I was torquing those little AN3 bolts way too hard for years

I was doing a 100-hour inspection on a Cessna 172 last week, and the new guy at the shop asked why I was using the 3/8-inch drive torque wrench on the cowling fasteners. I told him that's how I'd always done it. He pulled out the spec sheet and showed me the 1/4-inch drive setting... I'd been cranking them down to almost double the proper inch-pounds without even realizing. It just felt normal to me. Has anyone else had a basic habit like that they had to unlearn?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sean2mo agoTop Commenter

Man, that's a classic shop lesson right there. Did you ever have any issues with stripped threads or cracked parts from doing it wrong for so long?

nina1802mo agoMost Upvoted

Stripped threads" was my wake-up call to actually check the manual.

skylerg1722d ago

Manual probably says to grease or oil the threads too, not just torque spec. Did you get away with just the stripped bolt or was there damage to the part itself?