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I finally figured out a quick way to check for a stripped bolt on a Cessna 172 flap track

Last month at the hangar in Dayton, I found that if you mark the bolt head with a paint pen and watch for the mark to turn without the nut moving, you can spot a stripped thread in about 30 seconds, saving a ton of time on the annual.
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3 Comments
foster.tessa
Ever think about how many stripped bolts get missed during a normal pre-flight check? Seems like a basic thing that could slip through.
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ivan_murphy80
My buddy tried that exact trick on his Cherokee last year. He marked the bolt, gave the wrench a turn, and the whole paint line just spun freely. Found three bad ones on the same track. Makes you wonder how many planes are flying around with bolts just pretending to be tight, right?
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the_christopher
Ever try a torque wrench to catch those sneaky loose bolts?
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