Digital torque wrenches are quick, but my manual tool caught a critical error

Last month on a Piper Cherokee job, our digital torque wrench gave a false reading on an engine mount bolt. I felt something was wrong, so I used my manual click-type wrench. It showed the bolt was over-tightened and starting to strip. That manual check likely stopped a bigger issue. I still use digital tools for speed, but I always double-check with manual ones. Many mechanics think digital is always right, but I disagree. The physical feel of a manual wrench gives you more control. What's your take on using both types?

3 comments

3 Comments

caseyw122d ago

Trust but verify, man. Always cross-check with the click.

xena_anderson16d ago

That's wild it caught a mounting bolt. Makes you wonder about calibration drift on the digital ones. How often are you checking the calibration on your digital wrench versus your manual one? Like, is there a routine, or just when something feels off?

troyjackson16d ago

Yeah, the physical feel thing is huge. What was the giveaway that made you grab the manual wrench? Like, did the digital readout seem off, or was it just a hunch?

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