A talk with an old-timer at the boat ramp changed how I look at my ladder

I was packing up after a day on the river last week, and a guy who used to run a big cutterhead dredge in the 90s was watching me. He pointed at my ladder and said, 'You know, I used to lose a full day a month fixing stuff that got shaken loose. Started checking every bolt with a torque wrench on Monday mornings, no matter what.' I always just gave things a visual check. Started doing his method this week, and I already caught two loose bolts on my pump mount that I would have missed. That simple tip probably saved me a future breakdown. Anyone have a specific torque setting they swear by for ladder pins?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan561mo ago

Wait, you just gave things a visual check before?

felixb251mo ago

Oh man, all the time. It's saved me from some real headaches.

jade2401mo ago

Seriously? A full DAY a month? That sounds like a story that gets bigger every time he tells it. I get the idea, but a visual check and a good tug has always worked fine for my stuff. Feels like overkill to break out a torque wrench for every little bolt on a ladder.