Thread lock in wet

Halo

Well-known member
Joined
10 Nov 2009
Messages
1,906
Location
Wetherby
Visit site
I am going to get her pressure washed next week and want to change the prop anode. This needs thread lock. I only have 2 hours out of the water. Does anyone know if blue loctite washes out or another way of sorting the problem without buying an original anode with a pre prepared coated bolt ?
 

R.Ems

Active member
Joined
1 Apr 2022
Messages
356
Visit site
I am going to get her pressure washed next week and want to change the prop anode. This needs thread lock. I only have 2 hours out of the water. Does anyone know if blue loctite washes out or another way of sorting the problem without buying an original anode with a pre prepared coated bolt ?
The thread lock will be fine, it just likes well-tightened nuts which make it set quickly enough by squeezing out the air, rain etc. Warming up the fittings couldn't do any harm though, to give you a bit of extra peace of mind.
You will need heat to get the fastenings to undo anyway.
Loctite etc is cheap, you don't need to use a tiny drop, there is no reason to be economical...slap it on!
 

fredrussell

Well-known member
Joined
24 Mar 2015
Messages
3,292
Visit site
Loctite sell an accelerator spray to speed up the ‘drying’ time. I emailed their parent company a few years back to ask if their loctite products would go off under water - I needed to lock a bolt on a Kiwiprop- and they said no, it’s not designed to cure fully underwater. That said, there’s plenty of reports of it curing underwater - Neeves of this parish reports it working well on anchor shackle pins in just this way. I wouldn’t trust it ‘water cured’ for a critical application such as my prop, but for an anode I’d say it’ll be fine.
 

vyv_cox

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
25,516
Location
France, sailing Aegean Sea.
coxeng.co.uk
On deck it sets very rapidly by exclusion of air, it is a form of superglue. Once set it does not deteriorate under water. Before I began using it on anchor shackles and fittings I tested it using a torque wrench.
 

Neeves

Well-known member
Joined
20 Nov 2011
Messages
12,436
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Visit site
Loctite sets under water without any loss of strength. It actually needs water to set.

Adhesives Test - Practical Sailor

I actually used blue Loctite on prop fittings underwater. My wife loaded the components with the Loctite and I carefully inserted them under water - set like concrete.

If you want to release, whatever, do not use red Loctite - you will need heat to release it.

Jonathan
 

superheat6k

Well-known member
Joined
10 Jan 2012
Messages
6,715
Location
South Coast
Visit site
For medium strength 242 or 243 both blue, where 243 is slightly oil tolerant. For high strength 270 green, but do not use too much of any of these if you might want to undo the fitting in the future. For threads which need a seal 577 really is the best thing since sliced bread.

All work by anaerobic action - i.e. they set once the oxygen is removed and the set is very quick.
 

Neeves

Well-known member
Joined
20 Nov 2011
Messages
12,436
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Visit site
For medium strength 242 or 243 both blue, where 243 is slightly oil tolerant. For high strength 270 green, but do not use too much of any of these if you might want to undo the fitting in the future. For threads which need a seal 577 really is the best thing since sliced bread.

All work by anaerobic action - i.e. they set once the oxygen is removed and the set is very quick.

I once used red Loctite on a long thread. I have 2 x long adjustable spanners.maybe 500mm each - I could not break the thread. Easy once you use heat - but often you do not have heat. Be careful what you choose. I suspect if you used red on a small say 5mm Alan keyed bolt you would breaker the key before the thread released.

I've never used green.

Jonathan
 

William_H

Well-known member
Joined
28 Jul 2003
Messages
13,749
Location
West Australia
Visit site
Bit of fred drift but I have winches on cabin top. Quite small single speed witha bolt down the middle to hold them together. Bolt keeps coming loose. Can I use super glue on thread? Will I ever get it loose again? Can't imagine how I could get heat inside to release glue. Should I try to find loctite locally? ol'will
 

Neeves

Well-known member
Joined
20 Nov 2011
Messages
12,436
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Visit site
Bit of fred drift but I have winches on cabin top. Quite small single speed witha bolt down the middle to hold them together. Bolt keeps coming loose. Can I use super glue on thread? Will I ever get it loose again? Can't imagine how I could get heat inside to release glue. Should I try to find loctite locally? ol'will

Bunnings sell Loctite usually only a few formulations like 2 or 3. Just stick with blue.

If you are colour blind :) - heat the head of the bolt.

Jonathan
 

superheat6k

Well-known member
Joined
10 Jan 2012
Messages
6,715
Location
South Coast
Visit site
Bit of fred drift but I have winches on cabin top. Quite small single speed witha bolt down the middle to hold them together. Bolt keeps coming loose. Can I use super glue on thread? Will I ever get it loose again? Can't imagine how I could get heat inside to release glue. Should I try to find loctite locally? ol'will
For that application I would use 242 or 243 and only a small amount. If it still comes loose then a small amount more. NOT 270.
 

Portofino

Well-known member
Joined
10 Apr 2011
Messages
12,208
Location
Boat- Western Med
Visit site
Something new here , the white wax paste stuffed into where the prop anode bolts goes .Any one any idea what it is ?
Yard have done it , what ever it is ?
It still there after 10 hrs btw .
5B92F5CE-3D16-4D7F-A9D1-6E7B9A448BA8.jpeg

The port one used to loosen even with loctite 243 blue .I used to tighten it up mid season .
The props spin outwards so the port turn anti-clockwise = loosens as it erodes .

Guessing (actually hoping ) the white wax is something to prevent the anode bolt loosening ……..or what ?
 
Top