Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Avionics; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Lead Technician 3; Maintenance Technician 24
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
General Maintenance Action
Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part
#1 tire was flat so another technician and I were tasked with replacing both #1 and #2 wheel assemblies. After removing the #1 wheel assembly the other technician who had removed the axle nut did not see a washer. After he inspected the removed wheel and could not find a washer; it was determined that this aircraft did not require a washer. I verified that the brake spacer was installed and we then installed the wheel assembly. The wheel nut was torqued and safety bolts installed.After a delay due to not having the 8130 tag for the new #2 wheel assembly; we proceeded to replace the #2 wheel assembly. Again the other technician did not see a washer so it was determined that a washer was not needed. This was the first time that either of us had replaced [this model of aircraft] wheel assembly. The maintenance manual mentioned installing the washer before the axle nut; but there was confusion due to the recently issued advisory notice about nuts with axle washers attached. There was also some confusion about the reference to the axle spacer and the axle washer. [5 days later] a washer was found on the old wheel assembly in the tire shop and a new washer was robbed from [another aircraft] and placed on the #1 wheel assembly. After I arrived at work I inspected the #2 wheel and notified my lead that the washer was also missing from that axle. The aircraft was taken out of service in order to install a new washer.
While replacing the #1 and #2 main landing gear wheel assemblies on a commercial aircraft; the technicians did not find any washer under the axle nut for either wheel assembly.