Handle on dump valve unscrews

[FlyingAroundRV]

When we got our brand new TT to the dump station of our first campgrounds, the instant I touched the handle of the dump valves (both of them) they fell off. Apart from being very pleased they didn't fall off in transit somewhere, I grabbed a pair of pliers and made sure they were tight on the valve shaft.
Yesterday, after using the trailer for a month and a half, the handles were loose again and again fell off as I started to dump the tanks.
My question is this:
I put some thread locker on the threads in the extension tube on the valve handle and tightened the whole thing up, is this going to bite me in the backside somewhere in the future?
Also,
I noticed that the shaft of the valve freely rotates in the valve. How does that shaft connect inside the valve. That is to say, is it threaded in there or is there some other non-loosening method used to connect the shaft to the gate?

[Ken / Claudia]

I think lock tight is fine. I never have but wanted too, never have any available when working the valves or think about doing it. I tighten them up each time as on past trailers. Lost one about a year ago. Cheap to replace and should have bought another just to have ready in that tool box. I wonder if the plastic handles also crack and fall off besides being loose.

[Bob Landry]

Replace the plastic handles with metal ones and add a backing nut. Screw the handle on and tighten the nut against it.

[wiredgeorge]

The metal handle and nut and the added advantage is that if you use loctite and want to remove the metal handle, a little heat from a propane torch will do the trick (red loctite requires a bit of heat) where the plastic handle will be a puddle and even using blue loctite, a plastic handle just might break.

[busterbrown]

We just returned from a 15 day trip down the east coast with our trailer. At our last camping destination, I went to hook up the sewer hose and noticed that the black tank valve extension and handle was missing. And the grey tank handle assembly was just 2 rotations from falling off. After 3 seasons, I never would have expected this. I had to remove the spray foam and make a small opening in the coroplast in order to use the 1 remaining extension on both gate valves. I immediately ordered a replacement Valterra 8" valve extension with handle from eTrailer.

Now that we're home, I'm indecisive if I should use blue Loctite on the threads of each metal extension or just pinch a pair of vice grips on the valve body's male threaded stub as I tighten the female extension. Decisions, decisions...

[Rotorwash]

Same problem on my brand new 175BH.
I was going to put some thread locker or even some teflon tape on there to tighten up the threads, but I also like the locknut idea... But I too keep forgetting until I am at the dump station!