Concerned about mudguard mounting bolts seizing

andyeb

I've just bought a winter bike and have installed Bontrager NCS mudguards (not the best, but they are one of the few models I knew would fit this particular bike).

The supplied mounting bolts were pre-treated, on one side only, with blue threadlock - to hopefully stop them coming undone.

However, I'm concerned about the bolts seizing in the frame and causing problems in the future. I will be out in all weathers on this bike and the mudguard mounting points are going to be particularly exposed to the elements.

Normally I use white assembly grease (or carbon paste where applicable) when putting things together to prevent seizing and then tightening to the required torque, but mixing threadlock and white grease does not seem like a good idea to me.

Would the blue threadlock be enough to prevent seizing? Are there any other strategies I could use to prevent the mudguard mounting bolts seizing in the frame?

Thanks!

P.S. I believe these are steel bolts going into a aluminium frame.

sungod

the risk would be galvanic corrosion, with the al on the losing side

if you're concerned, use anti-seize, i've not found bolts treated with it coming loose, the threadlock will still provide some mechanical retention

Matthewfalle

Yup - as per Sungod - slap some copperslip in there. Job jobbed.

keef66

I tend to use copperslip on threaded things that I generally want to stay done up, but that one day I'll need to undo again. So bottom bracket, pedal threads, brake caliper mounting bolts, mudguard and rack mounts etc. If said parts come with pre-applied threadlock I still use copperslip.

These are all in the firing line for salty spray during winter riding, so a generous dollop of anti-seize is a good insurance policy IME.

Was swapping pedals over the Christmas hols so son's girlfriend could borrow one of my bikes. Piece of cake since the threads were copperslipped.

northcliff66

I use Tefgel for all parts assembly on the basis that everything needs undoing at some point.

A quick session checking torque or tightness once a month seems like good practice to me, so I always loosen things off and then retighten. Nothing is ever close to falling apart, or undoing.