out essentially shutting down production.

I had called Henkel (the manufacturer of Loctite) about extending the shelf life. They would not for liability reasons but they would describe what happened as it aged. The first change was viscosity would increase and as it got older the chemicals would start to separate and ultimately it would not cure. Henkel stated that we had to make our own assessment as to whether we could extend the shelf life. The MIL Spec versions of Loctite have much more extensive technical data sheets so I wrote a procedure on how to test the expired material that if it passed we would extend the shelf life for 30 days. The procedure would allow for the testing and extension two more times.

That being said I have a bottle of 242 in the garage that is over 30 years old. It is much thicker and it has separated but a good shake blends it back together. It still cures and works. If I am building an engine or fastening some thing critical I get a new bottle but I don't hesitate to use it when I just want a little extra assurance a fastener won't come loose.

Surprised DCAS / DCMA was OK with that.

 

[canyonslicker]

Surprised DCAS / DCMA was OK with that.

Really? They’re just place holders for someone to blame. Biggest bunch of idiots I have ever encountered…

 

[Friday yet?]

FWIW, I worked in the defense industry for the past 18 years as an engineer. We would use gallons of Loctite every year. Inevitably everything we had in house would go past its shelf life a couple of times a year. Since we had to use MiL Spec versions of Loctite it was not as easy as running down the street to the local auto supplier to get more. There were times that delivery of the approved stuff would be a month or two out essentially shutting down production.

I had called Henkel (the manufacturer of Loctite) about extending the shelf life. They would not for liability reasons but they would describe what happened as it aged. The first change was viscosity would increase and as it got older the chemicals would start to separate and ultimately it would not cure. Henkel stated that we had to make our own assessment as to whether we could extend the shelf life. The MIL Spec versions of Loctite have much more extensive technical data sheets so I wrote a procedure on how to test the expired material that if it passed we would extend the shelf life for 30 days. The procedure would allow for the testing and extension two more times.

That being said I have a bottle of 242 in the garage that is over 30 years old. It is much thicker and it has separated but a good shake blends it back together. It still cures and works. If I am building an engine or fastening some thing critical I get a new bottle but I don't hesitate to use it when I just want a little extra assurance a fastener won't come loose.

Man right der got skillz.

 

[Jim C]

Ive personally not had any issues, but Im real anile & use loctite primer


https://www.grainger.com/product/LOCTITE-Primer-and-Activator-SF-7649-2VFK7

 

[OFC Ranger]

Real men use red loctite.

 

[Dgc333]

Surprised DCAS / DCMA was OK with that.

I never had issues with DCMA providing I had a technically sound explanation for what I was doing. It was the folks that just presented a USE-AS-IS nonconformance or REPAIR with out justification that had problems.

Over the years I presented quite a few procedures that DCMA approved as "standard repair" that allowed us to fix things with our presenting to them every time.

 

[Dgc333]

Really? They’re just place holders for someone to blame. Biggest bunch of idiots I have ever encountered…

Well I do not know what DCAS but DCAA was the financial audit group that was in our finance departments knickers. I never had to deal with them.

DCMAs job is to ensure that we were following all the provisions of the contract. Like any organization there are good folks and not so good folks. There is an escalation path if you feel one of the auditors is not being reasonable. We had to go that path a few times but overall they weren't bad to deal with. My experience is they were pretty well teflon coated and never were blamed for anything. Like most audit organizations their mantra is "just because we didn't find anything wrong doesn't mean there isn't something wrong".

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