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Suppressors Galled muzzle threads taking thunderbeast brake off. Had used hi heat red locktite

LC 6.5 Shooter

Apollo 6 Creed
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May 29, 2018
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League City, TX
I was told to use red hi temp locktite for my tbas brake to keep rhe brake from coming off with the ultra 7. That worked but I took the brake off, which took a bunch of force. The threads on muzzle and inside the brake galled up a little bit.

Should I have heated it up first with small torch or is red hi heat locktite the wrong product
 
Loctite #272 is correct. Removal of a device with #272 requires heat to melt the loctite. It is unlikely the internal brake threads are galled as they're coated in Ionbond DLC, but i supposed it's possible.
 
Thx. I tried the brake on another barrel and it would only go on a few rounds and get really tuff. Maybe some of the muzzle thread material from the barrel is in the brake threads
 
Acetone or brake clean removes the residue
 
Are you sure it isn’t carbon?

I’ve swapped brakes to different barrels and carbon buildup needs removed so it threads on without force
 
Well I heated it up and hit it with a wire brush. Also tried some bore tech carbon cleaner and scrubbing with a brass brush. Still getting stuck on the exact same spot.
 
Well I heated it up and hit it with a wire brush. Also tried some bore tech carbon cleaner and scrubbing with a brass brush. Still getting stuck on the exact same spot.

Use a sharp dental pick to clean out the female threads. The male threads can be cleaned with the same pick or just about any pointed tool.
Cured loctite is a type of epoxy; brake cleaner, bore cleaner, etc won't do squat to it. Manual/mechanical removal is typically required to remove loctite. Heat will help, but you need to get it hot enough to start smoking, and even then it just weakens it some, it doesn't remove it or break it down completely.

The good news is that the threads are unlikely to be galled; the presence of an adequate amount of Loctite (enough to coat all the threads) usually prevents galling when the parts are disassembled. At least in my experience as a fastener testing guy...
 
I was instructed to use silver anti seize rather than locktite. I have to use a strap wrench to get it loose. I have never had any issue with it coming loose.
 
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I had a couple barrels threaded one time from a local smith. My direct thread can at the time would thread on all the barrels but one. The can would make it part way on then get tight. I tried working it back and forth some then got it stuck like an idiot. I got it off but it galled the barrel and suppressor threads some. Took it to another smith that was closer and all threads were within spec if I remember right but barrel was on large side of spec and can was on tight side of spec. He cleaned up barrel threads and chased the can threads and it worked fine after that.
 
Have to be exceptionally careful, threads for cans are class 3 for concentricity issues if you alter the tolerances baffle or endcap strikes can be a real issue.

Eh. Sort of. But not to the degree you're implying.

It's fairly easy to clean loctite out of a female thread with a tap, as long as the tap isn't oversized. Obviously, pay attention to what you have, but turning a sharp tap in by hand can generally do the job without causing an issue or removing steel.

Also, most of the alignment of a suppressor is accomplished by a shoulder perpendicular and concentric (if it's tapered) to the bore, and threads concentric and parallel to the bore. Not so much in tight tolerances, when the threads are tightened together. The tight tolerances do make a difference if things become loose, but if everything is properly lubricated* and tightened, you can get away with significantly looser tolerances than industry standard specs and still have excellent suppressor alignment. While I'd always recommend keeping those thread tolerances tight, deviating from that isn't generally a big issue unless alignment of the threads is compromised as well. IME.

I've got a couple suppressors of my own with significantly oversized threads that have never had alignment issues. For example, my old Gemtech Outback II - if I thread a barrel matched to that can to what would be considered class 3 tolerances, the barrel threads end up so oversized no other 1/2-28 suppressor I've tried will fit on it, and even a lot of thread protectors won't fit. So naturally, that can is pretty loose on a "correct" 1/2-28 barrel thread, but it's fine; alignment is still great because threads are tapered and self centering when tightened.

*Liquid Loctite products do act as a thread lubricant during initial assembly, so that doesn't just mean oil or anti sieze, etc.
 
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I would generally recommend against using standard taps and dies just to clean up threads. A thread chase is the proper tool, but unfortunately these are not readily available from standard commercial sources for the diameters and pitches commonly used for muzzle devices. For the male barrel threads, an adjustable die can be carefully used to minimize the likelihood of removing metal:


If any leverage is required, then re-think the approach.

If we're talking about removing the remnants of anaerobic threadlocker, I simply use some heat to soften the material, and then attack the junk with some combination of a pick, brass wool, and Scotchbrite. It's really not that difficult - direct flame from a propane torch will do the majority of the work.

I agree that the thread classification generally does not contribute to alignment if the shoulders are square. That can be a big "if" in many cases, so removing thread material should be avoided unless there is an interference fit.
 
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Eh. Sort of. But not to the degree you're implying.

It's fairly easy to clean loctite out of a female thread with a tap, as long as the tap isn't oversized. Obviously, pay attention to what you have, but turning a sharp tap in by hand can generally do the job without causing an issue or removing steel.

Also, most of the alignment of a suppressor is accomplished by a shoulder perpendicular and concentric (if it's tapered) to the bore, and threads concentric and parallel to the bore. Not so much in tight tolerances, when the threads are tightened together. The tight tolerances do make a difference if things become loose, but if everything is properly lubricated* and tightened, you can get away with significantly looser tolerances than industry standard specs and still have excellent suppressor alignment. While I'd always recommend keeping those thread tolerances tight, deviating from that isn't generally a big issue unless alignment of the threads is compromised as well. IME.

I've got a couple suppressors of my own with significantly oversized threads that have never had alignment issues. For example, my old Gemtech Outback II - if I thread a barrel matched to that can to what would be considered class 3 tolerances, the barrel threads end up so oversized no other 1/2-28 suppressor I've tried will fit on it, and even a lot of thread protectors won't fit. So naturally, that can is pretty loose on a "correct" 1/2-28 barrel thread, but it's fine; alignment is still great because threads are tapered and self centering when tightened.

*Liquid Loctite products do act as a thread lubricant during initial assembly, so that doesn't just mean oil or anti sieze, etc.
Thanks for the awesome info! Always nice when someone with the info shares it in black and white. Much appreciated!
 
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