I used to think a torque wrench was just for the big bolts

For years, I'd hand-tighten every small fastener on a panel, thinking it was fine. Then, on a Cessna 172 annual last month, I found three loose screws on a fairing that had vibrated enough to start wearing the aluminum. My lead, a guy named Carl, just said 'the book says 25 inch-pounds for a reason.' Now I torque everything, even the tiny ones. Anyone else have a 'small' habit they changed that made a big difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_webb14d ago

Honestly, same here with checking tire pressures before every single flight now.

ryantorres14d ago

Notice how one small mistake makes you double-check everything forever. It's like spilling coffee once and then you always put the lid on super tight. That little bit of extra worry just gets baked into your routine, and you can't shake it.

ivanross14d ago

That's a solid point about the small fasteners. I figured hand tight was good enough for years too. Seeing a stripped panel screw from vibration was what finally got me to follow the book.