That one tip about torque wrench calibration I ignored for years

An old lead mechanic told me to have my torque wrench checked every 6 months, not just when it felt off. After a landing gear bolt came loose on a 737 at 20,000 hours, I finally listened. Anyone else caught skipping calibration till it bites you?

2 comments

2 Comments

blairtaylor5d ago

Six month checks are a waste of money unless you're abusing the tool. I ran a shop for twelve years and never had a wrench fall out of spec unless I dropped it or used a cheater bar. That bolt coming loose sounds like a torque sequence issue or a bolt that was already stretched, not a calibration problem. Most wrenches are fine for years if you treat them decent and don't loan them out to the new guy.

bettyfox4d ago

Try looking at it from the other side. Even if you treat your wrenches perfectly, a small drift over time in the internal parts can mess up your readings by a few foot-pounds without you ever knowing. That loose bolt might have been due to a torque wrench that was "close enough" six months ago but now reads 5 pounds low. I'd rather spend a few bucks on a check than redo a head gasket job or worse. Do you really trust your feel that much over a certified test?