Chose the manual torque wrench over the digital one today

Had to re-torque a bunch of control cable turnbuckles on a 172 this morning. Digital one was sitting right there on the cart but I grabbed the old clicker style instead. Honestly just trust the feel more on small hardware like that, especially in tight spots where you can't see the display. Got all 12 done in about 20 minutes with no issues. Anybody else still stick with the old school tools for certain jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancythomas19d ago

I mean I get what you're saying about trusting the feel on small hardware. I still use my dad's old beam-style torque wrench for anything under 30 ft-lbs because the needle just makes more sense to my brain than a digital screen. Idk maybe it's just me but I like the physical feedback of watching that needle move.

emmawood19d ago

Yeah totally! @nancythomas hit it right about the needle thing. I like how you can see the actual force building up instead of just a number popping up on a screen. For tiny hardware like those 5/32 turnbuckle nuts it just feels safer to hear that click and know it's done. Digital screens are nice for big jobs but they add another thing to worry about failing or getting bumped in a tight cockpit.