The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from April 2006

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from April 2006

PMCS with no LO? No go!
April 1, 2006... Some soldiers try to PMCS their equipment just with the steps listed in the operator's TM. When it comes to the specific items that need lubrication, they work from memory. Unfortunately, memory isn't always reliable. As a result, lube...

Winch warnings.(Stryker...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Think safety when performing self-recovery and recovery operations with your Stryker's winch. Here are two things to pay special attention to: * Make sure the driver's hatch is closed and no one is standing closer than twice the distance...

Got ramp problems?(Stryker...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... A slow or balky ramp could be a sign of hydraulic problems on your Stryker, crewmen. A quick check of the hydraulic level will tell you for sure. Open the rear service hatch and eyeball the vertical tube at the back. If the fluid is 1/4 to...

Back off the pressure.(M1-Series Tanks ...)
April 1, 2006... High-pressure water is a sure way to remove stubborn dirt from your tank, crewmen. It's also a sure way to damage components like the muzzle reference sensor (MRS). The PMCS section of the 10-1 TMs specifically prohibits the use of high-...

Tool change is good!(M1-Series Tanks...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Mechanics, the tank's breechblock plunger tool, shown as Fig 9 in App D of TM 9-2350-388-20-2-4, has been modified to make your job a little easier. The tool is used to depress the detent plunger so you can remove the extractor shaft when...

Check VDB PDQ.(M2A3/M3A3 Bradleys, M7A3 BFIST...)(combat vehicles)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Loose hardware may be a problem on some -A3 Bradley and BFIST vehicle distribution boxes (VDB), NSN 6110-01-465-1847. Loose bolts and washers can hold the bus bar against the circuit breakers, causing intermittent power loss and arcing. The...

What's the right oil?(M88A1 Recovery Vehicle...)
April 1, 2006... Pear Half-Mast, Can you give me the straight scoop on what type of oil to use in our M88A1 recovery vehicle's transmission.? We've heard that it's okay to use 15W40 oil, but the lube instructions say to use OE/HDO-10. SFC D.C. ...

A case of mistaken identity.(M109A6 Paladin, M992A2 Ammo Carrier...)(military vehicles)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The gear selector lever and hand throttle control lever knobs on some Paladins and ammo carriers are nearly identical. Both are round, ball-type knobs that feel the same to the touch. That can lead to a case of mistaken identity. Recently,...

More 4L80E tranny troubleshooting.(M998A2-Series and Up-armored HMMWVs...)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... Dear Editor, Your article on Pages 10-11 of PG 637 (Dec 05) for troubleshooting HMMWVs with the 4L80E electronic transmissions was very helpful. But; we've come up with a Few more things that can help save units a lot of time when...

Keep wheel studs and nuts in place.(HMMWVs...)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, We are experiencing problems with the wheel studs on our unit's HMMWVG. The studs are shearing off while the vehicles are in operation. Are other units having this same problem? SFC M.S.F. Dear Sergeant M.S.F ...

Keep oil lines separate.(M1070 HET...)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... Dear Editor, The angle of the oil return line on the rear of the M1070 tractor's air compressor allows it to rub against the transmission oil line just below it. Enough rubbing results in a leak. And a leaking oil return line makes...

Turn off switches!(2 1/2-Ton ESP Trucks...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Operators, read and heed the info on Page 2-69 of TM 9-2320-386-10 when it comes to slave-starting the 2 l/2-ton extended service program (ESP) trucks. That is, turn off all electrical switches, especially the CTIS control box, before...

Fire up firefinder with PM.
April 1, 2006... BUDDY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A REAL PM WORKOUT! ALL RIGHT! I'M GETTING FIRED UP ABOUT TRACKING ENEMY FIRE! THE AN/TPQ-36 AND-37 FIREFINDERS ARE GETTING LOTS OF WORK IN IRAQ SPOTTING ENEMY ACTIVITY. BUT THE FIREFINDER TAKES LOTS OF...

Converting your XM107.(XM107 Sniper Rifle ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS, BIG GUY TH' GOOD NEWS IS YOU'RE GONNA BE UPGRADED TO AN M107. TH' BAD NEWS IS YOU'RE GONNA BE AWAY FOR A WHILE. THAT'S GOOD NEWS! I COULD USE A VACATION! Snipers need to check if their rifle is the XM107...

Hey! I got your dummies right here!(Small Arms...)
April 1, 2006... Not enough dummy ammo around the arms room, armorers? Here's what you need to order more: Weapon Dummy NSN M2 machine gun 1305-00-028-6384 M249 machine gun/M16 rifle 1305-00-764-8437...

Read Up on desert magazine PM.(M9 Pistol...)
April 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, We are having a real problem with the M9 pistol magazines not feeding right in the desert. IF you load them with more than five rounds, they jam. Any suggestions? LT D.T. UH-OH. MY MAGAZINE HAS JAMMED AGAIN. YOU...

What setting for blanks?(M240-Series Machine Gun...)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... Magazines the Army purchased after May 04 don't have the phosphate coating, so that's no longer a problem (it usually says "May 04" on these newer magazines). You can order these magazines with NSN 1005-01-204-4376. But much of preventing...

Turn in old masks.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... If you have any of the following masks sitting around the NBC room, it's time to turn them in. They're no longer supported by the Army and are going to be type classified as obsolete. * M25A1 combat vehicle mask * M24 aircraft mask ...

How to turn in the ACADA.(detection systems)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Units are turning in the ACADA or its M88 detector without following proper turn-in procedures--and that's causing problems. Proper turn-in of the ACADA or M88 means it must first meet -10/20 PMCS standards. If it doesn't, the ACADA or M88...

CBRN training help and ...
April 1, 2006... If you need to do CBRN training, but don't want to use your "go-to-war" assets, the Joint Equipment Assessment Program (JEAP) Accountability and Disposal Project can help. They have chemical protection suits, gloves, and boots available for...

... New CBRN website.
April 1, 2006... For info on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense equipment characteristics, capabilities, and acquisition, go to the Joint Acquisition CBRN Knowledge System (JACKS): https://jaeks.jpeocbd.osd.mil

Do TQG PM, but do it safely!(Cartoon)
April 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: IT DOESN'T TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF WISDOM TO KNOW THAT GENERATORS PRESENT SOME SAFETY HAZARDS TO I YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOING PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. YOUR FIRST SOURCE OF WISDOM IS YOUR TM WITH ITS WARNINGS AND...

Take it easy.(All Aircraft...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Pilots, easy does it when handing the AN/APR-39 processor's A7 card. Before a flight, don't take the card-also called the user data module (UDM) NSN 584 I-01-201-8645--and just shove it into the box. It's not a VCR tape! Rough...

Overfilling is overboard.(AH-64A/D)
April 1, 2006... Mechanics, don't be in a hurry to service your AH-64's tail rotor, intermediate and nose gearboxes after aircraft shutdown. First things first. Allow the grease to cool down for 15 minutes after helicopter rotor shutdown and be sure the...

Desert creatures strike!(CH-47D...)(military aircraft safety)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Pilots and mechanics have discovered that desert critters can find any hole to live and nest. If engine startup on your Chinook sounds hung or like it's choking on sand, the culprit could just be a desert bug in the engine hydro-mechanical unit...

Aircrew survival egress knife.(Air Warrior...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... ALSE techs, although there are many brands of ASEK knives, you're only authorized to carry the knife approved by PM Air Warrior. And that's the one from the Ontario Knife company. The approved knife is being fielded with the Air Warrior...

An antenna dilemma.(AS-3900A/VRC...)
April 1, 2006... Dear MSG Half-Mast, I got gigged for not having a ground strap on the base matching unit of the AG-3900A/VRC antenna, NSN 5985-01-308-8988. I argued that a ground strap was not necessary since the antenna was grounded by the RF cable....

It can be confusin'.(H-250, H-350 Handsets...)
April 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: WHEN YOU HOLD AN H-250 OR H-350 HANDSET CHANCES ARE GOOD YOU'RE NOT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO DO IT. IT'S THE OTHER END OF THE HANDSET THE END WITH THE CABLE CONNECTION, WHERE THINGS GET A...

Lost! Eyecup adapter ring.(AN/PVS-14 MNVD ...)
April 1, 2006... Dear MSG Half-Mast, I have inspected many units that use the newest AN/FVS-14 monocular night vision device (MNVD). I have been surprised at how many of these MNVDs don't have the threaded eyecup adapter ring or have a loose one ready to...

Running them at load.(Generators ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Dear MSG HalF-Mast, What is the minimum amount of load a generator can have and still run efficiently PVT F.C. Dear Private F.C., The minimum designed load for any generator set is 50 percent of its rated load. This is the...

Air flow on the go!(IHMEE...)
April 1, 2006... The new interim high mobility engineer excavator (IHMEE) is a real workhorse for excavating, moving and dumping dirt and sand at the worksite. To keep your IHMEE on the job, get real familiar with TM 5-2420-230-10. You can find it on...

Need to vent.(IHMEE)
April 1, 2006... Operators, the excavator's fuel tank needs to vent... but that's OK! There's a breather under the hood on the curbside that allows filtered air to vent in-and-out of the excavator's fuel tank. In dusty conditions the filter gets clogged....

A PM lift: here are two PM tips to keep in mind before you start forking and lifting.(M4K Forklifts ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Loose Fitting An M4K forklift that can't lift a load isn't a forklift--it's NMC! If your forklift lifts erratically, it probably has a hydraulic leak. The usual suspect is the elbow fitting that connects the hydraulic line to the main...

Laws of tent living.
April 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: ROUGHING IT IN A TENT MONTH AFTER MONTH IS TOUCH DUTY. WHO KNOWS THAT BETTER THAN YOU? TENT LIVING MAKES SPECIAL DEMANDS ON YOUR SAFETY, HEALTH AND SANITATION. THAT'S WHY A TENT CITY NEEDS SOME...

The unsafe sauna.(Wet Weather Park and Trouser ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... There's nothing quite like a relaxing sauna at the gym after a stressful day. Just lie back, close your eyes and feel the warmth blanket you while your muscles relax. Feels good to unwind. But there's another kind of sauna that doesn't feel...

How to avoid the hot metal handshake.(Gloves...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... AS THIS YOUNG SOLDIER HAS SO GRAPHICALLY DEMONSTRATED... ... WORKING AROUND METAL ON A HOT, SUNNY DAY CAN BE LIKE SHAKING HANDS WITH A SIZZLING SKILLET! METAL BURNS SURE DO HURT! IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE HOT METAL HANDSHAKE, COVER...

Know the difference.(Fuel and Water Cans...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Similarities Fuel and water cans have basically the same shape Fuel and water cans are alike in some ways. Both have the same size and basically the same shape. They have an X depressed into the surrounding plastic surface. And both...

How to order publications.
April 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: UP ARMORED FMTV CABS SURE ARE HEAVY. I'LL BET PS HAS WRITTEN ABOUT 'EM. YOU THINK? TOO BAD YOU'RE NOT GETTING PS HERE IN THE SANDBOX. WE DID WRITE ABOUT SUPPORTS FOR THE FMTV CAB IN PS 635... ...

Eduction for ordnance soldiers.(Internet...)
April 1, 2006... Soldiers forget things they were taught at MOS school. Throw in new equipment, MWOs, SOUMs, changing levels of maintenance, revised publications, combat deployments and the resulting lack of TMs and it's easy to see that even motivated...