Serious question, why do so many techs ignore the torque specs on coax connectors?

I've seen at least three units come back this month with cracked BNC shells because someone just cranked them down. The spec sheet for our standard connectors clearly says 15 inch-pounds max. Has anyone else had to fix this on a 737's comm panel?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_young1mo ago

Ever think a tight connection was just a good connection? I used to crank them until they felt solid. Then I saw a whole batch of TNCs fail in the field, not from a bad signal, but from the housing splitting right at the threads. That little spec sheet number actually means something. Now my torque wrench is the first tool out of my bag.

bailey.xena1mo ago

Our shop floor torque wrenches are always out of calibration anyway. You get a false sense of security following a spec that's probably wrong. A solid hand-tight feel is more reliable than a tool you can't trust.

phoenixp3026d ago

Watched a guy snap the center pin clean off a brand new SMA last week, just going by feel. That little click on the torque wrench isn't a suggestion, it's a STOP sign. My old boss used to say "tight is right" until we had to replace a whole rack of damaged avionics connectors.