Loc-tite versus anti-sieze
 

With all the advice being thrown around here about reinstalling things and using either loctite or anti-sieze, when is it appropriate to use which? Unless i'm mistaken, they serve opposite purposes. anti-sieze is to make sure bolts dont get stuck by rust or anything, and the loctite is to make sure nuts dont come loose. so when do you us what? i thought of this when thinking about replacing my u-bolts to my rear leafs. theyre exposed to moisture a lot and i could see them getting rusted (so that would mean anti-sieze) yet on a part like that, i dont want it to be able to come loose (so that would mean loctite). so which one do you use and where? i can only imagine that any bolt you want to be able to torque down but dont want frozen is an important bolt, so you also dont want it coming loose...

Good question. I use lock tight on everything, seat mounts, drive line. I use the blue one and have never tried the red stuff. I also have never used anti seize.

do you ever have trouble getting things back off? i'd like to be able to detach my axle from my leafs at SOME point, i don't want them to basically be welded together

IMHO, they serve similar purposes different ways. Even grease will work, but it won't hold up as well as the other two. They both act as an interface between the female and male portions of the threads. Loctite is an anaerobic adhesive (it cures in the ABSENCE of oxygen). Antiseize is a galvanic barrier (metal particles suspended in a carrier material).

Loctite will have an advantage in vibration situations since the nut is essentially glued in place. Antiseize will have the advantage in high temperature situations (especially the copper flake stuff). It is easier and more cost effective to get a large amount of antiseize on the bolt (ensuring complete coverage) than Loctite.

They will both act as a lubricant while tightening the bolts allowing you to get the proper amount of stretch in the bolt to ensure a tight connection.

Blue loctite is removable.

Red is not. (Well, not without A LOT of work)

Ya, as Tc said, I use the blue loctite which is removable. It basicly just keeps the nut from vibrating off. I am scared of the red, because I want to be able to get everything apart at some point with out busting my knuckles.

Loc-Tite is to prevent a fastener from loosening due to vibrations...blue is medium strength and red is high. Neither are permanent or unremovable...red just takes more swearing. :hillbill:

:google: will tell you lots about loc-tite and anti-seize

:guitar:

i would use a nylock nut instead of either of those. especially for suspension. they don't readily come out but in a pinch you can melt the nylon with a lighter or small torch if you need to get em off. also if you achieve the proper torque spec, you shouldn't need anything but a regular nut. loc tite is good for drivelines. especially half-round u-joints. anti seize is good for exhaust, and anything going through a bushing, be it rubber or metal.

Blue loctite is removeable easily with an air wrench.
Red loctite is removeable but heat [ torch ] works wonders.

Anti seize is to keep rust at bay, or steel bolts from seizing in aluminum housings, to keep road salt or de-icer from welding the bolt and nut together.

I use anti seize on every bolt/nut that I remove and reinstall on the vehicle, especially the undercarriage.

Anyone living in the snowbelt where salt/deicer is used on the roads, needs to use antiseize when their working under their rig.

Exactly. Per Loctite's website:

Blue: Can be removed with hand tools
Red: Apply heat to remove
Green: Apply heat to remove

Although Loctite says blue can be removed with hand tools, it has been my experience that it is more sensitive to impact, thus making it easier to remove with impact tools or quick jarring.