Gunsmithing Vibra-tite Barrel Nut Ar-15

[Mudflap621]

Don’t know if this is the correct section but I recently picked up a new Odin barrel and handguard for a build. I’m getting ready to put it together and Odin recommends the included vibratite on barrel nut and I’m a little hesitant to actually use a red type loctite. The Odin system uses a threaded coupler that threads onto the receiver and than barrel nut. Im looking for input from the more knowledgeable and Any experience or recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[308pirate]

There's no way I would put any sort of thread locker on a barrel nut.

 

[Mudflap621]

There's no way I would put any sort of thread locker on a barrel nut.

This is kinda what my researching has shown as well but didnt know if it had to do with the two peice design of the nut or what. I am leaning towards just using high temp grease but obviously don’t want something loosening up.

 

[Steel head]

There's no way I would put any sort of thread locker on a barrel nut.

 

[308pirate]

This is kinda what my researching has shown as well but didnt know if it had to do with the two peice design of the nut or what. I am leaning towards just using high temp grease but obviously don’t want something loosening up.

If you do some basic research on the internet, you can find tables of standard torques for threaded fasteners. Now, those are guidelines for genera purpose use and not meant to overrule specific engineering directions (like torque specifications in an engine or transmission repair/rebuilding manual from an OEM) but they do serve as a guide. You can also find ways to estimate the clamping force that a given threaded fastener generates when tightened to a particular torque.

When you consider that information about a thread the same (or almost the same) size as the AR-15's barrel nut, and then you apply any life experience that you might have with respect to working with machines/threaded fasteners/etc, then you can usually tell when you need a thread locker and when you don't.

The fact that the Army's M-16 technical manual tells you to do the opposite (lubricate) those same threads is also a valuable piece of information.

 

[Mudflap621]

Thanks this is why I asked here as I know that it’s conflicting with traditional assembly procedures and I personally don’t have the experience with barrel assembly. I’ll admit I’m a little less worried about a bolt on my shelves working loose than a barrel nut. If Odin didn’t specifically state using it on their nut I wouldn’t have even thought about using loctite but wasn’t sure if it had something to do with the two peice design.

I highly regard the knowledge base on this site and that’s my reasoning for asking here.

 

[Sogan]

Anti seize, yes. Thread locker, no.

 

[lennyo3034]

Can you post a picture of the parts and instructions?

I have a few friends that are very happy with Odin parts and I can’t see them advising loctite on Barrel nut to receiver threads. I’m wondering if there are other fasteners.

 

[Mudflap621]

 

[Jackalope]

Vibra-tite is very mild. It seems to make sense in their specific application. You definitely wouldn’t want that nut backing out of the adapter.

 

[lennyo3034]

View attachment 7571830View attachment 7571831

Ok that makes more sense. So it’s not actually going on the the receiver threads. Unlike most handguards where the handguard is actually clamped to the barrel nut and an anti rotation feature, this setup has nothing preventing the barrel nut from backing out. I still wouldn’t use it, but I can see where the logic comes from now.

 

[Mudflap621]

Ok that makes more sense. So it’s not actually going on the the receiver threads. Unlike most handguards where the handguard is actually clamped to the barrel nut and an anti rotation feature, this setup has nothing preventing the barrel nut from backing out. I still wouldn’t use it, but I can see where the logic comes from now.

I agree kinda different system I should have researched their barrel nut setup before purchase but for being my first products from them machining and quality look superb.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

There's no way I would put any sort of thread locker on a barrel nut.

Not only that but you need to use an Anti-Sieze on the threads.

I understand guys trying to wring every last .0001 of accuracy will shim and bed with all manner of shit, but if you aren't shooting for world records its a bad idea.

Nothing worse than telling someone you trashed their upper becuase the idiot decided to permenatley mate his barrel to the upper.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

This is kinda what my researching has shown as well but didnt know if it had to do with the two peice design of the nut or what. I am leaning towards just using high temp grease but obviously don’t want something loosening up.

Trash the odinworks and get a G rail system. This is a terrible design, worse than traditional barrel nut systems IMO.

Hands down best rail on the market in conjunction with the best barrel nut on the market. The fitment is so tight you need to grease the nut just to fit the handguard on.

No other aftermarket rail is really worth running today IMO.

 

[Mudflap621]

Trash the odinworks and get a G rail system. This is a terrible design, worse than traditional barrel nut systems IMO.

Hands down best rail on the market in conjunction with the best barrel nut on the market. The fitment is so tight you need to grease the nut just to fit the handguard on.

No other aftermarket rail is really worth running today IMO.

I’m assuming ur talking a Geissele?

 

[E. Bryant]

I agree kinda different system I should have researched their barrel nut setup before purchase but for being my first products from them machining and quality look superb.

A poor design, well-executed, is still a poor design.

 

[CrabsandFootball]

I’m assuming ur talking a Geissele?

Yes Sir.

 

[Mudflap621]

Ok you guys are right who’s got a Giessele to get rid of....

 

[GH41]

I don't see anything wrong with Odin Works system it's just a different way to skin the cat. I would use the vibra-tite they supplied and not try to second guess them.

 

[Mudflap621]

Man you guys got me all confused now haha.

I’ll admit now that I’ve actually done some digging the Geissele seems like a badass setup. Wish I woulda went this route first. The mk14 is really growing on me at the moment.

 

[larryh128]

This is kinda what my researching has shown as well but didnt know if it had to do with the two peice design of the nut or what. I am leaning towards just using high temp grease but obviously don’t want something loosening up.

I use Nickel anti-seize. I want to be able to remove it at some point.

 

[strikeeagle1]

To lump all "thread / fastener "lockers" together in one common basket is nonsense.

There are a variety of Loctite style thread fasteners that require anaerobic, i.e. reduced / absent oxygen presence, conditions to cure and form an adhesive bond once the fastener is mated to its part. The purple / blue styles are designed for simple disassembly without use of heat application, whereas the red style often will require ~500 deg F of heat application to break the adhesive polymer down.

There are polymer compression liquids, brand names like Nylok etc applied to one side of fastener threads to create a counter pressure force to prevent vibrations to loosen fasteners from their mate. These are generally applied in a commercial setting to fasteners.

Vibra-tite VC-3 style are similar to Nylok products except available for the average joe to apply to fasteners; in contrast to Loctite variants where one color of adhesive is applied, then fasteners mated, Vibra-tite is applied to the fastener to cure / dry THEN the fastener is secured to its mate. Vibra-tite style products do not require heat to release the frictional bond and are meant for use / reuse so this style / or Nylok is commonly applied to rear sight set screws to allow for adjustment of the sight after assembly; unlike Loctite products.

There are ceramic based adhesive products such as Rocksett, that mfg's commonly include for assembly of muzzle brakes / suppressors since the adhesive is stable to 2000 deg F. However simple water immersion, not heat, is employed to dissolve the adhesive for parts disassembly.

Obviously, anti-seize products are the anti-thesis of applying fastener adhering products.

An example of Nylok, note the application is not circumferential on the fastener threads; Vibra-tite is best applied in a similar fashion.

 

[fanninland]

^^this, Vibratite doesn’t bond like normal loktite, you let it set up before assembly and it works sorta like nylok. Keeps stuff tight but no problem to take loose like loktite. Great stuff, after using the little one-use packages some manufacturers include with their products (like Odinworks) I bought a bottle off Amazon.

In regards to the Odin rail, I got a couple I’ve run on our hog hunting SBR’s. Tried them out because their 12.5” rail happens to mate perfectly with the threads on the 12.5” 6.8 barrels we use, situating the can seamlessly at the end of the rail. Been running them for 4 years or so, no problems, nothing has come loose over several thousand rounds and hundreds of dead hogs. My son accidentally ran over the rail portion of his sbr at night with the outside tire of a F350 dually when he left it laying in a wheat field and had gone to retrieve the truck. Sorta squished the rail flat. I took it off, checked the barrel nut assembly which was still tight, barrel ok, beat the rail back to shape best I could, put some rail covers on it and reassembled, continue killing pigs.

So that’s just my personal experience from actual use. Are there more robust rail systems out there, surely so. I’ve used several others and I’m not gonna say the Odin is the best or even my favorite (of the systems I’ve used that would be Noveske NSR with Aeroshell grease) but it’s held up fine for me. YMMV...

 

[Mudflap621]

^^this, Vibratite doesn’t bond like normal loktite, you let it set up before assembly and it works sorta like nylok. Keeps stuff tight but no problem to take loose like loktite. Great stuff, after using the little one-use packages some manufacturers include with their products (like Odinworks) I bought a bottle off Amazon.

In regards to the Odin rail, I got a couple I’ve run on our hog hunting SBR’s. Tried them out because their 12.5” rail happens to mate perfectly with the threads on the 12.5” 6.8 barrels we use, situating the can seamlessly at the end of the rail. Been running them for 4 years or so, no problems, nothing has come loose over several thousand rounds and hundreds of dead hogs. My son accidentally ran over the rail portion of his sbr at night with the outside tire of a F350 dually when he left it laying in a wheat field and had gone to retrieve the truck. Sorta squished the rail flat. I took it off, checked the barrel nut assembly which was still tight, barrel ok, beat the rail back to shape best I could, put some rail covers on it and reassembled, continue killing pigs.

So that’s just my personal experience from actual use. Are there more robust rail systems out there, surely so. I’ve used several others and I’m not gonna say the Odin is the best or even my favorite (of the systems I’ve used that would be Noveske NSR with Aeroshell grease) but it’s held up fine for me. YMMV...

Thanks for the first hand experience it’s nice to hear from someone that’s actually used them and used them hard.

 

[johnnyvw]

I was going to say Vibratite stays soft, kind of like rubber cement. I've used that on very tiny set screws, approx 1/16" in diameter. No problem taking them out when you want, but they stay put even when not actually tightened down

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Vibratite is like rubber cement. Its meant to keep threads from vibrating loose more like a rubber o ring would. Its not really a thread locker.

I use it on everything. Especially small screws.