Had a close call at LAX last Tuesday that changed how I torque bolts

I was working a line maintenance shift at LAX last week and one of the guys showed me a wheel bolt that had backed out halfway after a quick turnaround. We found it during a walkaround and it could have been a real mess if it went unnoticed. Ever since that day I've been double checking the torque on every single wheel bolt I touch, even if it adds 5 minutes to the job. The whole thing made me realize how easy it is to get sloppy when you're in a hurry or tired. Does anyone else have a routine they follow to stay sharp on the little things like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron_chen631mo ago

Disagree with you there. That bolt backing out wasn't about being sloppy or tired. It was just a bad bolt or a bad installation from someone else's shift. You can check torque ten times and still get a bad part. Happens all the time. Overthinking one close call is how you end up wasting time on stuff that doesn't matter. Five minutes per bolt adds up fast on a busy turnaround. You're gonna miss something else while you're obsessing over one thing. Better to just trust your usual routine and move on. If it works 99% of the time, it works. That other 1% is just bad luck, not a training problem.

sage_perry1mo ago

Friend of mine had his torque wrench fail mid-shift, missed a lug nut by 30 ft-lbs and didn't notice until the wheel shook on taxi. @cameron_chen63, sometimes the routine itself hides the problem until it's almost too late.