https://www.asnt.org/en/MajorSiteSec...uirements.aspx

To train someone in UT to be a Level II would require 80 hours of formal training, then it would require 840 hours of hands on UT experience under the direct supervision of a qualified UT inspector. This is 840 hours of actual doing... not just 840 hours of being in training. It would take over 5 months of having a person do nothing but UT 8 hours a day... this is pretty much impossible without going crazy. Then they still need 1600 hours in NDT... so almost a full year. So yes... theoretically, they could take an employee and pay them to get certified... but only if they also hire another person to oversee that certification. Just not really practical.

Hiring someone already qualified is the better scenario, as long as you had enough work for them to keep them certified. I'm guessing that Rock Krawler may have enough production to justify it though. They will most likely have to hire an outside company to oversee their certification (which must be done by a Level III). They could hire a Level III to oversee the certification themselves, but then the costs have gone up significantly.

It's probably better for them to contract out their NDT though... there are loads of companies (TEAM, Accuren, ...) that all provide contract NDT services on site or in their own facilities.

 

Which answers my original question. We do live in a litigious society. For better or worse, if something happens that you had no idea could happen, courts are very forgiving. But if it ever happens again, they consider that you were put on notice the first time, and would not be as lenient. You would have to demonstrate to them that you did everything in your power to prevent it from happening again, or face the consequences. If I were RK, I would find a different source or not sell this particular part again, or as you said, test every part in the future. But that's just because I would fear the liability. Odds are it will never happen again and maybe to them that is worth the risk. I'm glad I'm not in their shoes.

And RK I'm not insinuating it was you in any way. You just happen to be in the unfortunate position of being the one it happened to. I don't believe you are responsible in any way, shape, or form but I do understand how our modern day society works. I just wanted to make sure you do too. Be careful. Cross your T's and dot your I's.

It sucks that we all have to live this way these days but it is what it is.

 

This is real good how rockkrawler sent it out and got it looked at as soon as they recieved it. I'm very happy with how rockkrawler is taken this serious. And couldn't be more happy than how they made everything right on my end. I will tell you this new pro drag link is bad ass way nicer than the older style. So nice I think I'll be placing a order for the matching tie rod.

 

Wow never realized how much time we had invested in our guys. Ours were trained by an old timer Level III who has since retired but I dont know if RK would have the volume needed to cover the salary of a full time guy. I think you were right in it might be best to looking to the steel vendor for additional inspection.

 

No worries. Its a small specialized field. We will see what RK does.

 

What was the outcome of this? I have the same drag link and would like to know if I should be worried about it. Did RK ever offer a replacement or recall of this particular part?

 

I had a TRE pull out of my RK drag link and me and the wife almost went off a cliff. It was out of the supposedly 1 year warranty by three weeks. It was one of those things he mentioned about "when things are easily explained". The explanation was that possibly the jamb nut came loose and the TRE just pulled out, taking the threads out of the D.L. They possibly might be right. It didn't make any difference to them, it was out of warranty so they weren't interested. Just wanted to mention my experience with it, and it happened quite a while ago. I really made no stink about it on line so maybe I didn't get the attention possibly I deserved.

 

The only reason a TRE would pull out is if the jam nut was not properly torqued or allowed to loosen. Any movement at all will quickly wear the threads down and cause a failure.

The threads are machine cut with a tolerance of +/- .0001". Properly torque the jam nut with blue loctite and use a paint marker to draw a line from the nut to the sleeve so you have a visual to ensure it doesn't loosen.

 

You're almost right except if there were something wrong with the threads to begin with. You are just assuming they were good. As they did. It's alright though, I'm over it.

 

Haha. You'd be surprised just how much I know about it. There wouldn't be anything wrong prior to install.

My point was simply to remind people of how critical proper installation and regular inspection is. There's a reason OEM's don't use jam nuts. Don't get me wrong, when used properly, they're great.