Tape or Paste fittings

[Gary Fowler]

Another thing I laugh at is the fable that tape will stop up the hydraulic filters. Must be some awful small filters that those folks were using. Some industrial control valves have some small orifices that could get clogged if enough tape were to be forced into them. I don't think a tractor has such small orifices to content with and the pump is a positive gear pump which isn't going to even know when a small piece of tape that might get into the system would pass thru. As soon as the oil and the debris reaches the reservoir, it isn't going back out without going thru the filter so its journey ends there.
I wouldn't sweat if using any thread sealant on any NPT threads, if don't correctly no ends will be loose and debris only comes in the picture when the threaded fitting is removed and not cleaned properly. The same holds true for paste which most times is applied too generously.

 

[J_J]

I simply don't understand why people don't use the recommended sealant/locker.

Loctite has been making the sealant for many years .

Product search - Henkel

NPT fittings were never meant to be used over and over. The threads are reshaped every time you tighten and remove the fittings.

It is a 50/50 toss up whether to use tape or paste, but since I know better, I use the Loctite 542 most of the time or the fast cure..

 

[jcummins]

I simply don't understand why people don't use the recommended sealant/locker.

Loctite has been making the sealant for many years .

Product search - Henkel

NPT fittings were never meant to be used over and over. The threads are reshaped every time you tighten and remove the fittings.

It is a 50/50 toss up whether to use tape or paste, but since I know better, I use the Loctite 542 most of the time or the fast cure..

In my case... I had no loctite 542...and it's on the expensive side compared to Real-Tuff. And it says right on the label can be used on hydraulic systems.... So loctite isn't the only sealant out there.

And just a dab will do ya.

 

[J_J]

I never said it was the only sealant.

I would use spit if it was all I had, and it don't cost anything.

 

[/pine]

I never said it was the only sealant.

I would use spit if it was all I had, and it don't cost anything.

And would probably be just as affective with quality NTP fittings...(at least the first time they were tightened...)

 

[Deere Dude]

A FUNNY TO ME STORY.
As a pipe-fitter apprentice in 1980 about, I would work with a few journeymen who complained when I would 242 or Teflon paste joints and reef on the joints fairly hard. I am physically a big boy so they were concerned I would over-tighten fittings and use Loc-Tite on those fittings so they couldn't get the fittings apart, so they would harp at me about that.

I was given the task to install about 500 feet of mostly 2" pipe airline headers going to many different places.

I finally heeded their advice and used tape and didn't reef on the pipes as hard as I usually did.

After a week of construction I turned the air on to the system. It sounded like I was in a rattlesnake pit with so much noise. I had air-leaks all over the place.

Guess who had to redo the leaky pipes? It sure wasn't them. I had to redo almost every joint in the system and this time I used either Teflon paste or 242, I don't remember. This time I did it my way.

But I know enough now to use what I know works for me, and tape generally isn't it. Although I did get a bunch at Harbor Freight for home use and use it when leaks aren't critical.

 

[muddstopper]

I simply don't understand why people don't use the recommended sealant/locker.

Loctite has been making the sealant for many years .

Product search - Henkel

NPT fittings were never meant to be used over and over. The threads are reshaped every time you tighten and remove the fittings.

It is a 50/50 toss up whether to use tape or paste, but since I know better, I use the Loctite 542 most of the time or the fast cure..

JJ is correct. The tape is a sealer, but it acts like a lubricant. The lubricating properties of the tape can cause overtighting which deforms the threads and cause more leaks than it fixes. Face the fact, just how many times have you personally gotten the biggest wrench you can find to tighten a pipe fitting. Oever tighten, stretch the threads and leaks will follow. Another thought, yo have to buy the sealer either way,why not just buy the stuff specificly made for NPT hydraulic fittings?

 

[muddstopper]

I simply don't understand why people don't use the recommended sealant/locker.

Loctite has been making the sealant for many years .

Product search - Henkel

NPT fittings were never meant to be used over and over. The threads are reshaped every time you tighten and remove the fittings.

It is a 50/50 toss up whether to use tape or paste, but since I know better, I use the Loctite 542 most of the time or the fast cure..

JJ is correct. The tape is a sealer, but it acts like a lubricant. The lubricating properties of the tape can cause overtighting which deforms the threads and cause more leaks than it fixes. Face the fact, just how many times have you personally gotten the biggest wrench you can find to tighten a pipe fitting. Oever tighten, stretch the threads and leaks will follow. Another thought, yo have to buy the sealer either way,why not just buy the stuff specificly made for NPT hydraulic fittings?

 

[k0ua]

So guys are we saying here, we could all save a bunch of money and not buy tape, paste or sealer, and just hawk up a big lugey and use that!:laughing: Excuse me while I clear my throat!

 

[J_J]

Spit is one thing, but a thick green pasty, nasty, lunger is just plain nasty and might clog the hyd system.

GROSS.