Using loctite on steering components

[Puch]

Maybe stupid rookie questions, but I recently installed new steersmart tie rod and draglink. Also, core track bar. It’s the second track bar that I installed. With the first one, I never had a problem with needing to re torque. It always stayed at the original torque spec without loctite. This is the first time I installed tie rod and draglink.
It doesn’t mention anything about using loctite on anything in the instructions. Only recommends check torque (70ft lbs) at 100miles and then every 3000.
Problem is the bolts seem to be loosening drastically after only 20-40 miles on everything. The new track bar (wheel end not frame end), as well as the drag link, and tie rod! are all loose, WTH!!!
I’ve retourqed a couple times already due to bad steering wheel shimmy. Not death wobble…yet. The steering is great for another 20-40miles and then goes to shit again. Am I losing my mind?
Common sense says use loctite, but why would the fasteners keep loosening so quickly? I can see having to re torque after a couple thousand, but 20-40 miles?
Anyone ever experience anything like that?
Would you guys use any loctite? Red or blue?

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[Camaroboi13]

Blue, if any, should work fine. My track bar has come loose twice in roughly 4K miles. I can hear it clunking when I turn the steering wheel from a dead stop. First time was axle side, last time was frame side. A little extra torque solved it so far, didn’t use any loctite. I did put it on my stabilizer though as it came with some and called for it.

 

[Rusty PW]

Only use the red lock tite if you never want to take it apart again. It's basically permanent. You have to use heat to break the bond.

 

[Gren71]

Only use the red lock tite if you never want to take it apart again. It's basically permanent. You have to use heat to break the bond.

All ive ever used is red and i just sorta hulk the bolts open if i need to…im
Hoping youre mixed up here because i truly thought the blue was the forever stuff..

 

[chorky]

All ive ever used is red and i just sorta hulk the bolts open if i need to…im
Hoping youre mixed up here because i truly thought the blue was the forever stuff..

Blue is the 'light' stuff, red is the 'forever' stuff. But it's far from forever. It kinda depends on how much you use. I use red all the time on small nuts/bolts for a lot of the stuff I'm putting in my truck bed. Just took off 4 bolts today that were soaking in red and it cam off easy enough. They were lock nuts also. I think the red stuff that is used at the manufacturer is significantly stronger than any red stuff you can get at the store.

I think there is another one I saw recently. It was yellow or orange maybe? I think it had teflon or graphite or something mixed into it too. Not sure what that would be for.

 

[Rusty PW]

A lot of manufacturers use is triple boiled leadseed oil. It acts as a lubricant. After it dried. It's a bitch to remove the bolts. Also used as a sealant on gas turbine split lines.

 

[Rusty PW]

All ive ever used is red and i just sorta hulk the bolts open if i need to…im
Hoping youre mixed up here because i truly thought the blue was the forever stuff..

Blue is mild. Red is what they called permanent.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Blue is mild. Red is what they called permanent.

That's all I ever use - red - on critical parts.
I can attest that without heat, that red is forever. (broken body bolt as proof)

Maybe stupid rookie questions, but I recently installed new steersmart tie rod and draglink. Also, core track bar. It’s the second track bar that I installed. With the first one, I never had a problem with needing to re torque. It always stayed at the original torque spec without loctite. This is the first time I installed tie rod and draglink.
It doesn’t mention anything about using loctite on anything in the instructions. Only recommends check torque (70ft lbs) at 100miles and then every 3000.
Problem is the bolts seem to be loosening drastically after only 20-40 miles on everything. The new track bar (wheel end not frame end), as well as the drag link, and tie rod! are all loose, WTH!!!
I’ve retourqed a couple times already due to bad steering wheel shimmy. Not death wobble…yet. The steering is great for another 20-40miles and then goes to shit again. Am I losing my mind?
Common sense says use loctite, but why would the fasteners keep loosening so quickly? I can see having to re torque after a couple thousand, but 20-40 miles?
Anyone ever experience anything like that?
Would you guys use any loctite? Red or blue?

Where did you get 70 lb/ft for a spec?

Here's the original specs from Jeep -

It would seem to me that by the time you hit 30 then added 125 degrees, you'd be over 70.
These are torque plus angle.
Of course, they may be supplying different bolts, but still......

 

[chorky]

That's all I ever use - red - on critical parts.
I can attest that without heat, that red is forever. (broken body bolt as proof)



Where did you get 70 lb/ft for a spec?

Here's the original specs from Jeep -

It would seem to me that by the time you hit 30 then added 125 degrees, you'd be over 70.
These are torque plus angle.
Of course, they may be supplying different bolts, but still......

gues i got that old man strength then. I break loose red locktite all the time.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

gues i got that old man strength then. I break loose red locktite all the time.

Please don't try it on body bolts.

 

[chorky]

Please don't try it on body bolts.

I never would...especially after seeing what you have gone through. That little tool you picked up to heat them is awesome. Probably on my list of things to get now.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I never would...especially after seeing what you have gone through. That little tool you picked up to heat them is awesome. Probably on my list of things to get now.

I have used it 3 times on other stuff since I bought it.
Gear box on my JD mower deck blew and I had to move the pulley and drive shaft piece to the new gear box. Pulley was a tapered shaft and really tight. Heated it and popped it off. Same for the drive shaft coupler - it was semi-pressed, stuck with age. Heated it, pulled it off. Also used it on a very rusty stuck alternator pulley.

 

[Puch]

That's all I ever use - red - on critical parts.
I can attest that without heat, that red is forever. (broken body bolt as proof)



Where did you get 70 lb/ft for

Here's the original specs from Jeep -

It would seem to me that by the time you hit 30 then added 125 degrees, you'd be over 70.
These are torque plus angle.
Of course, they may be supplying different bolts, but still......

Steersmart recommends 70ft lbs.

 

[bleda2002]

Id toss a little blue, or orange(it's medium strength basically) on it and call it a day.

I also have hulked loose red plenty of times but it sure is a real bitch. Only do it when I am worried about applying heat due to nearby stuff, if not I break out the torch and go for it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Steersmart recommends 70ft lbs.

There's a reason Jeep has the values they do.
If the replacement parts are of the same size and class bolt (for example - the original bolt is 10.9 and the replacement is also the same size and 10.9 class) I'd use Jeep's torques.
In the case of nuts - Jeep is saying to not re-use because they have locking compound in the threads. Pitman, tie rod, drag link, etc. - factory nuts have locking compound and/or are lock nuts and not to be re-used, or should have adequate locking compound re-applied.
For the bolts, some can be re-used, some should not be re-used. I'd always use the Jeep specs on bolts.
Tapered joints must be pulled together with adequate force to hold, and bolted joints rely on clamping force. If the bolts are different (flange bolt compared to non-flange bolt) the forces will be different. I never use a straight nut or bolt where flange nuts or bolts have been used.
Jeep's had issues, and experience trying to keep things tight.
But that's me and how I've always done rebuilds over the years.

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