Harbor Freight Threadlock equal Loctite brand?

[Sodo]

Has anyone done any testing between these two "competitors"? Loctite is $11, HF is $1.99.

Somebody must have bolted something down with Harbor Freight threadlock, then unscrewed after it's cured, and noted whether holds like Loctite. Right? :thumbsup:

Has anyone done any ACTUAL comparison? I'm at a stage where all my loctites are either empty or dried up; it's time to get more. It kinda p***es me off how you spend so much for Loctite and their bottles leak all over the shelf.

So do I spend $6 or $33?

 

[Jerry/MT]

I've used HF's brand medium strength and haven't had anything come undone

 

[Norm W]

In a pinch I've used Elmer's glue. I haven't had that come apart either.

 

[Djames55]

I know at one time it said made in the USA on the back of the bottle... I have not picked any up in a few years... But it has worked fine for my use... I have not tested it will the real Loctite brand... But you can't beat the price...

 

[oosik]

I have a 36 ml bottle of Permatex blue thread locker. Bought it eight years ago - around $24 dollars. I haven't used half of it yet - so at that rate of use its pretty inexpensive.

In a pinch I've used Gorilla glue & super glue - Gorilla glue is better. Once you break the nut - using super glue - you can unthread the nut the remainder of the way by hand. Gorilla glue - like Locktite - provides substantial "drag" even after the nut is broken loose.

 

[Sodo]

I've tightened more bolts than anybody can count with no locker at all and can usually tell by looking at the joint whether it needs a threadlocker. I'm still interested in a direct one-to-one comparison of the stuff, and thought someone here has tested them. You can tell when you loosen the bolt if the locker works the same.

Have employees who go buy a new $25 bottle every time they lose the old one or it runs out in the toolbox with the cap off. I don't get 16 years per bottle, its probably 1 year. Just curious about a more sensible perfume (you might call it) and less concerned about the brand. ........if I could get an assurance it performs. Agreed that almost anything on the threads can work, but for some items, people expect to see blue or red. Interesting note about the superglue!

 

[oosik]

I don't or can't differentiate between those bolts that do or don't need the "blue goo". I just use the stuff on them all. Mayhaps - part of the reason my bottle lasts so long - I keep it in the pantry, in the house where it doesn't get knocked down or ground around in my tool box. Like has been said - the stuff isn't cheap and does nobody any good spread all over the bottom of a toolbox.

 

[mcfarmall]

Like the smoked sausage industry, it's likely made by either Permatex or Loctite and simply packaged in a HF labeled bottle.

I used to work at an Eckrich smoked sausage factory. We'd make the stuff, run half an order through a packaging machine and after so many cases change the film from Eckrich to Swift or Armour and run the rest of the order out. All the same sausage, different name on the package.

 

[RickB]

I've tightened more bolts than anybody can count with no locker at all and can usually tell by looking at the joint whether it needs a threadlocker. I'm still interested in a direct one-to-one comparison of the stuff, and thought someone here has tested them. You can tell when you loosen the bolt if the locker works the same.

Have employees who go buy a new $25 bottle every time they lose the old one or it runs out in the toolbox with the cap off. I don't get 16 years per bottle, its probably 1 year. Just curious about a more sensible perfume (you might call it) and less concerned about the brand. ........if I could get an assurance it performs. Agreed that almost anything on the threads can work, but for some items, people expect to see blue or red. Interesting note about the superglue!

There is a user statement in post #2.

 

[PILOON]

Quote:
'We'd make the stuff, run half an order through a packaging machine and after so many cases change the film from Eckrich to Swift or Armour and run the rest of the order out. All the same sausage, different name on the package. '

That is the same with a lot of commodities, food included.
Often the Mass merchandiser negotiates the price to exclude the advertising and warranty content of a given brand name product and support that portion under their own budgets.
Basically it is win/win for both parties.
The one gets extra volume and the other gets private label.

Very common in food stuffs and also in the power tool industry (air and electric) Stanley and Dewalt are good examples.
MTD is another with snow blowers mowers etc.
Problem, however, with mechanical s and tools are always the minor variances in components and part number non cross reference.

Few years back a friend went to China on a buying trip and reported seeing air tools coming off of the line with brand name changes every 30 mins or so without any different component changes. (think SnapOn, Harbor freight, Sears, Mac, DeWalt, Stanley etc)