Loctite - how to take off?

Heat. Loctite is amazingly resistant to solvents once cured.

It depends on *which* Loctite. There are some designed to release with not too much wrench force. There are others which won't release before the flats round off. For those -- you want to apply heat

-- a propane torch works well. Put the torch on the nut for a while (if it is a nut which won't move), or on the head of the bolt (walking the torch to the surrounding metal) for a little while, then try the wrench, go back to the torch, repeat. When you hit the right temperature, it will turn out smoothly -- as though lubricated with grease. (This was my experience with a pull stud in a CAT-V 40 taper mill tool holder.)

Of course -- make sure that there is nothing on there which will be harmed by the heat. I'm not sure what the temperature is at which it releases, but you should be able to find it on Loctite's web page.

Good Luck, DoN.

Super glue is a cyanoacrylate. It hardens by absorption of moisture from the surfaces. Since the late 70s, when people were being blinded by it, it has been intentionally formulated to have some water solubility. Water alone over time will dissolve it. Loctite is an anaerobic. It hardens in the absence of air. As others have pointed out, it has a high degree of solvent resistance. Arnold will be Governor by the time it even starts to soften. Also, heat works good but it works best when loosened while still hot. You may not even need to heat it depending on the loctite type, the size of the fastener, the amount applied, the use of primers, and the activity of the surface (metal type). For instance a small amount of loctite 222 on a large unprimed stainless steel fastener will barely provide any prevailing torque. While loctite 272, 270 or 620 on a brass fastener will require several hundred degrees to burn out the loctite and it still may not budge.

Hi Martin,

I did mold repair of plastic injection, zinc, and lead molds for awhile, once. We used RED Loctite. We loosened threaded items using an oxy/acetylene brazing tip. I think it releases around 400 degrees F. but maybe it is higher. It takes a lot of heat usually. Probably release heat temp of Red is on GOOGLE somewhere.

As to acetone working on releasing stuck fingers permanently stuck to my palm using Crazy Glue >>> been there, done that! Use liberaly and it works very well, but DON'T use around open flame. I had a tube of glue leak while I was using it. Why a surgeon would use "delicate" surgery is beyond me---these guys are supposed to be highly educated! Of course liberal use of acetone on private parts might just be an attention getter!! When I use that stuff (glue) I now always have a can of acetone close by.

Alan =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D re:

Loctite - how to take off? Group: rec.crafts.metalworking Date: Wed, Aug 20, 2003, 1:14pm (EDT-3) From: snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Martin=A0Lynch) I have to replace a bolt that was threaded and then sealed with either Loctite or some other type of sealant. Is there a special compound that I should spray on the bolt to loosen the loctite before I take the bolt out, or should I be able to jerk it loose from simply torquing it real hard? Thanks

Loctite will sell you a 4 oz bottle of nitr-methane solvent for use on Loctite products. Used to be about 12.00 . A speed shop will probably give you a few ounces. It works a little better than acetone. Ken

There are three main types of Locktite that I know of: Blue, Red, and Green. Blue is by far the most common, and is designed to only require torque to break the bond. Red is designed for heat to break the bond, and I don't know about Green (but it is rarely used).

What about blew.

Read loctite will losen at 450 deg.f

Requires dynamite...

Tim

-- In the immortal words of Ned Flanders: "No foot longs!" Website @

i could not get the bolts off a brake caliper on a 83 mustang.... it seems that there was some blue locktite from Ford on it... broke three bits before it used the propane torch to let iot loose... then used a tap and die set to clean the old stuff out before putting the bolt back in....