Chat with a cargo pilot made me rethink my torque specs

I was talking to this FedEx guy in Memphis last month and he said he sees mechanics overtorquing panel screws all the time, like they're scared the thing will fall off. He showed me a consistent torque stripe failure pattern across three different aircraft, and it hit me that I've probably been guilty of the same thing for years. Anyone else ever catch themselves cranking down harder than the manual says?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonbell1d ago

Maybe it's just me but torque specs are just guidelines anyway.

simonw4118h ago

Whoa, easy there @simonbell. In my experience, torque specs are there for a reason, especially on critical stuff like head bolts or suspension parts. Getting it wrong on something like that can cost you a whole lot more than a quick trip to the hardware store.