Hydraulic fluid in my face at ORD, now I question every swivel fitting

Had a 737 come in last Tuesday with a bad leak near the main gear. I was in a hurry and used the old school method of just torquing the swivel to feel, same way I have for 10 years. It sprayed 1500 psi right into my safety glasses and down my shirt. Now I'm torn: do we stick with the factory torque specs on every fitting, or trust the hands-on feel when the book numbers just don't account for worn threads? Has anyone else had a close call that made them change their routine, or am I just being paranoid now?

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max_ramirez483d ago

Whoa, but wiping compound on the swivel threads changes the torque readings too, right?