TIL the torque wrench click test everyone swears by almost cost me a gear door latch
Our shop lead keeps saying to test a click-type wrench by setting it low and listening for the break, and I bought into it for years. Last week on a 737 gear door latch at our hangar in Tulsa, my 3/8 wrench felt like it clicked at 40 inch-pounds when the setting was actually 90. I almost signed off on fasteners that were nowhere near spec. Pulled the wrench, sent it to the cal lab, and it came back reading 22 percent low across the board. Turns out setting a wrench to its lowest value and dry-firing it over and over is a good way to beat up the spring. Has anyone found a bench check that actually catches drift without tearing up the tool?