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Bought a cheap torque wrench for a Cessna flap job and it cost me a whole day
I needed to torque some bolts on a 172's flap mechanism last month and grabbed a $40 wrench from the auto parts store instead of my usual Snap-on. The thing clicked way early, I under-torqued everything, and the whole assembly had a weird play after reassembly. Had to strip it all back down, check for damage, and redo it with a proper tool, which wasted about 8 hours of my Saturday. Anyone have a go-to brand for precision work that won't break the bank?
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sarahb597mo ago
Sometimes the cheap tool is the right call for a one-off job. A torque wrench for a car lug nut doesn't need to be perfect, but aircraft work is a different level. What specific torque range were you working in?
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spencerh957mo ago
Honestly I get what you're saying but even car lug nuts need proper torque. Under or over tightening can warp rotors or cause a wheel to come off. Tbh that's why the cheap click type wrenches scare me for any critical fastener. Aircraft is obviously way more serious, but the basic idea is the same. A one off job can still ruin your day if the tool fails.
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