20
Warning: don't trust those cheap inspection mirrors from the hardware store.
I was checking a hidden oil line on a Cessna 172 at KPWK last Friday and the mirror handle snapped off inside the cowling. Took me 45 minutes with a magnet wand to fish it out. Has anyone else had a cheap tool fail at the worst possible time?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
ninab9526d ago
omg this literally happened to my bud Mike at KAPA last month. He was using one of those $5 extendable mirrors to check an exhaust clamp on a 172 and the head just popped off and fell into the engine mount. Took him an hour and a half with a pick and a flashlight to get it out, plus he had to pull the cowl again. Cheap tools are such a gamble, especially around spinning stuff or hot exhaust.
5
the_sean26d agoTop Commenter
Man, that's rough. Nothing worse than chasing down a lost tool part in tight spaces like that.
4
lee.lucas2d ago
Cheap tools failing in tight spots, yeah that's a nightmare. The head popping off on a 172 engine mount is exactly the kind of pain I'd avoid at all costs. I've learned the hard way that spending a little extra on decent picks and mirrors saves you hours of cussing. You ever just bite the bullet on a better brand after a headache like that?
8