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Is there such a tool?

R

ron sterba

Well Known Member
Iam Following my first condition inspection form from Vans website on my RV9A and pulling off the items from the form to make my own condition inspection list. I question that I have to check the torque on all my AN-3 & AN-4 nuts. I used torque seal on every nut. Not one has MOVED! Every nut is right where I left it torqued to the bolt and surface it holds. Is there such a tool as a open end-wrench that is a torque wrench for ONLY AN3 & AN4 nuts? I know NASA has many and even though I helped pay for them I don?t get to use them or even look at the toolbox! I went to Aircraft Spruce and they have torque SCREWDRIVERS, COOL I thought, I?ll just use a socket on the end instead of a bit. $250 bucks hello! I think that every EAA chapter should own one. Give me your thoughts.
Thanks

Ron in Oregon
RV9A.
 
How about a much less expensive crowfoot at a 90 degree angle on the end of your regular torque wrench? There may be some you can't get on without a socket... for those, you can re-apply torque-seal afterward.
 
Hi Dale I first start at the vertical stab, I tried my 1/2” drive with a crowfoot but it was to bulky to fit on the flats where I originally set them ,I guess I could turn the bolt So the bolt head flats could line up with the crowfoot on the nut flats.

Ron in Oregon
 
Why are you retorquing? If the torque seal is intact, doesn't that mean nothing has changed? Not being difficult, but I have never questioned the nuts in my Archer if the torque seal is intact. Should I be concerned?
 
Charlie you are a GEM, went to E-Bay, WOW WHAT A SELECTION! Cheap too! Ok less expensive by $200 bucks. You da man!

Ron in Oregon
 
Re-Torque

During condition inspections on 2 different RV that had 400-500 hrs total time found many of the tail attach bolts needing to be retorqued. Also found the engine mount to firewall bolts needing retorque. I would check every fastener you can reach every inspection. I rarely use torque seal and it means nothing to me when I see it.

Don Broussard A&P/IA
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
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Amazon sells several 1/4" beam-type torque wrences that reads in inch-pounds. Get a crow's foot 3/8" and 7/16" wrench and you're in business.

It's possible that the pieces being held together by that never-loosened bolt have yielded slightly, or that they have relaxed just a bit, or that an uncaught burr in the middle of the joint has moved. Anything of this sort can cause a relaxation of torque even if the nut and bolt haven't changed relative position.

When checking, don't forget to include running torque. Sorry, but unless that's been written down for every single nut upon assembly, the only way to check it is to back the nut off and retorque.

Dave
 
These are handy and very reasonably priced:
38069589002_9bbc5737c4.jpg
[/url]71llQxsCd-L._SL1500_ by David C, on Flickr[/IMG]

https://www.amazon.com/Tite-Reach-Extension-Wrench-Combo-Pack/dp/B004UBHRWO
 
What is torque for ?

David?s post above raises a valid QUESTION ( not rhetorical ). Torque is important on fasteners loaded in TENSION to hold parts together until the load exceeds the fasteners preload and allows motion, example cylinder heads. A bolt loaded in shear is good until shear loads exceed its capacity. Therefore, the concern would be parts retained by tension, probably with gaskets or parts subjected to shear, which are loose. So, if it ain?t moving or leaking something, what is the risk with colored marks that witness fastener motion ?
 
All Your points are well taken,shear and tension, hours are interesting,yep I see what you mean about pieces pulled together but may have had a burr that restricted torque in the beginning, good point. The wrenches are something that may work just fine in tight places too! I have to say iam well educated today with all your comments. I thank you and much appreciated the details.
Thanks everyone.

Ron in Oregon
RV9A
 
My experience is that torque seal only indicates that the fastener was torqued at a point in time. That fact that you don't see a break in the seal (or other movement) does NOT mean the the fastener is still properly torqued. So I agree 100% with Don B in post #7.

My goal during an inspection is to put a wrench on every nut and bolt I can access. Every year, I find fastener that need to be tightened just a bit (some times more than a bit).

Even though I used a torqued wrench on everything during the build, I don't get anal about using a torque wrench during inspections. If I get movement on a nut, I snug it up by feel. If it's easy to access with a torque wrench, I'll use the torque wrench.
 
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Bingo. Rick A and Don B have it right. Torque seal is not intended to be used as a indicator over time of loosened nuts or bolts. It is only intended to be used during initial quality assurance checks. As each fastener is inspected it is marked with torque seal so that the inspector / installer can keep track of which fasteners have been properly torqued during final install.

Any subsequent inspections should disregard the original torque seal daubs.

I am amazed at how many people think the little daub of thick paint is a future go no/go gauge. After the first application and the aircraft parts are released as inspected and good to go the torque seal dots are merely cosmetic with no future quality assurance purpose and should be ignored.

Jim
 
Points well taken. I was in a dark tunnel before and now the lights are very bright. Got a good view on condition inspections. This group of threads should be categorized into the search library by one of our host moderators. Hats off to the detail expressed by you folks. Every builder needs to read these posts.

Thanks

Ron in Oregon RV9A
 
For those that have done many CI, what fasteners and at what location are you finding loose? Then we need to ask, what yielded, the fastener or the component being held?
 
Torque

I don’t think it’s a question of anything yielding. It’s more like these relatively soft clamped together aluminum assemblies get vibrated for a while and various parts get comfortable with each other. After retorqueing a couple times you will likely see the need taper off. I find the locknuts on the rudder and elevators rod ends loose more often than any other part, but every bolt should be suspect.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
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