Loctite Threadlocker blue - removing

[jac]

I did a temporary repair last month to the sheave on my clew outhaul. The sheave has a threaded tube running through it as an axle, secured through the sail etc by a pair of M10 bolts. It is these bolts that are secured with Threadlocker.

One came undone easily as expected. The other is a different matter.

Given that the bolt is screwed into a round tube with a sheave around it, hidden inside a sail, getting a good grip is tricky.
Loctite website suggests heat if it gets stuck so thinking of using gas soldering iron on heat mode to provide this but a little concerned re collateral damage to the sheave / sail.

So anyone got any other suggestions for getting the damn thing undone.

 

[superheat6k]

I use Loctite products a lot in my business, because they really do hold. When we have to heat to remove the amount required is immense, and I would expect the sail would be long gone. Is there anyway you can clamp the sheave ?

 

[jac]

I use Loctite products a lot in my business, because they really do hold. When we have to heat to remove the amount required is immense, and I would expect the sail would be long gone. Is there anyway you can clamp the sheave ?

Gonna be really difficult. I can reach it with long nose pliers and get a grip on it but then can't hold it firmly enough to counteract the torque from a manual screwdriver! It's polished round metal so not the best thing to hold onto.

 

[Giblets]

Gonna be really difficult. I can reach it with long nose pliers and get a grip on it but then can't hold it firmly enough to counteract the torque from a manual screwdriver! It's polished round metal so not the best thing to hold onto.

Long nosed mole grips perhaps?

 

[jac]

Long nosed mole grips perhaps?

Might do - just ordered some so worth a try.

 

[macnorton]

I recall a product called Loctite remover, there is one for removing superglue if its not available any more. never used it but might be worth looking into?

 

[jac]

To finish this off - mole grips etc failed - despite being on as tight as I could manage they couldn't grip a polished round metal tube well enough to resist me on a screwdriver!

Finally got it undone using a lot of heat. My Gas soldering iron has removable tips allowing it ti used in heat torch mode ( I'm a sucker for marketing waffle) Applying this gave fairly localised directed heat. I held the tube in place using the mole grips and they got warm but not beyond holding and the metal surrounding the sheave was also warm but normal temp near the sail.

good tweak with screwdriver and off it came!.

 

[rotrax]

I am not suggesting this was the problem in your case, but during my time as a Classic Motorcycle Dealer our workshop had to deal with many instances such as you describe.

Many were caused by using too much locktite-only a spot is required.

One customer used far too much and the main bearings-large diameter ball and roller races which were very expensive-were siezed solid by the squeezed out excess.

Well done for fixing your problem.

 

[Adamastor]

I discovered heat as a cure after turning a Torx bit into scrap.
What worked for me was heat applied to the head of the bolt with a soldering iron. The heat from the soldering iron was enough to soften the glue. I discovered that about 80 degrees will do the trick.