Honestly thought I could save a day by skipping the full wire harness check on a King Air

Tbh I had a single comms fault and just swapped the radio, but it turned out to be a chafed wire bundle in the wing root that took another three days to trace. Ngl that shortcut cost me about $1200 in lost shop time and a very unhappy customer. Anyone have a good method for a quick but thorough harness inspection before you start pulling boxes?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayes.joel15d ago

Grab a good flashlight and physically follow the harness from end to end, looking for any spot where it might rub against a structure. Pay extra attention at clamps, bulkhead pass-throughs, and areas with sharp edges. I once found a bad spot just by feeling for a slight bump in the wire loom where it was getting pinched. It adds maybe twenty minutes to the job but can save you from a real headache later.

keithbutler15d ago

Solid advice from @hayes.joel. Found a rubbed-through wire that way last month.

richard_anderson10d ago

Wait, you found it by just looking? I always have to run my hand along it too, like Joel said. Good catch though, @keithbutler.