Narrative:

Aircraft was brought to the hangar after an air turnback. It was reported that one of the flight attendants heard a metallic popping noise in the forward galley floor area. While inspecting the aft east&east compartment for any problems; I found that 2 of the stabilizer trim pulleys were badly worn. When the pulleys were turned; they made a loud clacking noise against the cables. So; I decided to change both pulleys. Because of the position of these pulleys and the routing of the cables; there is very little pressure between the pulleys and the cables. It is a very simple task to remove the pulley bolts; drop the worn pulleys out; slide the new pulleys in place and reinstall the pulley bolts. Since I did not disturb the control cables; no rigging was needed. I did use a tensiometer to check the cable tension to make sure they were within limits. There are 3 tasks listed in the mpm concerning the stabilizer system that require an rii: 1) right&right of the horizontal stabilizer jack screw. 2) rigging the control system. 3) stabilizer replacement. Since I didn't perform any of these tasks; I did not think that an rii was needed. My reference to the maintenance manual was for standard practices concerning the installation of the bolts and self-locking nuts for the pulleys; and checking the cable tension.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 HAD 2 STABILIZER PULLEYS REPLACED WITH NO RIGGING REQUIRED. NO REQUIRED INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. RPTR BELIEVES NONE REQUIRED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO THE HANGAR AFTER AN AIR TURNBACK. IT WAS RPTED THAT ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS HEARD A METALLIC POPPING NOISE IN THE FORWARD GALLEY FLOOR AREA. WHILE INSPECTING THE AFT E&E COMPARTMENT FOR ANY PROBS; I FOUND THAT 2 OF THE STABILIZER TRIM PULLEYS WERE BADLY WORN. WHEN THE PULLEYS WERE TURNED; THEY MADE A LOUD CLACKING NOISE AGAINST THE CABLES. SO; I DECIDED TO CHANGE BOTH PULLEYS. BECAUSE OF THE POS OF THESE PULLEYS AND THE ROUTING OF THE CABLES; THERE IS VERY LITTLE PRESSURE BTWN THE PULLEYS AND THE CABLES. IT IS A VERY SIMPLE TASK TO REMOVE THE PULLEY BOLTS; DROP THE WORN PULLEYS OUT; SLIDE THE NEW PULLEYS IN PLACE AND REINSTALL THE PULLEY BOLTS. SINCE I DID NOT DISTURB THE CTL CABLES; NO RIGGING WAS NEEDED. I DID USE A TENSIOMETER TO CHK THE CABLE TENSION TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE WITHIN LIMITS. THERE ARE 3 TASKS LISTED IN THE MPM CONCERNING THE STABILIZER SYS THAT REQUIRE AN RII: 1) R&R OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER JACK SCREW. 2) RIGGING THE CTL SYS. 3) STABILIZER REPLACEMENT. SINCE I DIDN'T PERFORM ANY OF THESE TASKS; I DID NOT THINK THAT AN RII WAS NEEDED. MY REF TO THE MAINT MANUAL WAS FOR STANDARD PRACTICES CONCERNING THE INSTALLATION OF THE BOLTS AND SELF-LOCKING NUTS FOR THE PULLEYS; AND CHKING THE CABLE TENSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.