Loctite

[Richard]

When weather cleans up, I'm going to remove/rebuild my steering cylinder. Looking at directions, it calls for the bolt that holds the piston on to be coated with Loctite 262 and preconditioned with, well, I'm not sure exactly what they call it. I think the JCB instructions call it "Activator "N"" and Loctite might call it a primer...

I'm waiting on an email from them (Loctite) to verify if these are a correct combo or if they've been replaced.

As I gather, pull bolt out, fix piston. Clean bolt, coat with activator, wait, apply 262 and assemble per instructions....let sit (for I think an hour if you use "N")

anyone familiar with the 262 and "N" items?

Went to four auto stores today. Nobody heard of it, not on their shelves. One guy at NAPA said it wasn't in any of their stores. There wasn't even a home for it on their display.

Got me wondering if this is something that might be a bit more heavy duty than an automobile might use, hence the auto parts stores don't carry it??

Right now I'm trying to find it and think I have at Amazon. In fact, it looks like I've found a .5 ML "bottle" so I can use it and toss balance away without having to pay for more than I need. (bolt is only something like 5/8" x two or three inches.....I've not yet removed it so not sure)

Does the activator stuff go bad if it sits on shelf for 2 years or more??

 

[ericm979]

Loctite makes hundreds of locking compounds. A bearing supply store should be able to get you whatever you want though I just go to Amazon too.

262 is what I used to call nuclear strength Loctite. I used it in motorcycle race engines for things that I did not want to come loose ever. It requires heat to loosen. When you need a threaded fastener to Stay Put, it is the thing to use.

Loctite seems to have a long shelf life. The primer/activator should too.

I clean the parts with carb cleaner and then use acetone to get the residue off and ensure it's really clean. It makes a big difference.

 

[mini14]

I store my loctite in refrigerator. I get bottles of 262 for free from a friend who works in aviation. Its labeled and dated when purchased by them and is given to me if not used up in 1yr.262is red loctite. Heat needed to remove. Like Eric said. Just clean the threads and apply the loctite no need to over think

 

[Stimw]

Brake Clean is an easy to use cleaner for parts also.

 

[mcfarmall]

Seems to me there were two Loctite branded primers for use with certain Loctite products. There was Primer T and Primer N and both came in a small aerosol can. We would degrease both parts with LPS Super Cleaner then spray with the primer, apply the product and then assemble. Typically it would say right on the bottle which primer to use.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Locktite is too expensive for me. To get the same result I just use Nail Polish. Of course I have a wife and (4) daughters so there is plenty around, and it keeps bolts and nuts from rattling apart. You can buy it at the dollar stores for $1 a bottle.

 

[ericm979]

Nail polish does work to some extent. I have used it as a low strength thread locker on small fasteners.

But for something like the OP is doing, I would not use it. The fact that the manufacturer specified the Loctite to use and the primer indicates that. Buying the right Loctite and primer might cost $25 or so. Which is a lot cheaper than replacing the steering cylinder.