The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from April 2009

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from April 2009

The problem with horseplay.
April 1, 2009... SOMETIMES HORSEPLAY AND PRACTICAL JOKES ARE FUNNY. A LITTLE HUMOR EVERY NOW AND THEN BREAKS UP THE MONOTONY. BUT PLAYING PRACTICAL JOKES WITH POL CAN GET YOU INTO HOT WATER. LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT AFTER YOU'VE DRAINED SOME...

Coolant levels are critical.(Stryker...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Your Stryker's going to get a little hot under the collar if you don't keep an eye on coolant levels, drivers. To help your Stryker keep its cool, check those coolant levels after every operation. Just make sure you let the engine cool...

Who turned out the lights?(M1A1 Tank ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Just because you can use the PANEL LIGHTS knob to completely dim the lights on the commander's panel of your M1A1 tank doesn't mean you should. In fact, you definitely shouldn't. Dimming those lights completely is a real safety hazard,...

Job not so tough with new tools.(M88A1 Recovery Vehicles ...)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, Installing the powerpack on an M88A1 recovery vehicle is a tough, time-consuming job for mechanics. The last thing you need is anything that makes the job harder. Unfortunately, the procedure...

How tight are your latches?(M992A2 Ammo carrier ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... You think so, huh? Well, maybe it would be a good idea to go back and make sure those latches are screwed in all the way. You see, if the two latches that secure the cargo hatch aren't tight, the hatch will bounce up and down during...

Once only on roadwheel nuts.(M109A6 Paladin, M992A2 Ammo Carrier ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Leave it alone and that loose nut puts more stress on the surrounding nuts. They may loosen as well and pretty soon you might lose the roadwheel. Problem is, those roadwheel nuts are supposed to be tightened only once. That's why it's...

Get 'em one by one.(Electrical connectors ...)
April 1, 2009... LOOKING FOR A KIT THAT HAS ALL THE WATERPROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS--ALSO KNOWN AS PACKARD CONNECTORS--THAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR UNIT'S TACTICAL VEHICLES? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LOOK NO MORE. IT DOESN'T EXIST! YOU CAN ORDER THEM...

Spare tire carrier parts.(HMMWVs ...)(high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... WHO WAS THAT!? HIM? THAT'S PRIVATE JONES... ... WE'VE BEEN USING HIM AS A SPARE TIRE CARRIER SINCE WE CAN'T GET ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS! Dear Connie, Here in Kuwait, I see hundreds of vehicles each day at our maintenance...

Keep a clear view.(Armored security vehicle ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Not only does blurred vision occur as you get older, it also happens when the windshield and side vision blocks on your armored security vehicle (ASV) get dirty, chipped or cracked. To keep a clear view, use pull-off laminate sheets that...

Technical manual info.(M984A1P1 HEMTT Wrecker ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Dear Half-Mast, I'm trying to locate the -10 TM series for our unit's M984A1P1 HEMTT wrecker. When I search the IETM online, either by NSN 2320-01-5231070 or LIN, I come up empty. Could PS help us out with the right info? SFC R.F....

Correcting Trigger Block Problems.(M2 Machine Gun ...)
April 1, 2009... Back Plate Hook The back plate hook engages the bolt latch release lever for AUTO MODE. Sometimes the hook can prevent the trigger block from sliding between FIRE and SAFE because the hook is bent so that it holds the bolt latch release...

Cleaning with cleaning tanks.(Small arms ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The Army doesn't recommend a specific cleaning tank. But you should never use an ultrasonic cleaning system. They can completely remove a weapon's protective coating, which leaves the weapon defenseless against corrosion. You should also...

Load this ammo info.(Small Arms ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... * Protect ammo from mud, sand, and water. They can cause .ring problems or damage to your weapon. If ammo gets dirty or wet, wipe it off ASAP with a clean, dry cloth. If you spot corrosion on any rounds, wipe it off. If corrosion is heavy, turn...

It's the simple things!(Patriot missile system ...)
April 1, 2009... Vents and filters--The AN/ MPQ-53 has lots of electronics that produce lots of heat. If the radar can't get enough cool, fresh air, those electronics overheat and the radar stops working. Before powering up, make sure all eight vents are...

The real fall of the Roman Empire.(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... THIS LOOKS LIKE THE PLACE, CONNIE. RIGHT, HALF-MAST. ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS, CONNIE? I WAS PLANNING TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN MY HMMWV TONIGHT. C'MON, HALF-MAST! YOU CAN'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME IN THE MOTOR POOL. WHO...

Take care of dispenser.(AH-64D ...)(Apache attack helicopter)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Since the dispenser fires flares in the desert, it's important to check it for small rocks and sand from aircraft rotor wash. If rocks and sand get into the payload module and foul up the firing contacts and the firing springs, the flares...

Microclimate cooling system parts.(Air warrior ...)
April 1, 2009... Operators and mechanics, PS told you on Pages 35-37 of PS 651 what maintenance tasks were authorized and not authorized on the microclimate cooling system (MCS). To keep the MCS cooling, here are some NSNs for the cooling garment, the...

Another angle on blade booting.(UH-60 Series ...)(Black Hawk helicopter)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... IF YOU DON'T HAVE EITHER OF THESE TOOLS, THEN USE SOME 550 CORD. IT'LL GET THE JOB DONE WITH A LITTLE MUSCLE! MECHANICS, IN PS 612 (NOV 03), WE TOLD YOU HOW TO MAKE A BLADE BOOT INSTALLATION TOOL FOR THE BLACK HAWK'S TAIL ROTOR BLADE....

The aftereffects of washing.(All Aircraft ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Mechanics, your bird is not watertight. Corrosion still happens any time and any place where water drips into the bird after washing. After a thorough washing of your aircraft, water pools in hidden areas. Not locating and drying up that...

Do you recall the battery?(AN/PRQ-7 CSEL ...)
April 1, 2009... The AN/PRQ-7 combat survivor evader locator (CSEL) was issued with two types of batteries--a rechargeable and a non-rechargeable. The rechargeable, NSN 6140-01534-3856 or NSN 6140-01512-8757, manufactured by BREN-TRONICS, Inc, is okay. The...

Do you recall the battery? Part II.(AN/PRQ-7 CSEL ...)
April 1, 2009... Dear Half-Mast, We've heard through the grapevine that the non-rechargeable battery used in the combat survivor evader locator (CSEL) is being recalled, but not the rechargeable one. I seem to remember that there was a recall on the...

A million uses for a jeweler's screwdriver set.(Commo Tools ...)
April 1, 2009... CONNIE, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THE FOLKS WORKING ON US? HAVING THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB SURE MAKES THE JOB EASIER. ONE OF THOSE RIGHT TOOLS THAT EVERY COMMO-MINDED SOLDIER SHOULD HAVE IS A JEWELER'S SCREWDRIVER SET, NSN...

Straighten those pins!(Electrical Connectors ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The pins in electrical connectors must be straight. A bent pin means a poor connection or no connection. And, eventually, a bent pin becomes a broken pin. But straightening bent bins is not easy. Needle-nosed pliers are the tool most often...

Inside the cab.(130G Road Grader ...)(Caterpillar 130G Grader)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Cab Floor Cleanup The grader's cab floor seems like a handy area to put rags, tools, soft drink cans, water bottles and chains during operations. Problem is, these items can get under the accelerator, decelerator or brake pedals and...

Washer pump burnout.(130G Grader ...)(Caterpillar 130G Grader)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Operators, do not crank down on the washer fluid switch for more than a few seconds if fluid doesn't squirt onto the cab's windshield. Sure, this might sound simple. But way too many washer fluid pumps get replaced needlessly because of...

Help fox sniff out danger.(Fox NBC Vehicle ...)(nuclear, biological, and chemical reconnaissance system)
April 1, 2009... * If you're going to be swimming your Fox, make sure the seal for the fuel cap is in good shape. And make sure the fuel cap handle is fully forward. If the seal leaks or the fuel cap's not secure, water gets in the fuel and you could stall....

Good smoking begins with good PM.(M56 Smoke Generator ...)
April 1, 2009... * The PMCS in TM 3-1040-282-10 doesn't pay much attention to the Y-strainer screens. But if they become too dirty, fog oil can't flow to the generator and you don't smoke. So it's a good idea in the field to monthly give the screens a good...

Pump it up!(125 GPM Pump ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Dear Editor, Here are a few tips we've come up with at the U.S. Army Chemical School to keep the 125-gpm pump pumped for pumping water: * The item that breaks most often on the pump is its pull handle. Operators yank on the handle (as...

Hard to fit? Keep your M45!(M45 Mask ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... If you must wear an M45 protective mask because you can't .t into an M40 or M42 mask, then you need to keep the M45 when you transfer units. M40 and M42 masks stay with the unit when a Soldier transfers. But it's a different story with the...

Who do you call?!(Logistics management ...)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Sometimes it can get a little confusing knowing whom to call to get logistics and maintenance questions answered. The Logistics Support Activity offers two avenues to answers. PS Magazine provides a reader service to resolve problems...

Optical brighteners get the green light.(Army Combat Uniform ...)
April 1, 2009... ON PAGES 48-50 OF PS 637, WE ADVISED YOU TO WASH THE ARMY COMBAT UNIFORM (ACU) IN A MILD DETERGENT THAT DOES NOT HAVE OPTICAL BRIGHTENERS. THE CARE LABEL ON THE ACU SAYS THE SAME THING. THE ARMY WAS WORRIED THAT WASHING WITH OPTICAL...

Connie's post scripts.(preventive maintenance)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... BRADLEY BATTERY CHARGING REVISITED Page 5 of PS 674 (Jan 09) didn't give enough info about keeping the Hawker batteries charged in your M2/M3-series Bradley. Remember to follow the warm-up procedures in the -10 TMs before going to high...