How to Use Loctite Products on a Harley

Let's discuss an invaluable product to the Harley-Davidson rider, Loctite. Whether it be lubricants, silicone lubricants, Klean 'n Prime before you use their locking products, the Blue medium-strength Loctite, Red high-strength, the copper anti-seize product, their Teflon thread sealant, or the Silver anti-seize product, that are available in a tube or in stick form. Dielectric grease is invaluable for any electrical connections. Hi-Tack, you can use it on gasket surfaces when you don't have the pleasure of an alignment dowel. The penetrating oil, invaluable. Bolts, any component that's been introduced to the environment and allowed it to corrode, you need to use penetrating oil before you attempt to loosen them, so you don't break them off or strip the threads. Loctite's ViperLube, a full synthetic grease. It's invaluable, slide pins on calipers. Only one of the many uses. Again, when it comes to locking a bolt into place, there isn't a better way to do it than cleaning a bolt correctly, using Klean 'n Prime, allowing it to dry, making sure all the threads are clean. You could put on a light layer. Remember, you don't need a lot of the locking product. When you thread the bolt into its allocation, it will distribute evenly over the threads. The medium strength Blue, I prefer to use that on components that I'm going to service or be required to dissemble in the future. Derby covers. Brake caliper bolts. When it comes to the Red, the high strength, the same will apply. You wanna make sure the bolt is clean using Klean 'n Prime. You wanna make sure you put a light wipe across the thread surface. And as you thread the bolt into its allocation, it'll spread and distribute evenly throughout the threaded portion of the fastener. Red is a high strength, what I consider a permanent style locker. Only use that on something you don't plan on servicing, either regularly or in the very near future. For instance, rear pulley bolts. Front drive pulley retaining nuts. Those are things you're not gonna take off next week or even next year. You want them to stay in place. The standard bolt, whether it be course thread or fine thread, need some type of locking agent. If there's a nut on the other end, unless it's a Nyloc style nut with a plastic or nylon insert, you really should be using a locking agent. You need to make sure these fasteners stay tight, especially when you torque them correctly. You want them to stay put where they are. Let's take a look at a very common problem, and a very easy solution. Front foot pegs, on-engine guards, or on frame down tubes, even rear passenger, just foot pegs, not floorboards, have a tendency to come loose. Couple of reasons, they're always pushed down on, they're always pushed forward on. Nice, easy fix without over tightening a component or running the risk of stripping the thread into the mounting surface. Use Loctite. Clean the hardware good with Loctite Klean n' Prime. Again, this is an item that you may want to adjust in the future. So I recommend only using the Blue. With a nice clean bolt and a nice patch of thread locker, Loctite Blue, on the hardware, I can re-install it into its mount. I'll tighten it down. It's always good to refer to a particular manufacturer's recommendation for torque specs. But bear in mind, if you have one of their products that's been in use and it's been cause to wear accessibly due to misuse or miss-installation, always use your best judgment. Tighten it accordingly. Tighten it where you're confident that it's good and tight, and that it'll still operate correctly without coming loose or without breaking them out as you tighten it. Again, bear in mind, there's multiple points of mounting for one component. This particular foot peg assembly has three. So I'd highly recommend if you're having an issue or you're having trouble with one area, take the time, dissemble the entire component, clean it and Loctite all of the mounting surfaces. Make sure it's adjusted where you like it when you're riding and make sure that it operates properly.