Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Where do I find Vibra-Tite branded bottled products?

Vibra-tite bottled products can be found at our website www.vibra-tite.com

How do I receive Factory-Applied material samples?

There are three ways to request ND Pre-Applied product samples: 1. Fill out our online sample request form 2. Email 3. Call us toll free at 1-800-471-5000 (Ext 1) or 1-248-288-0000 (Ext 1)

What are the different types of Torques?

On-Torque is the highest measured torque while engaging the fastener but not fully seating. Break away is the measured Torque when a fastener is reversed but has not been fully seated. Prevailing Off Torque is the measured torque for the first 360° of rotation after break away.

What is “Reactive Thread Locking”?

The term reactive is used to describe a material that undergoes a chemical reaction after activation (usually though installation of the part in a mating assembly).

What is “Inert Thread Locking” aka Prevailing Torque?

Inert thread locking involves the application of inert plastics to the screw. Applied materials such as Nylon become compressed during installation to provide a frictional resistance to loosening. The torque required to overcome this frictional resistance is called prevailing torque.

How do I choose which type of product I need?

Each fastener assembly is unique and thus it is recommended you contact our experienced sales team so that we can work with you to find the best materials. If you’re looking for a comparable product to something already in use, a quick look at our cross reference table could be all you need.

Does ND Industries do any plating?

ND Industries does not do any plating.

Are fasteners plated before or after material application?

All plating should be performed before processing.

Can ND process adhesives over organic platings, PTFE, slick top coats, etc.?

Yes, this is common. However, it is preferred that parts do not receive a lubricating top coat because they can interfere with the ability of our adhesives and sealants to bond with the part.

What formulations of Vibra-Tite are there?

Vibra-Tite Formula 3 aka VC-3, VC-4, VC-5 aka Vibra-Tite Formula 5, VCTS-6 Clear

What are the costs involved?

The cost is dependent upon the size and quantity of the fastener. Just send a quotation request to the closest ND Industries branch listed on our contact page and they can help you out.

Can ND deviate from IFI standards?

Yes, but this is something that must be agreed upon by both parties beforehand.

Can we re-use an adhesive coated part?

Screws can be re-used, however adhesives will have only a small fraction of their original strength and in most cases this is far too low to meet any performance specification. If reusability is desired, we often recommend ND Nylon Patch.

What is the strongest adhesive for stainless steel?

Our strongest stainless steel adhesive is currently Expand-A-Lock. Stainless is a difficult surface to bond, but since Expand-A-Lock expands volumetrically the chemical bond it provides is far superior and stronger than conventional Micro-encapsulated adhesives.

ND Microspheres

Can fasteners be dipped into your material and air dried?

Our material is dependent upon process equipment to get optimal results. We do not sell the Microspheres to anyone but licensed applicators.

During shipment will the microspheres material fall off as the fasteners rub against each other?

The microspheres are largely protected by the threads themselves. There are so many capsules, even if some get broken, the effect is insignificant. There are no problems with packaging this product. It should be stored near room temperature to preserve shelf life.

How long does it take for Microspheres to cure after installation?

The adhesive begins to react within a few minutes of installation and should not be re-adjusted after 5 minutes after initial installation.  The acrylic and epoxy formulations cure in 72 hours and the TA series in 24 hours.

ND Patch (Nylon Patch)

How is ND Nylon Patch different from other competitive products?

Most nylon patch meets the same test specifications.

How does ND’s Nylon Patch heating process affect plating Zinc Dichromated parts, Chrome etc.?

Our nylon patch process reaches just over 400 degrees F in the application area. Dichromated platings will burn at temperatures far below that.  Depending on the part length and the application location sometimes only the application area is affected. In general all other platings hold up to this temperature, but you should check with your plater to be sure for any Nylon Patch parts.

Can the heat of ND’s Nylon Patch application process alter the hardness of steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, etc.?

No, the level of heat and duration at temperature is too short to affect hardness.

Can you apply a nylon patch or adhesive or sealant over plater applied wax finishes? And what happens to the wax?

Nylon patch can be applied over typical plating waxes.  However it burns during processing. We prefer that parts arrive without wax and the customer applies the wax afterward. Similarly, adhesive and sealant coatings do not bond well to wax finishes and can cause our products to flake off or develop too little thickness to be effective.

How does ND measure thread fill for Nylon Patch?

The question would be better phrased as “How does ND performance test parts with ND Nylon Patch?” While there is a relationship between torque and the amount of Nylon Patch on the threads, the best way to test parts is to perform torque tests which provide data that is directly relational to performance your customer will see.

Why are we experiencing high installation torque on a Nylon Patch part even though your torque test results are well within specifications?

Sometimes the length of engagement of a customer’s mating part is much longer than the nuts we use for testing to industry standards. This added length of engagement increases the amount of friction. Additionally, we see that deep tapped holes get tighter further down the hole.  Speed of installation also can cause torque to increase. If your holes are fine, consider a light Nylon Patch. Same nylon material, but applied in a smaller amount  so that it has roughly half of the installation torque. Alternately, you can send us mating parts to test in.

What applications are appropriate for Nylon Patch?