Thread lockers have been around for a long time. The products available to consumers come in liquid form. Since I began working on cars in...well, if I told you now long, I'd have to kill you. Suffice to say it's been a few years. Anyway, most of the thread lockers I've used come as a liquid in squeeze bottles or small tubes.

The problem with thread lockers in liquid form is that they can drip off the bolts, minimizing holding power while creating waste and mess. 

Recently, the Permatex folks came out with a thread locker in gel form. The big difference between Permatex Threadlocker Gels and regular Permatex Threadlocker is the product's gel-like consistency. This unique, gel formula works with a "clinging action" that assures threadlocker is applied with precision and stays on the fastener during assembly. You can put the right amount of threadlocker exactly where they want it, even in overhead, vertical or hard-to-reach applications.

The advantage of that is ease of application–when you put it on a fastener, it stays right where you apply it. The gel formula, as Permatex says in its marketing info, "...provides “liquid-reliability” without drips, globs, mess or waste." Permatex Gel Threadlockers are OEM-specified and available in two strengths, "Blue Medium Strength Blue" and "Red High Strength".

Permatex Blue Medium Strength Gel Threadlocker is an all-purpose, medium-strength threadlocker for use on bolts from ¼ to ¾ in. diameter. It can eliminate the need for lock nuts, lock washers or locks and seals while preventing parts loosening from vibration. Permatex Red High Strength Gel Threadlocker is designed specifically for heavy-duty fasteners from 3/8 to 1 in. diameter. It is for permanently locking studs and press fits, adding 3,000 PSI holding power on slip and press fit assemblies. Fasteners treated with the High-Strength Threadlocker may require heat and/or special tools for disassembly. Both products are offered in two convenient sizes: a 5-gram squeeze tube and a 10-gram  pinpoint applicator.

I've been using the Medium Strength Threadlocker Gel for five years, now, and, it's made every application of thread locking compound I've run across easier. In fact, I'm no longer using medium- or high strength- liquid thread locking products at all.

For more information, visit Permatex's threadlocker page