When to use loctite and when to use antiseize?

Hi there!

I was watching a video from this channel called ChrisFix on Youtube where the guy was replacing a wheel hub. At some point he was using a blue paste called Loctite.

Some of you already know that I was replacing my control arms (incorrect part), inner and outer tie rods, strut mount. When I was trying to replace the inner tie rod, I had to remove the outer tie rod first in order to get the tool I rented in autozone to remove the inner tie rod.

The bolt that you use to keep the alignment was stuck and it was a pain to remove. I used penetrating fluid + torch for about an hour. I was about to cry! LOL. I asked my landlord to lend me his plumber wrenches in order to get that thing to turn.

I saw rust in almost every bolt, and I didn’t wanted to go through the same thing again! so I used anti seized in every bolt! I am now worried that I might be using anti seize in the wrong places.

Can someone help me understand the use of both?

Anti-seize when you need to remove it later. Loctite when you don’t want it to vibrate loose. I’d say you probably don’t want suspension parts vibrating loose.

Can you give me some specific examples? You want to remove stuff eventually, when they are worn. I used anti seize in every bolt.

I am going to take out everything apart again when my control arms arrive. Can you clean bolts with anti seize with brake cleaner?

You rarely take apart the suspension, use loctite. Anti-seize is used for things like spark plugs.

Loctite comes in different strengths, Red is the strongest, then Blue is next. There are others for specialized situations, but these two are the most common. Red is permanent and requires high heat to break it down. Blue can be overcome with hand tools. I’d say to avoid Red until you really know what you are doing. On suspension parts when you are finishing a job, use blue. Like others said, antiseize is for things that you might unscrew occasionally and that have to come out fairly easily.

Locktite is a family of adhesives. Never use it on parts you want to take apart again, like spark plugs, wheel nuts, or brake system bolts.

Loctite is a brand, isn’t it? They make all kinds of different adhesives.

I have a short Loctite story. I bought my wife an LG washer and dryer set a couple of years ago. I picked them up in my trusty Dakota 4X4 pickup and installed them as soon as I got home. The dryer has worked flawlessly but the washer started making noise after of couple of months. It went in for warranty work and was returned. Same story 2 months later. When the same thing happened a few weeks later…I downloaded the repair manual and went to work. It seems that the bolt on the back of the drum was working loose and destroying the hub on the back of the drum. I added Loctite to the bolt and to the new hub splines and it’s been working great for over 18 months. I have an appliance friend of mine who says that I should never have done that but since it works…he has done the same for a few troublesome front load washers. My Dakota is still running great.

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For the vast majority of threaded connections that need to be semi-permanently locked and protected from rust I have for years used gasket shellac

If/when I need to go back months or years later the connection is still intact but easily broken loose.

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That bolt might be there forever. For future reference, we use flexible adhesives like polyurethanes at work when we want to stake a fastener that we want to remove later.

Out of curiosity, was there a lock washer on the bolt? did you consider adding one?

Whenever I encounter a nut/bolt combination that loosens more than once, my first fix is to use lock nuts and lock washers, rather than an adhesive chemical.

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I have to admit I once used elmer’s glue for “locktite” and it worked. It was just a machine screw, part of a very old elevator door, not critical, but it kept loosening up.

Loctite is usually used on fasteners where access is difficult and where you don’t want them to come loose.

For example, flywheel/flex plate to crankshaft fasteners. Clutch pressure plate to flywheel fasteners. Torque converter to flex plate fasteners.

Anti-seize is usually used where fasteners/surfaces are subjected to corrosion and require removal to perform other services.

For example, alloy wheels to steel hub flanges. Some suspension/steering fasteners. Some spark plug applications.

You usually know when you should apply an anti-seize is, when removing a component is difficult because of corrosion.

Tester

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I use blue Loctite or the equivalent product on every suspension bolt I ever remove before it goes back on whether it has a lock washer (hate 'em!) or metal locking nuts. Not nylocks. Same for caliper mounting bolts or any bolt in a tapped hole. Really, anything I don’t want to come apart. Blue Loctite does a good job preventing corrosion on threads. Used Loctite Blue on all chassis bolts on all my racecars. Those fasteners stayed tight! Loctite red is for critical engine parts like rod bolts or flywheel bolts. Since I put 'em in, I know to heat 'em up before removing.

The stuff that comes apart often, like wheel studs ( a little dab’l do ya!) gets anti-seize. Anti-seize is good on bolt shanks exposed to road splash.

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If I find any kind of lubricant on the wheel studs/lug nuts where it requires removing of the tire? I tell the owner of the vehicle to bring it back to the idiots that put that stuff on there.

Because I won’t touch it.

Tester

It is OK for you to do that. I respectfully disagree. Much like oil discussions, this issue can cause a LOT of arguments!

I’ve been using anti-seize on my wheel studs and wheel bolts for 40 years without a problem. Never on the contacting portion of the lug nut or wheel since that provides the friction to keep them from loosening as well as the tightening torque I read on the torque wrench. I’ve never snapped or necked a stud, nor have I ever had one seize up. I’ll stand on that track record.

Since I’ve been an automotive engineer and discussed this with fastener experts from car companies who agree with what I do, I’ll keep doing it.

If you’ve long had success with dry studs, I’m sure you’ll continue with that, too.

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It’s fine if you do that to your own vehicle.

Because if the lug studs fail from being over-torqued over time, and a wheel falls off, you can blame yourself.

But when repairing other peoples vehicles, you follow the factory specs when it comes to repair.

And in the fifty years I’ve been repairing vehicles, every manufacturer calls for a DRY torque spec of the lug nuts.

Ever seen lube on the lug nuts on a new vehicle?

Tester

Our fleet recently had a “trainer” in which we were instructed, as to how to properly torque lug nuts

And the guy running the class. made it crystal clear that anti-seize has no business on the studs

I won’t bother listing the reasons, as I’m sure you’ve heard them before

But I’m glad it’s worked out well for you

That said, I have seen some guys use anti-seize on the lugs and NOT get away with it

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Factories hate grease, lube, oil of any kind on anything as it tends to get on hands and clothing that get dragged through the interiors. And that includes thread lockers - they use the dry kind already applied to the bolts - brakes usually.

As for wheels falling off, that hasn’t happened either, at least not from a broken stud.