Thought torque wrenches were overkill until a bird strike job in Denver

I used to think torque wrenches were just extra weight in the box for most jobs. Then we got a bird strike repair on a 737 engine mount in Denver last spring, and the manual called for a specific 85 ft-lb on the bolts. I watched a guy skip it and the bolt sheared during a test run. Now I break mine out for any critical fastener, not just engines. Has anyone else had a close call that changed your mind on basic tools?

2 comments

2 Comments

bethj441mo ago

Read a tech article about that exact issue last year, apparently it's a common mistake on engine mounts. Definitely a rough lesson to learn.

angela_carter1mo ago

Three shops quoted me the same fix, all said it's way too common on the 2019 models.