Old lead mechanic told me to stop torqueing wet bolts

I used to torque every bolt dry, figured that's how you get proper readings. Then Frank, 30 year guy at LAX, watched me do some landing gear bolts and said I was asking for cracks. He showed me how the lube from sealant changes the torque values by like 20 percent. Now I factor in wet torque for anything with sealant. Anybody else get schooled on torque specs the hard way?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_kelly437d ago

Yeah but that 20 percent number isn't a hard and fast rule, it's more of a rough ballpark. Frank was right about wet torque being different from dry, but the actual change depends on the sealant type, thread pitch, and bolt size. You really gotta check the spec sheet for whatever anti-seize or sealant you're using to get the real adjustment factor.

the_adam7d ago

Wait, there's actually a spec sheet for that? I've just been eyeballing it and crossing my fingers this whole time.

jamesm487d ago

@charles_kelly43, you mentioned the adjustment factor changes with different sealants - what's the worst one you've seen where the difference was way bigger than the usual 20 percent ballpark? I'm asking because Frank only ever showed me the standard stuff we used and I'm wondering if there's some sealant out there that'll mess you up if you just assume the generic adjustment.