Overheard a lead mechanic say 'torque specs are just suggestions' to a new guy

I read the manual for a 737 landing gear retraction test last night and realized that attitude is exactly why we have a whole drawer full of cherry max bucked tails, so has anyone else actually seen a non-spec bolt cause a failure or is it just the boogeyman story they tell in A&P school?

2 comments

2 Comments

emma_clark9d ago

Doubt a few foot-pounds off is really gonna drop a plane out of the sky.

simonh748d agoMost Upvoted

Actually torque specs on aircraft are a bigger deal than most people think. Even a few pounds off can mess with bolt tension and cause metal fatigue over time. It's not about it dropping out of the sky on the first flight, it's about it failing when you least expect it.