AN MD-80 ACFT NOSE LANDING GEAR STEERING ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED AND MAINT BELIEVED AN RII INSPECTION REQUIRED. INSPECTOR ARGUED AGAINST REQUEST FOR INSPECTION.

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I WAS CONTACTED BY LINE MAINT SUPVR THAT A NOSE LNDG GEAR STEERING ACTUATOR WAS CHANGED. I LOOKED ON THE OTS BOARD AND IT SHOWED THAT A STEERING BYPASS VALVE WAS BEING CHANGED. I THEN CONTACTED THE LEAD ON THE ACFT (MR Y) AND ASKED HIM TO CLARIFY THE COMPONENT. HE SAID THAT IT WAS A BYPASS VALVE CHANGE. I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS NOT AN RII ITEM AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS NOT AN RII ITEM EITHER. LATER IN THE SHIFT THE LINE MAINT SUPVR MR X CALLED ME BACK AND ASKED IF I HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE VALVE YET. I SAID TO HIM THAT IT WAS NOT AN RII. HE TOLD ME THAT THE MECH WAS BALKING. I ASKED IF I NEEDED TO COME UP THERE TO TALK TO HIM. MR X SAID THAT HE WOULD. END OF THIS DAY'S EVENTS FOR ME. THE NEXT DAY; I WAS CONTACTED BY A LINE MAINT SUPVR MR Z ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH ACFT X. WE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE IN DEPTH AND HIS CONTENTION IS THAT THE RII MANUAL SHOWS THE STEERING BYPASS VALVE ON THE B737-400 SECTION. BUT THE MD80 DOES NOT. THE B737-NOSE GEAR DOES NOT SHOW THIS VALVE. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RII MANUAL IS FOR INSPECTING AREAS OF THE ACFT NOT FOR DETERMINING RII ITEMS. THE GPM IS THE ONLY ACR DOCUMENT THAT DETERMINES RII ITEMS. I HAVE BEEN AN ACR INSPECTOR FOR QUITE AWHILE AND IN THAT TIME I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT OFF A STEERING BYPASS VALVE ON ANY LINE ACFT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF C-CHK ENVIRONMENT WHICH EVERYTHING IS 100% BUYBACK. OUR CHIEF INSPECTOR MR W HAS A STANDING INSPECTION POLICY THAT WHEN IN DOUBT ABOUT IF SOMETHING IS AN RII OR NOT; WE BUY IT OFF. IN THIS INSTANCE I HAD AND HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS IS NOT AN RII COMPONENT. PS; THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED THIS EVENING WAS WRITTEN AS A MAINT REQUEST.