Loctite

Loctite Industrial Adhesives, Threadlockers & Sealants

Loctite, a Henkel brand, is the global leader in industrial adhesives, threadlockers, sealants and surface treatments. With more than six decades of product development, Loctite is trusted by maintenance engineers, assemblers and manufacturers worldwide to solve fastening, sealing, bonding and protection challenges across mining, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and general industry. AIMS Industrial stocks the complete Loctite product family — 99+ line items — from our Milperra warehouse with fast delivery Australia-wide.

Browse Loctite by application:

• Threadlockers — 222, 243, 263, 271, 272, 277, 290 (colour-coded by strength)
• Retaining compounds — 609, 620, 638, 641, 648, 660, 680
• Thread sealants — 55 sealing cord, 565, 567, 577, 569 hydraulic, 5331
• Instant adhesives (super glues) — 401, 406, 416, 424, 435, 454, 460, 480
• Structural & epoxy adhesives — 324 Speedbonder, 330 high impact, HY 4070 hybrid
• Flange sealants & RTV silicones — 515, 518, 587 Blue Maxx, 596, 598, SI 587
• Anti-seize compounds — Silver Grade, Nickel 771, Copper C5-A, Food Grade
• Activators, cleaners & primers — surface preparation for instant and structural bonding
• Pipe sealants — for pressurised hydraulic and pneumatic threaded connections

Threadlockers — colour-coded by strength

Loctite threadlockers prevent fastener loosening under vibration and seal threads against fluid ingress. Selected by strength using the Loctite colour-coding system:

• Purple (low strength) — Loctite 222 for small fasteners (under M6), adjustment screws and applications requiring later disassembly. See our Loctite 222 guide.
• Blue (medium strength) — Loctite 243 and 242 for general-purpose machinery and service-disassembly fasteners (M6 to M20). See our Loctite 243 guide.
• Red (high strength) — Loctite 263, 271, 272, 277 for permanent or rarely-disassembled fasteners under heavy load or shock. Requires heat for removal.
• Green (wicking) — Loctite 290 for sealing and securing pre-assembled fasteners by capillary action — penetrates around threads without disassembly.

For complete background on threadlocker selection across the full Loctite range, see our Loctite application ultimate guide.

Retaining compounds — for cylindrical fits

Loctite retaining compounds bond cylindrical assemblies — bearings on shafts, sleeves into housings, gears on shafts — eliminating fretting wear and increasing load capacity beyond press-fit alone. Selection by gap fill and strength: 609 and 620 for slip-fit assemblies; 638, 641 and 648 for general retention; 660 and 680 for emergency repair of worn fits where dimensional tolerances are out of spec. Surface preparation matters — use Loctite activators or cleaners for consistent cure on oily or low-energy surfaces.

Thread sealants — for pressurised joints

Loctite thread sealants seal pressurised pipe and hydraulic threaded connections against leakage. Loctite 567 (low strength PST) for stainless and aluminium fittings requiring later disassembly — see our Loctite 567 guide. Loctite 577 (medium strength) for general industrial pneumatic and hydraulic threaded connections — see our Loctite 577 guide. Loctite 569 for high-pressure hydraulics. Loctite 55 sealing cord for plumbing and water connections. For broader pipe sealant context, see our pipe sealants range.

Instant adhesives (cyanoacrylates)

Loctite cyanoacrylate instant adhesives bond plastic, rubber, metal and ceramic in seconds. Loctite 401 (general-purpose) and 406 (low-bloom, plastic and rubber) cover most workshop applications — see our Loctite 401 guide for selection and surface preparation. Loctite 416 for thicker bond lines, 424 for gap-filling, 435 for tough/peel resistance, 454 in gel form for vertical surfaces, 460 for low-bloom precision work, 480 for shock and impact applications. Cyanoacrylate cure depends on surface moisture — primer compounds from activators, cleaners & primers dramatically improve cure on low-energy plastics. See also our industrial adhesive types guide.

Structural & epoxy adhesives

Loctite structural adhesives bond load-bearing assemblies where the joint itself must carry the design load. Loctite 324 Speedbonder for rapid-cure metal-to-metal bonding. Loctite 330 for high-impact applications including industrial repairs. Loctite HY 4070 hybrid for combined fast cure and structural strength. For background on epoxy adhesive selection — pot life, peel strength, gap fill — see our epoxy adhesive guide. For repair of worn or damaged metal surfaces, see epoxy ceramic repairs.

Flange sealants & RTV silicones

Loctite flange sealants form in-place gaskets for bolted flange assemblies — eliminating the inventory and reliability issues of cut gaskets. Loctite 515 (purple, general flexible) and 518 (red, rigid flange) are anaerobic gasket makers cured by metal contact. Loctite 587 Blue Maxx and 596, 598 are RTV silicones for higher-temperature applications. For complete RTV silicone selection guidance, see our RTV silicone gasket-maker guide. For sealant-applicator equipment, see multi-purpose sealants.

Anti-seize compounds

Loctite anti-seize compounds prevent galling, seizing and corrosion on threaded fasteners and machined fits exposed to high temperature, chemical attack or extended service intervals. Silver Grade (general industrial), Nickel 771 (high temperature, stainless on stainless), Copper C5-A (high temperature, automotive and general) and Food Grade (NSF H1 for food processing equipment). For background on anti-seize selection and torque adjustment when using anti-seize, see our anti-seize compound guide.

Specialty products

The Loctite specialty range includes activators and primers (covered above), penetrating oils, industrial degreasers, rust treatments and anti-spatter sprays for welding. For background on industrial degreaser selection across the Loctite, CRC, INOX and Wurth ranges, see our industrial degreaser guide.

Selecting the right Loctite product

Loctite threadlockers are colour-coded by strength (purple = low, blue = medium, red = high). Retaining compounds, sealants and structural adhesives carry numeric codes that correspond to viscosity, cure speed, temperature performance and gap fill. The single most useful selection resource is our Loctite application ultimate guide — covers product family selection by application and use case across the whole Loctite catalogue.

If you need help identifying the right product for a specific application — particularly for OEM specification, critical machinery, or where the Loctite product number is uncertain — call (02) 9773 0122, contact our team or request a quote. AIMS Industrial has supplied Loctite to Australian industry since 1988.

Australian industries that drive Loctite adhesive demand

Loctite anaerobic threadlockers and adhesives are specified across the entire Australian maintenance and OEM ecosystem. The buyer segments are heavy mining and resources maintenance (243 and 263 on every bolted joint subject to vibration; 638 and 660 for emergency bearing-retention repair on worn shafts; the 401 family for instant adhesive work on cabin fittings; anti-seize compounds on high-temperature stainless threads), structural fabrication and shipbuilding (515 and 518 flange sealants replacing cut gaskets on pumps, gearboxes and engine assemblies; 587 Blue Maxx RTV on high-temperature flange joints), food and beverage processing (food-grade anti-seize and threadlocker products where the joint is in or adjacent to the product contact zone), defence and rail manufacturing (243 and 271 threadlocker on every structural fastener under spec sign-off; structural adhesives 324 Speedbonder and HY 4070 on metal-to-metal bonding under engineering drawing), automotive workshops and dealerships (the workshop-default 243 for blue medium-strength; 567 thread sealant on hydraulic and pneumatic fittings), and OEM machinery assembly (threadlocker and retaining compound applied at assembly under documented torque-and-cure procedures).

Decision factors are application category (threadlocker / retaining compound / thread sealant / instant adhesive / structural adhesive / gasket maker / anti-seize — each Loctite product number maps to one of these categories), strength grade (low / medium / high — colour-coded purple / blue / red for threadlockers; numeric for retaining and structural products), substrate preparation requirements (some grades cure cleanly on oily and lightly contaminated surfaces, others require degreasing and activator), and disassembly requirements (low and medium strength disassemble with hand tools; high strength requires localised heat above 250 °C to break the cure).

Australian standards and Loctite specification compliance

Loctite product selection is referenced indirectly through several Australian standards rather than in a single dedicated document. AS 1252 (High-Strength Bolts) and AS 1110 (ISO Metric Hexagon Bolts) cover the bolted joint fundamentals; threadlocker selection layers on top of the underlying bolt grade and pre-load specification. AS/NZS 1554 (Welded Structures) and AS/NZS 5131 (Structural Steelwork Fabrication) reference threadlocker use on structural fasteners under documented Welding Procedure Specifications. For food-grade applications, NSF H1 registration certifies a Loctite product is safe for incidental food contact — the Loctite anti-seize Food Grade product and several specialty threadlockers carry this registration. For hazardous-area service (mining, oil and gas), product selection should follow the Henkel Technical Data Sheet (TDS) recommendations for explosive-atmosphere compatibility — most Loctite products are inherently low-VOC after cure but during application the carrier solvents may require controlled handling.

The single most important specification practice is reading the Henkel TDS for each product number before committing to a Loctite product on an engineering drawing or maintenance procedure. The TDS documents the cure time, temperature range, breakaway torque, prevail torque, gap fill, substrate compatibility and any specific application notes — Loctite product selection from product code alone (without TDS review) is the most common cause of incorrect-grade specification.

Brand depth — the full Loctite range at AIMS

AIMS Industrial has supplied Loctite to Australian industry since 1988 and stocks the complete Loctite product family from our Milperra warehouse. The range covers threadlockers (222 / 243 / 263 / 271 / 272 / 277 / 290 colour-coded purple through green), retaining compounds (609 / 620 / 638 / 641 / 648 / 660 / 680 — by gap fill and strength), thread sealants (55 sealing cord / 565 / 567 / 577 / 569 hydraulic / 5331), instant adhesives (the 401 / 406 / 416 / 424 / 435 / 454 / 460 / 480 cyanoacrylate range), structural adhesives (324 Speedbonder / 330 high impact / HY 4070 hybrid), gasket sealants and RTV silicones (515 / 518 / 587 Blue Maxx / 596 / 598), anti-seize compounds (Silver Grade / Nickel 771 / Copper C5-A / Food Grade), activators, cleaners and primers, pipe sealants, putties, and epoxy ceramic repair compounds. Loctite is one of AIMS's top-velocity brands by both revenue and invoice count.

Cross-link to companion AIMS adhesive and sealant collections

The Loctite specification connects to the broader AIMS adhesives, sealants and lubrication ecosystem. Companion ranges: adhesives for the cross-brand instant adhesive category; threadlockers for the cross-brand threadlocker category; retaining compounds; thread sealants; gasket sealants and RTV silicones; anti-seize compounds; activators, cleaners and primers; epoxy structural adhesives; epoxy ceramic repairs; Inox for the Australian-made specialty lubricant cross-link; and the full set of Loctite product-specific guides — Loctite 222 guide, Loctite 243 guide, Loctite 401 guide, Loctite 567 guide, Loctite 577 guide and the comprehensive Loctite application ultimate guide.

Loctite selection questions — answered

How do I select the right threadlocker strength?

Match the strength to the disassembly expectation and the fastener size. Purple (222, low strength) for small fasteners under M6 and adjustment screws expected to be disassembled regularly. Blue (243, medium strength) for general workshop and machinery fasteners M6 to M20 that are expected to be disassembled with hand tools during scheduled service. Red (263, 271, 272, 277 high strength) for permanent or rarely-disassembled fasteners under heavy load — these require localised heat above 250 °C to break the cure for disassembly. Green (290 wicking) for sealing and securing pre-assembled fasteners by capillary action without disassembling the joint.

Do Loctite anaerobic products cure on oily fasteners?

The newer generation Loctite anaerobics (243, 263, 271 modern formulations) cure cleanly on lightly oily fasteners — Henkel calls this "oil tolerant" cure. For best results, wipe surface oil off with a clean rag before assembly, but full degreasing isn't required. For older formulations and the higher-performance grades (specialised retaining compounds, structural adhesives) follow the Henkel TDS — many older grades require Loctite SF 7063 or Loctite 7649 activator for consistent cure on oily or contaminated surfaces.

What's the difference between 243 and 263?

243 is medium strength — fasteners assembled with 243 can be disassembled with hand tools and an extension bar. 263 is high strength — fasteners assembled with 263 typically require an impact wrench or localised heat for disassembly. 243 is the workshop default for general machinery fasteners; 263 is specified where the joint should remain assembled until major overhaul. Use 263 only where you accept the disassembly cost — using 263 on a frequently-serviced fastener creates a maintenance time-sink.

Which retaining compound for a worn bearing fit?

Loctite retaining compounds are graded by gap fill (the radial clearance the product bridges). 609 and 620 for slip-fit assemblies (under 0.1 mm gap). 638 for general retention with moderate gap fill. 641 for service-disassembly-friendly retention. 648 for general high-strength press-fit retention. 660 for worn-fit emergency repair (up to 0.5 mm radial gap fill). 680 for high-temperature service. For a typical worn bearing fit on a maintenance repair, 660 is the workshop default — confirms a bearing into a worn housing without requiring sleeving or re-machining.

Which Loctite product seals a hydraulic threaded connection?

Loctite 567 (PST, low strength) for stainless and aluminium fittings where future disassembly is expected — see the Loctite 567 guide. Loctite 577 (medium strength) for general industrial pneumatic and hydraulic fittings — see the Loctite 577 guide. Loctite 569 for high-pressure hydraulics. Avoid PTFE tape on critical hydraulic threaded connections — tape can shred and contaminate the system; Loctite anaerobic thread sealants cure in place and don't shed material.

How long does Loctite take to cure?

Fixture time (hand-tight assembly stable) is typically 10 minutes to 30 minutes for threadlockers and retaining compounds on steel at room temperature. Full cure (maximum strength reached) is typically 24 hours. Cure speed depends on substrate (steel cures faster than stainless), temperature (faster at warmer temperatures), and gap (faster in tighter gaps). For low-temperature or stainless applications, use Loctite 7649 activator to accelerate cure. For full cure times by product, refer to the Henkel TDS for each product number.

For Loctite product selection across the full product family, OEM specification matching, or volume pricing on workshop and assembly-line standard products, contact our team.

People Also Ask — Loctite Adhesives, Threadlockers and Sealants

Q: What's the difference between Loctite 222, 243 and 263?

Loctite 222 (purple): low-strength threadlocker for small fasteners up to M6/M8, easily removed with hand tools. Loctite 243 (blue): medium-strength threadlocker for M6 to M20, removable with hand tools — the workshop default. Loctite 263 (red): high-strength threadlocker for permanent assemblies up to M25 — requires heat (260°C) and breakaway torque to remove. Choose by strength: 222 for delicate, 243 for general workshop assembly, 263 for permanent vibration-critical joints.

Q: Loctite 401, 406 or 480 — which super glue?

Loctite 401 (general): cyanoacrylate for general bonding of metals, plastics, ceramics, rubber. Loctite 406 (rubber/plastic): formulated specifically for rubber and plastic bonding with faster cure on porous surfaces. Loctite 480 (impact-resistant): rubber-toughened cyanoacrylate for joints subject to shock or peel loads. For general workshop super-glue work, 401 is the standard. For specialty plastics or rubber, 406 gives better long-term adhesion.

Q: What's a retaining compound vs a threadlocker?

Threadlocker prevents threaded fasteners from loosening (Loctite 222, 243, 263). Retaining compound bonds cylindrical parts together — bearings to shafts, sleeves to housings, gear hubs to shafts (Loctite 638, 648, 660). They have similar anaerobic chemistry but different rheology — retaining compounds fill larger gaps and provide higher shear strength for non-threaded fits. Don't substitute one for the other; the working clearance and load type are different.

Q: How do I prepare surfaces for Loctite?

Clean both surfaces to bare metal — remove oil, grease, paint, and previous threadlocker residue. Use Loctite SF 7063 cleaner/degreaser for thorough cleaning. For threadlockers: apply 2-3 drops on the bolt thread + a drop in the tapped hole. For retaining compounds: apply a ring around the shaft + fill the housing bore. Assemble within 5 minutes of application. Full cure typically 24 hours at room temperature for maximum strength.

Q: Where can I find the right Loctite for my job?

See our comprehensive [Loctite Application Ultimate Guide](/blogs/product-guides/loctite-application-ultimate-guide) covering threadlockers, retaining compounds, gasketing, thread sealants, super glues, and structural adhesives with Loctite product matching for each application. For specific product selection, ring AIMS — Sam and the team know the Loctite range and can recommend the right product for your specific gap, load, temperature, and chemical exposure.