Customer Question
“I had my boots all adjusted and I used the Loctite like I was supposed to. Now I need to adjust my heel slide. I cannot seem to break the Loctite on the screws on the bottom of the boot. Do you have any tips or tricks on how to do this?” ~Chrissy, Texas
Product Specialist Answer
EasyCare uses Loctite adhesive to keep the screws used on our Easyboots in place when they’re on your horse. Loctite is especially important when using the Easyboot Fury Sling or the Easyboot Fury Heart because of the adjustability aspect of these boots.
Once you get your Fury boots set to the length and height that best fits your horse, we want those screws to stay in place through any kind of activity. But when it comes time to adjust them later in the trimming cycle or as your horse’s hooves gradually change over time, breaking that Loctite bond can be challenging.
Luckily there are a few tips and tricks you can try to help you loosen the Loctite so you can adjust your boots.
First, use your screwdriver to tighten the screw slightly before trying to loosen it. This can effectively “crack” the bond.
Second, try tapping the head of the screw with a hammer. This can also create cracks through the Loctite and help loosen it.
Heat can also be an effective means to break through the Loctite. Try letting the boot soak in warm, soapy water to see if that warms it up enough. You can also apply heat to the screw using a hair dryer. Be careful not to apply too much heat, though, as we don’t want to damage the boot.
You can also try applying a solvent that will break down adhesive properties. Standard cooking oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, can work well. You may also want to try vinegar or rubbing alcohol. After you apply one of these solvents, give it about an hour to sit around the base of the screw and soak down into the threads where it can go to work on the Loctite.
Let us know which of these methods works best for you!
I just had the same situation. What worked for me was to remove the heel arches (for better access), then use a set of pliers to grip the sole of the boot right next to the screw I want to loosen. The problem I had was that the washers inside the heel slide would just rotate around. By gripping the sole right next to the screw, I stopped that from happening and could loosen the screws.
Thanks for all the tips! Tapping the head of the screw with a hammer reminds me of knocking the lid of a jar to get it to loosen up.
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