Used to rag on torque seal but I get it now

I always thought torque seal was just a way for inspectors to flex on us. Then last month I had a guy recheck my work on a 737 flap track and he asked if I actually torqued the bolts. I couldn't prove it without the witness marks. Now I put a dab on every critical fastener. Has anyone else had a moment where a small thing like that saved your butt?

2 comments

2 Comments

colemiller1mo ago

Oh man, I feel this. I spent years thinking torque seal was just for show, something the quality guys liked to see. Then I had a prop governor bolt back out on a Baron because I trusted my feel instead of marking it. Wasn't fun explaining that to the owner. Now I paint those witness marks like I'm doing a bad art project, just so I can sleep at night.

alice9911mo ago

Man I feel that! My moment came on a landing gear retract test where I forgot to torque a downlock bolt on a Cessna 172. The gear came up fine but on the way back down it made this awful grinding noise. The owner was standing right there watching. I had to pull the inspection panel and there it was, a loose bolt with no torque seal. Now I mark everything on the gear like I'm giving it a tattoo. That little dab of paint is cheap insurance against looking like a total hack.