Narrative:

Aircraft on approach, severed left outbound mid flap inboard spindle. Upon disassembly of old carriage assembly questions arose about whether we indeed had correct assembly for replacement. We were with extra parts from disassembly than that of maintenance manual on ipc requirements. We had an extra sleeve/spacer shim with no reason for having it. Maintenance control was notified. They went through all 4 service bulletin part numbers known to exist. An engineer was located for this 3 way call and it was decided we had correct parts which still didn't explain the extra sleeve/spacer. While reassembling new carriage/spindle assembly it was perfectly clear that this sleeve/spacer had to be installed for correct clrncs even though there is no reference to it in maintenance manual or ipc. The carriage/spindle remove and replace was performed per maintenance manual 27-51-081-4. After the event has past, there is now question to step C8 of the installation of bearing retainers to whether we oriented these retainers correctly. In lieu of further research we have learned that there are up to 4 different types of retainers and also here, they are stocked in stores under one interchangeable part number/si. And once again there is no reference maintenance manual or ipc of correct orientation. After much thought of these events we are in question of our work performed that day. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated engineering is in process of changing the maintenance manual and illustrated parts catalog to reference the actual parts required on a flap carriage spindle replacement. The reporter said the company is held captive by the vendor who supplies the flap carriage spindle and may deliver the assembly with 4 different bearing retainers. The reporter stated it was found the installation in this report was correct.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 L OUTBOARD MID FLAP SPINDLE REPLACEMENT REQUIRED A SLEEVE SPACER NOT REFED IN THE MAINT MANUAL OR PARTS CATALOG.

Narrative: ACFT ON APCH, SEVERED L OUTBOUND MID FLAP INBOARD SPINDLE. UPON DISASSEMBLY OF OLD CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AROSE ABOUT WHETHER WE INDEED HAD CORRECT ASSEMBLY FOR REPLACEMENT. WE WERE WITH EXTRA PARTS FROM DISASSEMBLY THAN THAT OF MAINT MANUAL ON IPC REQUIREMENTS. WE HAD AN EXTRA SLEEVE/SPACER SHIM WITH NO REASON FOR HAVING IT. MAINT CTL WAS NOTIFIED. THEY WENT THROUGH ALL 4 SVC BULLETIN PART NUMBERS KNOWN TO EXIST. AN ENGINEER WAS LOCATED FOR THIS 3 WAY CALL AND IT WAS DECIDED WE HAD CORRECT PARTS WHICH STILL DIDN'T EXPLAIN THE EXTRA SLEEVE/SPACER. WHILE REASSEMBLING NEW CARRIAGE/SPINDLE ASSEMBLY IT WAS PERFECTLY CLR THAT THIS SLEEVE/SPACER HAD TO BE INSTALLED FOR CORRECT CLRNCS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO REF TO IT IN MAINT MANUAL OR IPC. THE CARRIAGE/SPINDLE REMOVE AND REPLACE WAS PERFORMED PER MAINT MANUAL 27-51-081-4. AFTER THE EVENT HAS PAST, THERE IS NOW QUESTION TO STEP C8 OF THE INSTALLATION OF BEARING RETAINERS TO WHETHER WE ORIENTED THESE RETAINERS CORRECTLY. IN LIEU OF FURTHER RESEARCH WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE UP TO 4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF RETAINERS AND ALSO HERE, THEY ARE STOCKED IN STORES UNDER ONE INTERCHANGEABLE PART NUMBER/SI. AND ONCE AGAIN THERE IS NO REF MAINT MANUAL OR IPC OF CORRECT ORIENTATION. AFTER MUCH THOUGHT OF THESE EVENTS WE ARE IN QUESTION OF OUR WORK PERFORMED THAT DAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED ENGINEERING IS IN PROCESS OF CHANGING THE MAINT MANUAL AND ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG TO REF THE ACTUAL PARTS REQUIRED ON A FLAP CARRIAGE SPINDLE REPLACEMENT. THE RPTR SAID THE COMPANY IS HELD CAPTIVE BY THE VENDOR WHO SUPPLIES THE FLAP CARRIAGE SPINDLE AND MAY DELIVER THE ASSEMBLY WITH 4 DIFFERENT BEARING RETAINERS. THE RPTR STATED IT WAS FOUND THE INSTALLATION IN THIS RPT WAS CORRECT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.