Found out the 737 max has 2,000 more fasteners than the NG, who's arguing this is good?

I was reading the maintenance manual last night and counted the fastener callouts between the two, that number surprised the hell out of me. Some guys say it's just complexity for complexity's sake, but others think it's all about fatigue life improvements, so which side are you on after actually working these birds?

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linda62626d agoMost Upvoted

Take the wing to body join on both birds and you'll see the real story. On the NG you've got big honking fittings doing most of the work, but the MAX spreads that load across way more smaller brackets and straps. That's where those 2,000 extra fasteners are hiding. Honestly, I've seen cracks on NG joins way earlier than you'd expect, and the MAX's setup at least gives you more places to inspect and catch stuff before it becomes a tear down. Tbh, the fatigue life argument holds up in my book, but it's a pain in the ass when you're doing a routine job and suddenly you're chasing 40 extra clips that all need torque paint. Ngl, I'd rather take the extra hour on the ground now than have to explain an AOG later.