Red Threadlocker. How much trouble am I in?

jtiger12
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Forest H Ill, MD US
Edited Date/Time 7/11/2015 6:17pm
Let me first explain I am a computer guy who loves bikes and works on my own stuff. I'll be 40 next year, been doing this all my life. I've always used blue Threadlocker on my bikes when reassembling and the service manual called for it. During my last assembly, I ran out of Threadlocker and my wife's father (the garage I was working in) said he had some I could use. It was red threadlocker. I figured he's been a mechanic for 40 years, it should be fine. Well, last night I'm just scouring the Web and come across info about how strong red is, and that it's basically a permanent lock. Requires 100ft lbs of torque to remove in most cases, and can even cause smaller bolts (like the retaining plate bolts) to snap when trying to remove. Wtf do I do now? Is there some way to apply localized heat to these bolts and not the cases? Think a 1/8 drive impact would get them? They are all new bearings, but im sure ill have to replace the crank bearings again someday. I should have done my homework.
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7/11/2015 9:14am
An acetylene torch to heat the bolts to soften the glue, and theyll back out easy. Even if u have to heat the cases in the process, it only takes about one or two minutes of heat on those bolts to get that red loctite soft enough to release its bond. Youll be fine!
downard254
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Bremen, OH US
7/11/2015 10:25am
An acetylene torch to heat the bolts to soften the glue, and theyll back out easy. Even if u have to heat the cases in the...
An acetylene torch to heat the bolts to soften the glue, and theyll back out easy. Even if u have to heat the cases in the process, it only takes about one or two minutes of heat on those bolts to get that red loctite soft enough to release its bond. Youll be fine!
Yep, Ace is correct. Gotta heat that stuff up.
Kawisrok
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Grand Rhonde, OR US
7/11/2015 11:40am
Use a strong soldering gun and hold it on the bolt head for a few minutes, turns the threadlocker into liquid and it backs right off. It's what we do here at Toyota for pulling head bolts.
sostoked
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7/11/2015 11:46am
i put red on lots of stuff, never had an issue unless i drenched the bolt in it

The Shop

jtiger12
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Forest H Ill, MD US
7/11/2015 11:57am
Kawisrok wrote:
Use a strong soldering gun and hold it on the bolt head for a few minutes, turns the threadlocker into liquid and it backs right off...
Use a strong soldering gun and hold it on the bolt head for a few minutes, turns the threadlocker into liquid and it backs right off. It's what we do here at Toyota for pulling head bolts.
Thanks guys. This is exactly what I heard today. Soldering iron.

Disaster averted
Kawisrok
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Grand Rhonde, OR US
7/11/2015 12:47pm
Kawisrok wrote:
Use a strong soldering gun and hold it on the bolt head for a few minutes, turns the threadlocker into liquid and it backs right off...
Use a strong soldering gun and hold it on the bolt head for a few minutes, turns the threadlocker into liquid and it backs right off. It's what we do here at Toyota for pulling head bolts.
jtiger12 wrote:
Thanks guys. This is exactly what I heard today. Soldering iron.

Disaster averted
Yea no worries, but note I said soldering gun lol.... I use the big pistol grip style gun from Radio Shack or places like that. 1500 watts I believe, otherwise if you use just a standard soldering iron you will have to hold it on there much much longer, but it still works.
7/11/2015 2:28pm Edited Date/Time 7/11/2015 2:29pm
Went for a training class with a Loctite representative some 15 years ago, and he had a lot of interesting things to say about their different products. Previous posts are correct, use heat to get the thread lock nice and soft. It takes onlly 120 degrees C to completely loosen the bond, so don't overdo it. Oftentimes the problem isn't getting the Loctite soft, it's actually KNOWING it's there in the first place..! I have ripped many a bolt and stripped a lot of threads at work just because some dude decided to use green or red Loctite on a machine part and not leaving a note about it for us mechanics...
7/11/2015 6:17pm
One of the ktm manuals in the past apparently called for GREEN loctite on the linkage bolts- but a few folks mistakenly used the PERMANENT green loctite. In this case, permanent apparently literally means permanent. I remember a few posts where guys were having to cut their entire linkages off when it came time to grease them.

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