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Switched to torque wrenches with digital readouts for pitot tube installs

I used to just go by feel on pitot tube fittings for 8 years until I pulled one too tight and cracked a housing last spring. The digital torque wrench cost $400 but it beeps at the right setting so I don't overthink it. Has anyone else found a specific brand that holds up better on the flight line?
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2 Comments
claire64
claire642d ago
Agree with you @black.amy, that beep really takes the pressure off. I think it comes down to a bigger thing I notice everywhere, not just in the hangar. People put too much faith in their own hands and brains when a simple machine check can save a lot of trouble. I see it all the time with people doing their own home repairs too, they guess on a torque setting and end up stripping a bolt or cracking something. A little beep or a click is just a second opinion that costs almost nothing compared to the repair. The digital readout is just a better way to get that same peace of mind.
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black.amy
black.amy2d ago
Last year I would've said feel is fine but that beep saves my butt every time now.
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