To use or not to use.... that is the question....The answer is quite easy..... YES... use Loctite. But why....
My first experience in learning to use Loctite, came through practical exercises. A buddy of mine was flying his Quadra 35 in his beloved Fokker tri-plane. At about 1oo feet in front of a lot spectators the engine seemed to shift from its firewall location.
My buddy quickly shut the engine down and luckily landed the plane... though you really don't land Fokkers, you try to tip them over at low speed.....
The post mortem revealed that 3 of the engine mount bolts had vibrated off, and the fourth bolt was ready to depart.
Right there and then, it became clear that using Loctite was an imperative to good assembly practices.
Our gas engined planes experience a great amount of vibration. No matter how smooth you think your engine is performing at, vibration still exists, and it can be insiduous and it can be dangerous.
Anywhere you have metal to metal contact on your aircraft, a drop of Loctite is your best preventative measure. In conjunction with your usual and regular airframe checks, Loctite can save your day, by ensuring your connections stay and remain tight.
Is there somewhere that Loctite should NOT be used? Unfortunately... as much as like the product and use it religiously, there are areas NOT to put those insurance drops.
I do not apply Loctite to bolts that attach the propeller, especially if the props are made of wood. Wood props do compress and over time this may cause the bolts to loosen. By using Loctite the bolts will remain firmly seated even though the prop is moving within your bolts. No good....
Regular checks of Prop mounting bolts will ensure all is well and good..... Story time.
Prior to the above.... I did use Loctite on my prop bolts. LOTS of Loctite.... I used the good stuff too.. the RED Loctite... That prop was not moving for love or money....
I forgot that props break if you land poorly.... silly me..... Well it happened... My landing was not a graceful affair. No problem I thought... I will take the bolts off.. replace the prop and I will be flying in about 10 minutes.
Oh Oh....These prop bolts would not move... no how.. no way.... I broke the heads off 2 of them before declaring defeat. It took me hours .... plus applied heat that almost melted the washers and prop hub. Lesson learned well... so read on...
BUT WAIT... there is more.
If you go to your favorite hardware store, you will notice several grades (or colors) of Loctite. The natural choice is to use Loctite RED..... Resist this urge........ you must resist this urge....
Loctite is an excellent product that does exactly what it designed to do. Lock nuts and bolts in place. By using the wrong grade (color) can make your day a cussed filled affair.
The article on the ZRCGF web site link above, will provide you with all the information needed to make the right decision for the right product.
Using Loctite is a smart, preventative maintenance move for all of us modelers. A little bottle will last a LONG time, and it will save your model by working in the background to prevent loosened nuts and bolts from converting your flying time... into rebuilding time
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