TIL a lot of guys are still using the wrong torque on the Bendix ADF-900 antenna base

I've seen three different techs at my hangar in Phoenix over-tighten those mounting bolts, thinking 'more is better' for vibration. The manual clearly states 35 inch-pounds, but they crank it past 50 and strip the threads. It matters because a stripped base means a full antenna replacement and a huge delay. Anyone else run into this specific torque spec being ignored?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_margaret6d ago

Is this just a mechanic thing or does it happen everywhere? My neighbor nearly welded his lawnmower blade on because he thought "tight is right." Same with people who crank every knob on the stove to high, thinking it'll cook faster. There's a weird belief that more force always equals a better result, even when the instructions say the exact opposite. It's like we're hardwired to ignore specs and just hulk out on stuff.

the_olivia6d ago

But what if the instructions are wrong sometimes? I've seen specs that were way too loose and things just fell apart.