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I finally compared a torque wrench vs a beam style on the same job

I used a beam style for years on Cessna tail bolts and always thought it was good enough. Last month I borrowed a digital torque wrench and found I was under-torquing by 15 lb-ft on almost every bolt. Has anyone else switched and seen a big difference?

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2 Comments

jennifer_west4mo ago

Yeah, you mentioning "under-torquing by 15 lb-ft" really hits home. I had the same thing happen when I switched from an old beam style to a click type on my boat trailer lug nuts. I thought I was being careful, but the beam wrench just wasn't consistent. It's easy to misread the needle or have it bounce around, especially if you're working in a weird position. Plus, beam wrenches rely on you looking at them dead on, and if you're off to the side, that reading can be way off. So yeah, the digital or even a good click type makes a huge difference for accuracy, especially on critical stuff like airplane bolts.

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harper_owens4mo ago

Beam wrenches are just medieval torture for your anxiety.

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