LocTite on seat bolts?

I use blue Loctite all the time with reliable results, but there has been a time or two when I was backing smaller screws out that I was worried I might twist something off.

The seat bolts thread into basically a little helicoil in the plastic seat base, and it worries me that if the Loctite is a little tight it might back the insert out causing me a big head ache. Since I have my seat on and off a lot, I find the whole design a little cheesy, and prone to failure. Has anyone had any problems with this, or come up with any better ideas?

Never used loctite on seat bolts. Never lost seat bolt.

loctite has good stuff...and a range of products for about any size/type fastener.
For loctite...I forget the details...but, purple is for small diameter fasteners...blue for medium size...and red for large diameter...yada yada.
Problem for me , is the stuff ain't cheap.

Being in the hvac trade for a while, has lead me to "leak lock" as my, go to, thread sealant/ gasket maker. Both because it works well and is priced reasonably.

http://www.highsidechem.com/pdfs/leaklock.pdf

I usually stock a few small tubes , for over 20 yrs now...multipurpose at it's best.

Buy some thumb screws of your choice at McMaster's. I can take my seat off in 30 seconds w/o any tools.

Never a problem.

I welded up 4 of these. 2 for my seat and 2 for my side panals. Works so much better then messing around with a allen wrench. No problems with them coming loose. Alan

gatorfan wrote:

Never a problem.

Never a problem with using Loctite or Never a problem with properly tightened bolts vibrating out??

Kansas Bob wrote:

gatorfan wrote:

Never a problem.

Never a problem with using Loctite or Never a problem with properly tightened bolts vibrating out??

Never a problem with properly tightened vibrating out. Mind, it's not rocky down here, it's sandy.

>"Never a problem with properly tightened bolts vibrating out"

Check, no worries. I think the seat base made of plastic helps keep the bolts in place.

mucker wrote:

loctite has good stuff...and a range of products for about any size/type fastener.
For loctite...I forget the details...but, purple is for small diameter fasteners...blue for medium size...and red for large diameter...yada yada.
Problem for me , is the stuff ain't cheap.

Being in the hvac trade for a while, has lead me to "leak lock" as my, go to, thread sealant/ gasket maker. Both because it works well and is priced reasonably.

http://www.highsidechem.com/pdfs/leaklock.pdf

I usually stock a few small tubes , for over 20 yrs now...multipurpose at it's best.

Loctite (thread locker) has two flavors for machine thread locking:

Blue, which is medium strength...parts are still easily taken apart after application

Red, which is extra strength and is not intended for threads that routinely are loosened...requires heat to loosen. Use this with caution!

Leak Loc is primarily a pipe joint compound and although may work somewhat as a machine thread locker probably works as well as clear finger nail polish (what we used to use back in the day)

Drill bolts and safety-wire.

Winning

motokid wrote:

Drill bolts and safety-wire.

Winning

The topic is in reference to seat bolts...

Still alive!

This topic came up on a recent post of the ADV Mega Thread, and was discussed with a good exchange of ideas.

The discussion started with a rider who put blue loc-tite on his seat bolts to keep them from falling out. The loc-tite caused the little steel heli-coil to strip out in the plastic seat base and ruined the whole thing. From that I decided blue loc-tite was a bad choice which was what my experience told me to start with. It was also pointed out that someone had stripped the heli-coil out of the plastic seat base by tightening one too tight as well.

The true fix for the problem centered around "safety wire" between the bolt heads. The stock bolts can be drilled for safety wire as motokid suggested and would be the cheapest fix but to make the whole system easier several people posted photos of their home made "wing bolts." Wing bolts would be easier to drill for safety wire, and make removal easier. I saw one photo from someone who found big plastic wing bolts with the proper thread at the hardware store and they looked like the hot ticket to me but I haven't had time to look for them at my local store.

I plan to either make or purchase wing bolts, drill a hole in each wing, and run a piece of tie wire between them. If I need to remove the seat in the field I'll just trash the tie wire and keep an eye on the bolts until the end of the ride. I'll wire them back up again before heading out on my next ride.

Kansas Bob wrote:

Has anyone ... come up with any better ideas?

DragonNester wrote:

The topic is in reference to seat bolts...

Any time I have a bolt/nut that I don't want coming loose I just tighten it up, then apply a small dab of clear silicone. Half on the head and half beside it. Even if it loosens up, it won't come out.

I lost both of my seat bolts shortly after rolling the bike off of the showroom floor. I put in new ones with some lock washers, 11,000 miles later they are still there.

I've lost the bolt 2-3 times, I keep replacing them. By chance nothing went wrong like the post I saw with the guy who made a hole in is engine !
Need to work something for this season !

motokid wrote:

Drill bolts and safety-wire.

Winning

I like this idea! just read the post from a noob about seat bolt falling onto chain and going through case. will send link.

Upon further inspection... The seat bolt had worked its way loose. The seat bolt fell down and somehow managed to ride my chain like a magic carpet. The magic carpet ride ended just in front of the front sprocket. The seat bolt was driven into my motor cover/block. Needless to say, I found the source of the oil. There is a hole in the "cover" as well as a hefty crack in what I will call the "block."

I'm sure everyone has been on pins and needles wondering what I ended up doing........................

Here is my first attempt. I can actually re use the ty-rap a couple of times if I cut it off right next to the head. I'm still thinking about something to secure them that can be removed without tools and re attached. Rubber bands made from bicycle inner tubes maybe??

Kansas Bob wrote:

I'm sure everyone has been on pins and needles wondering what I ended up doing........................

Here is my first attempt. I can actually re use the ty-rap a couple of times if I cut it off right next to the head. I'm still thinking about something to secure them that can be removed without tools and re attached. Rubber bands made from bicycle inner tubes maybe??

Looks great, and toolless, I like it....well 'cept for cutting a tiewrap.

Anyone know the thread size off the top of your head? I just lost my bolts yesterday - hadn't loc-tited them although I usually do and was running a new Sargent seat which might have different "action" - was a whole day of washboard ruts so in retrospect not that surprising. I don't want to take the seat to the hardware store to try fitment, especially as I'd rather get some kind of wing bolt. which is unlikely to be found locally.

Of course, a part lumber/link for an online supplier of same would be perfection!

[Never mind - found the necessary info in another thread.]

I do plan on loc-titing and putting a safety wire/ziptie on the Sargent though. Also shook out a bolt from the chain guard, but that's an easy replacement (and a plain oversight from when I was doing winter maintenance) As a rule, I try to loc-tite everything I can and the spare tube I carry with me is probably the most lent out thing I carry (maybe tied with spare disposable ear plugs)

dulinor wrote:

Anyone know the thread size off the top of your head? I just lost my bolts yesterday - hadn't loc-tited them although I usually do and was running a new Sargent seat which might have different "action" - was a whole day of washboard ruts so in retrospect not that surprising. I don't want to take the seat to the hardware store to try fitment, especially as I'd rather get some kind of wing bolt. which is unlikely to be found locally.

Of course, a part lumber/link for an online supplier of same would be perfection!

[Never mind - found the necessary info in another thread.]

I do plan on loc-titing and putting a safety wire/ziptie on the Sargent though. Also shook out a bolt from the chain guard, but that's an easy replacement (and a plain oversight from when I was doing winter maintenance) As a rule, I try to loc-tite everything I can and the spare tube I carry with me is probably the most lent out thing I carry (maybe tied with spare disposable ear plugs)

The wing bolts in my pic were purchased from West Lake True Value. I was surprised but someone else had posted that they had found them there. They were in a bin marked "metric wing bolts"

I like the wing bolt idea.
Just thinking, what about using one of these instead of a tie wrap. You won't need to cut anything.