locktite vs. teflon tape

I use loctite 565, never had any problems with it. Even when its freshly put on, I have never had it blow out. I imagine if people are having it blow out, their fitting isnt tight enough in the 1st place.

i prefer compression fittings because of the tighter seal. ive always had problems with ptc fitting leaking air so i dont use them.

i also use teflon tape as well...it works good as long as you put it on right. i havent had any problems with leaks on my bucket...same fittings have been left untouched with no problems for almost 2 years now. maybe a little longer.

Really the best thing to use is a combo of loctite and pipe dope if you use the Loctite brand of both and mix a little of the thread locker into some pipedope just enough to make it a pink color. See most people dont realize that the "dope" or "loktite"or even teflon isn't relly to completely seal the threads it actually acts as a type of lubricant also to allow the threads to make up all the way to seal the joint. Some may think this is BS but I am a HVAC mechanic for industrial and commercial equip.(the big stuff) and we use this combo all the time because A/C equip always runs at very high temps and pressures and also has extremely high levels of vibrations. I was shown this by some "old school" A/C guys, cause if your joints leak there you are losing refrigerant into the air (illegal and bad for the enviroment)and then you get called back for a sevice call at 3 in the morning for a hospital or some shit so you work hard to find what seals up threaded joints the best. Again this was shown to me and I thought it would work great for air ride parts and it does. I have used it on lots of set-ups. I've been into trucks much longer than HVAC stuff but its funny how much stuff you can relate between the two. Just my two cents

I work at Caterpillar, and they use locktite on all the machines, we have the liquid teflon, but with my experience with it it sucks. I also like using hydraulic hose with the JIC fittings, usuually no leak at all, and if it is just tighten it till it stops, but u could also overtighten it and if you were to take it off and then replace it it might leak, but other than that thats what I'd stickk with. I also have had the 90s ptc fittings leak, bad!

i used teflon tape and the liquid teflon tape. I put the teflon tape more towards the back of the threads so it doesnt get in the lines. Its only way i could get shit air tight. Locktite isnt really made for sealing stuff and getting air tight. Only time i use locktite is when i dont want something coming lose, like my 4 link or area with a lot of vibration. I've never heard of anybody using it for sealing there air fittings.

I think you guys are answering a general question with specific oppinions.

Teflon tape and/or paste should be used on fittings where the threads do the sealing. The teflon fills the gaps in the threads creating a seal. There are different sealers for different applications and most of them will work on air fittings, because the pressures we use on our air systems is quite low compared to other industrial applications.

Loctite is designed to lock thread from losening on their own (duh.) It is what is called anarobic- it dries in the absence of oxygen. And it does so pretty quickly. Most manufacturers of aluminum parts say to use loctite and not overtighten the fitting, to keep the soft aluminum threads from stripping out. The loctite fills the voids and seals the fitting.

The idea of mixing these two products would only make a pink teflon sealer. The loctite can not cure while being mixed with teflon. I am not trying to tell anybody that they are wrong, if what you are doing works keep doing it. There is not one specific sealant that we use at my shop except loctite on aluminum threads. I'm sure the 200 year old trick of pig fat would even work if you had a dead pig, or mabey spam, that shit works on everything...

TEFLON TAPE HAS ALWAYS DONE THE DEED FOR ME...ANOTHER PRODUCT TO TRY IS PERMATEX'S THREAD SEALENT W/ TEFLON PART# 80632, WORKS REAL WELL JUST A BIT GOOOOY...

Originally posted by BioMax



I think you guys are answering a general question with specific oppinions.

Teflon tape and/or paste should be used on fittings where the threads do the sealing. The teflon fills the gaps in the threads creating a seal. There are different sealers for different applications and most of them will work on air fittings, because the pressures we use on our air systems is quite low compared to other industrial applications.

Loctite is designed to lock thread from losening on their own (duh.) It is what is called anarobic- it dries in the absence of oxygen. And it does so pretty quickly. Most manufacturers of aluminum parts say to use loctite and not overtighten the fitting, to keep the soft aluminum threads from stripping out. The loctite fills the voids and seals the fitting.

The idea of mixing these two products would only make a pink teflon sealer. The loctite can not cure while being mixed with teflon. I am not trying to tell anybody that they are wrong, if what you are doing works keep doing it. There is not one specific sealant that we use at my shop except loctite on aluminum threads. I'm sure the 200 year old trick of pig fat would even work if you had a dead pig, or mabey spam, that shit works on everything...

Either that, or by them saying Loctite, everyone else is thinking thread locker, whereas us people who actually know that Loctite is a brand name that produces many different thread products, from thread lockers to thread sealers.

People who end up with teflon tape in their systems installed it wrong. People who end up with leaks after using teflon tape and incorrectly tightening fittings, installed it wrong. I would be willing to bet that 99% of tape failures stem from user error.

People have grown onto the Loctite thread sealer bandwagon because it works, and because they're lazy. I prefer the tape myself, so I can see exactly what threads are covered, and how much. If I wanted to do the same with thread sealer, I'd have to coat the entire male fitting, which is highly unnecessary and just creates a mess.

TFE paste is also a great alternative to the both above, only it is slightly more messy then the Loctite brand. It never fully cures, pretty similar to Loctite's thread sealers, but it is teflon based, and works pretty damn well.

I am partial to the pink teflon. It seems to be thicker than the white, and doesn't cost much more.

Now on the slam bags I use the loctite neumatic thread stuff like 565 or something. B/c that is what they reccomend.

Loctite (545?) and all PTC fittings here.

The liquid pipe dope always seemed to get crusty, and end up inside my valves.