Warning: I spent 2 years torquing connector backshells by feel like an idiot

Last month a senior tech at a Delta hangar showed me the actual torque specs for ARINC 600 connectors and I realized I'd been under-tightening them since I started. Has anyone else had a similar wake up call on something you thought was basic?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lee25d ago

Man, I felt that one in my bones. I had a similar moment with the torque specs on MIL-DTL-38999 series connectors a few years back. Turns out I was over-torquing them by quite a bit and probably stressing the shells for no reason. My advice is to grab the actual installation manual for whatever connector you're using, not just the general aircraft maintenance manual. The difference between a good tight connection and a damaged one is usually just a few inch-pounds.

holly_reed5525d ago

Flipped my lid when I read this, not gonna lie. I mean, I've been doing the whole "finger tight then a quarter turn" thing for years on those connectors and never thought twice about it. It's wild to think there's an actual spec sheet sitting out there that I've been ignoring this whole time. Might have to go dig through our manuals now and see what else I've been half-assing without even knowing.

lindag3325d ago

Oh man, same thing happened to me with some D-sub connectors last year! I was doing the old "tighten til it feels right" method and never even checked the actual spec. Turned out I was cranking them way past the 8-10 inch-pound limit. Felt like such a rookie when I finally looked it up. Now I keep a little torque screwdriver in my bag just for those, its a game changer.