Warning: I saw a huge drop in hydraulic leaks after our shop switched to a new torque procedure

Six months ago, our lead started making us use a two-step torque method on all hydraulic fittings, plus a witness mark with paint. Before that, we had maybe one or two small seepage write-ups a week on the regional jets we handle. Now, I think I've seen one in the past two months. Some guys say it's overkill and adds five minutes to a simple line change. Others think it's the single best practice shift we've made to cut down on repeat issues. What's the verdict in your hangar, do strict torque steps actually save time in the long run by preventing callbacks?

3 comments

3 Comments

robertanderson2mo ago

Ever try to argue with results? That five minutes is nothing compared to chasing a leak later. We made the same switch and our callback rate tanked.

charlieo292mo agoMost Upvoted

But what if the leak is super rare?

xena_fisher4921d ago

Yeah "super rare" is exactly what my buddy thought too. He spent two whole days fixing a "tiny" leak in his ceiling because he figured it was no big deal. Turns out it was a slow drip from a pipe behind the wall that had been going for months. By the time he found it, the drywall was basically mush and he had mold starting in the corner. His house smelled like a swamp for weeks and his insurance didn't cover it all. So yeah, that "super rare" leak cost him like four grand and a weekend he'll never get back.