Locking compound recommendations

[ayjay]

Some of you may have seen my thread about gear shifting issues on my recently acquired second hand hybrid. This thing is turning out to be an epic project! Its greatest feature is trying to kill me.
A few days into owning the bike I was cycling back from work to find that after climbing a slight hill and stopping at some lights something felt amiss. I cycled on and quickly found myself wobbling all over the place but mostly unnervingly at the bus next to me. I stopped and discovered that the handlebars were loose. Needless to say I pushed it home after that, found my allen keys and tightened everything I could find!

The culprit in this case was a screw holding the bar in place, but it seems to loosen off on its own, resulting in a creak, then a squeak, then me tightening it again. Presumably I can use some kind of locking compound on this such as is used on adjustment screws in v-brakes? The screw is pretty rusted so I'm also wondering if maybe that should be replaced before it tears the thread in the clamp?
Images attached.
Alex

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[JohnV]

Remove the screw from the handle bar and if it is not stripped, you can use a wire brush to clean it up. Use a drop or two of LocTite Blue on the threads and then tighten it back up. Make sure the LocTite is evenly spread around the screw so that it holds correctly. Don't over tighten the screw as the way that you break the LocTite seal is to tighten the screw a little more. Over tightening the screw may cause the head to snap off when you attempt to remove it for whatever reason.

[bobtravers]

Uh??? Never tight the screw more to break loose the Loctite... Blue Loctite is specially made so with hand tools, it will break free by itself when removing it with an Allen Key... The thing is it will not loosen by itself while using your bike!!

[JohnV]

I've been using LocTite since I was in the military and have used almost every color they make. I've always had to tighten it, even if just a small amount, in order to break it loose. I'm 64 and have worked with LocTite on autos, heavy machinery and all sorts of things. If it's applied correctly, I have never been able loosen bolts without a tightening motion.

[ayjay]

Thanks for the reply, I'll take a look at the thread and then get some blue loctite. And a wire brush.

[ayjay]

Right, the thread was perfectly fine. A bit of steel brushing later and it was almost shiny again! Oddly in the UK the closest thing loctite sell to the original loctite blue is loctite lock and seal which is a blue liquid but comes in a red tube. Breaks with hand tools etc.
Thanks again for the help. This is a great forum for advice.