Sta-lok swageless terminals

[sailorman]

From the horse's mouth: Sta-lok say, regarding filling the terminal with sealant:

"You are welcome to do either, Sta-lok has no defined answer. It really is down to the riggers preference.

But you are quite right about acid content. This will attack the stainless steel. Using a product with no acid will be fine."

Some (usually cheaper) silicone sealants release acetic acid as they cure ("acid curing"): they smell strongly of vinegar and should not be used. Other (usually more expensive) silicone sealants do not release any acid ("neutral curing") and are fine, as are polyurethane sealants such as Sikaflex.

I'm tempted to use sealant, especially given a previous post regarding failure due to water freezing in the terminal & expanding: sailing to Iceland & possibly Greenland next year so that might be an issue. Might even be an issue in the UK: winter's coming...

#8

 

[KellysEye]

>I've never used sealant in Sta-Lok fittings, and nothing's collapsed yet.

Ditto and I've never heard of them failing other than someone said a failure occurred with ice in the fitting, which I find a bit surprising. Given the very tiny amount of water that could get in the fitting I don't see how it could split a very strong stainless fitting. Or was it another problem blamed on ice. We've had ice conditions many times with boat in the UK with no problems.

 

[alahol2]

Took some staloks apart many years ago. Horrible inside with corroded cones and rusty wires etc. One of the 'shells' was split, no idea why. They had not been filled with sealant. Rigger took several away to put in his 'chamber of horrors'.
The whole lot were replaced with normal swaged rigging. I think if I used them again I would fill with sealant and check them fairly regularly.

 

[pvb]

I think if I used them again I would fill with sealant and check them fairly regularly.

How can you "check them" if they're stuffed full of sealant?

 

[alahol2]

You don't really need it explaining do you?

 

[pvb]

You don't really need it explaining do you?

Yes. If the wire is covered in gunge, how can you assess its condition?

 

[boguing]

I did a total rerig about 15 years ago and sealed with 24 hour epoxy. Nipped the fittings up to my (as mentioned - not specified torque, so I worked one out) less a bit. Disassembled and slathered in epoxy, and torqued up. I'm fairly sure that they will undo, because the degrease was only meths, but unravelling won't be too easy.

No way that water would get in though.