A B737-200 AFTER RUDDER REPLACEMENT AND TEST FLT RPTED RUDDER TRIM WITH PWR ON WAS 1 UNIT AND TRIM WITH PWR OFF WAS 2 PT 5 UNITS. WAS ACCEPTABLE WITHIN MAINT MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative

DEC/XX/96 I WAS MAINT SUPVR ON DUTY AT THE HANGAR IN ZZZ. ACFT WAS A B737-200. JUST HAD ITS RUDDER REPLACED DUE TO A LIGHTNING STRIKE AND REQUIRED A TEST FLT. THE ACFT RETURNED FROM THE TEST FLT WITH AN ITEM CONCERNING THE RUDDER TRIM. AFTER DISCUSSING THE ITEM WITH THE FLC; REVIEWING THE FLT TEST RPT; AND REVIEWING THE MAINT MANUAL; I WAS CONVINCED THAT EVERYTHING DISCUSSED WITH THE FLC WAS ACCEPTABLE AND WITHIN ALLOWABLE OPERATING LIMITS PER THE ACFT'S MAINT MANUAL. THE FLT TEST RPT INDICATED THE ACFT REQUIRED 1 UNIT OF L RUDDER TRIM WITH HYD PWR ON WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE. ALSO ON THE RPT IT STATED THAT DURING MANUAL REVERSION; RUDDER TRIM WENT FROM .2 DEGS L TO 2.7 DEGS L (2.5 DEGS TOTAL). THERE IS NO MENTION IN THE MAINT MANUAL TO 'ZERO OUT' RUDDER TRIM PRIOR TO HYD PWR OFF. HAD THE ORIGINAL 1 UNIT OF TRIM REMAINED INPUT; THEN HYD PWR REMOVED THE RUDDER WOULD HAVE DEFLECTED AN ADDITIONAL 1.5 UNITS WHICH IS STILL ACCEPTABLE PER THE MAINT MANUAL. WE TRIED TO CONTACT THE FLT TEST CREW SEVERAL TIMES TO CLARIFY IF THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY BTWN THE MAINT MANUAL AND THE FLT TEST RPT. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THEM. I TURNED THIS ACFT OVER TO THE ONCOMING SHIFT MGR AND EXPLAINED THE FLT TEST RESULTS TO HIM AND FELT THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY AND DISCUSSED MY FINDINGS WITH AN EXPLANATION.