The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from December 2008

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from December 2008

Got problems? Call COMET.(command maintenance evaluation and training team)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If your unit is having trouble with property accountability or figuring out what technical publications you need or managing your arms room, it's time to call COMET. COMET stands for command maintenance...

Getting off to a good start.(Stryker ...)(armored combat vehicles)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During Start-up 1. Apply the parking brake. 2. Check the gear selector. It should be in neutral. 3. Ensure all communication and electrical equipment switches are off. Leaving the radios or lights on...

Deflect heat problems.(M1-Series Tanks ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A deflector directs the hot exhaust from the towing tank upward and away from the disabled tank. Without it, the exhaust can damage the disabled tank's vision blocks, hatch covers, precleaner, and even the...

Wrasslin' with the road arms.(M2/M3-Series Bradley ...)(Bradley Fighting Vehicles)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mechanics, the road arm bearings, NSN 3120-01-102-4700 (outer) and NSN 3120-01-102-4701 (inner), on some Bradleys have been failing. Soft bearings are part of the problem, but lack of lubrication is also a culprit....

Hinges need lube, too.(M88A1 Recovery Vehicle ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, I've found that when many crewmen lube their M88A1 recovery vehicles, the engine deck grilles are often forgotten. The retaining bolts that hold the grilles in place usually get a shot or two of...

Take a seat, but lock it first!(M992A2 Ammo Carrier ...)(ammunition carriers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Crewmen, when your ammo carrier's on the move, there's an important step to remember before planting your rear end on the commander's seat. If you forget to engage the locking pin, the seat will swing back and...

Sticky situation.(HMMWVs ...)(high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, We need your help. My unit has M1025 HMMWVs with sagging headliners. How do we seal them back in place? And what can we use to remove the sticky, old adhesive from the roof? SSG D.L. ...

Rightsizing trailer safety chains.(FMTVs and Lunette Trailers ...)(family of medium tactical vehicles)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, We've received a lot of phone calls and email messages concerning safety chain connection issues with the FMTV tow vehicle and lunette trailers and dolly sets. The FMTV manufacturer increased the...

Mirror makes it easy.(FMTV ...)(family of medium tactical vehicles)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Checking the batteries on your FMTV is easy--until you get to the rear ones. The overhang of the truck bed makes those older kind of batteries hard to reach. And when it comes to checking electrolyte levels,...

Cargo Cover Kits.(2 1/2-Ton and 5-Ton FMTVs ...)(family of medium tactical vehicles)(Brief article)(List)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOME OF YOU HAVE TOLD US THAT FINDING CARGO COVER KITS FOR YOUR FMTV TRUCKS IS NOT AN EASY TASK. SO HERE'S SOME RELIEF FOR YOU. KEEP THE FOLLOWING NSN CHARTS HANDY IN THE MOTORPOOL. YOU'LL NEED THEM TO...

Torque rod check.(2 1/2-, 5-ton Trucks ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... LONGER LASTING PARTS MAKE OUR LIVES EASIER. THAT GOES FOR THE TORQUE RODS ON YOUR 2 1/2- AND 5-TON TRUCKS, TOO. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE TM SAYS ANY SEPARATION OR CRACKING CALLS FOR A NEW TORQUE ROD. BUT IT'S NOT HOW THE ROD...

Replacement seat clamp found.(HMMWVs ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... Dear Half-Mast, My Army National Guard unit has a few HMMWVs with broken rear seat clamps. I tried to order replacements using NSN 5340-01-197-1294, but FED LOG shows that item as discontinued. What's a good replacement? SGT N.G. ...

Hole Hassle.(Publications ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, My unit recently received logbook-sized HMMWV operator's manuals, TM 9-2320-280-10, with only three holes punched. In the past, logbook-sized TMs were punched with five holes. With five...

Training rounds require real care!(Small Arms ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In order to help soldiers train as realistically as possible, the Army is developing the close combat mission capability kit (CCMCK). The CCMCK uses man-marker munitions that are filled with wax. When the...

Keeping FN 303 non-lethal.(nonlethal weapons)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE FN 303 LAUNCHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE A NON-LETHAL FIRING DEVICE. BUT IT CAN BECOME LETHAL IF YOU FORGET A COUPLE OF SAFETY RULES... NEVER MESS WITH THE REGULATOR LOCK NUT. THAT CAN INCREASE THE VELOCITY...

Gaging the right protection.(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Editor, Some of the gages repairers use in their work are very precise--and very expensive. Often there is no good, ready-made way to store or transport them. We make sure our gages stay protected with...

AN/PSS-14's a great detector ... if you know how to use it!
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] But to safely and effectively operate the AN/PSS-14, you have to practice. Some soldiers' skills can diminish in as little as 60 days after completing the operator's course. That's why commanders need to conduct...

Clogged filters?(SEE ...)(automotive filters)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] So eyeball the fluid level on the dipstick. Make sure it's between the ADD and FULL marks. In dusty conditions, the pump's filter element can clog and starve the system for oil-which means tough steering! ...

Excavating in the cold.(IHMEE ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Read the interim high mobility engineer excavators (IHMEE) operator's manual before the snow flies, and keep these cold weather starting tips in mind for smooth running. Rough Start? Your excavator could be...

Keep that heavy finger off my starter switch!(IHMEE ...)(interim high mobility engineering excavator vehicles)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... So, when you try to start your IHMEE engine, engage the starter, but after 15 seconds... STOP! Then give the starter at least two minutes to cool off before trying again. If the IHMEE won't start after three tries, call it quits....

Check batteries now!(Automated Integrated Surveying Instrument ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Don't wait until you get to the field to find out if the internal batteries for your automated integrated surveying instrument (AISI) are working. Then it's too late to do anything about it. Check the batteries now....

When conditions change.(Cartoon)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OHHH... WH-WHAT HAPPENED? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] WHAT THE-- I'M SEEING A BEAVER... IN DOUBLE VISION! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING-PENGUINS? YEAH, IT'S COLD... BUT NOT...

Shadow soars with PM.(Shadow Unmanned Aircraft System ...)(preventive maintenance)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Carry the preflight checklist and use it. There are more than 50 different checks you need to make on the Shadow before it takes off. No matter how many times you've gone through the checklist, don't trust your...

Firing help in the desert.(M260/M261 Rocket Launcher ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Sand fouls the launcher's electrical contacts and then the rocket doesn't have a good electrical connection. When doing PMCS, clean all firing contacts with a brush, NSN 7920-00-900-3577, to keep the electricity...

Look for the notch.(Hellfire Missile System ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The notch is probably caused by wear from vibration and is usually the length of the aft missile shoe. It's possible the notch could cause a hangfire or loss of missile control after launch. So Hellfire crews...

Engine flushing and the IPAS.(AH-64D ...)(military helicopters)(integrated pressure air system)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mechanics, you wouldn't think an engine flush could cause problems, right? But if you ignore any part of the flushing procedures spelled out in TM 1-1520-Longbow/Apache, you can experience engine and/or other...

Don't fill to the brim.(CH-47D ...)(military helicopters)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A cup filled to the brim with good coffee may be a good start to a perfect day. But filling the forward and aft rotor head oil reservoirs to the brim on a Chinook can ruin the rest of your day, mechanics. If the...

Disconnect before you fold.(OH-58D ...)(military helicopters)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The cable is simply not long enough to cover the added distance needed when folding up the universal weapon's pylon. When folding the pylon, the cable can bend or snap off the bracket welded to the gun pod. To...

Driver vision enhancer contact info.(AN/VAS-5A ...)
December 1, 2008... AN/VAS-5A DVE OPERATORS AND MAINTAINERS, THE WORD IS: IF YOU HAVE A FAILURE OF THE DVE SENSOR OR DISPLAY CONTROL MODULE, IT NEEDS TO BE TURNED INTO THE STANDARD ARMY SUPPLY SYSTEM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Failure of DVE sensor... ...

ASK and you might receive!(Generators ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, We're looking for some replacement parts for the acoustic suppression kits (ASKs) on our small Mil-Std generators. Are any parts still available? MSG J. G. Dear Master Sergeant J. G.,...

Correct the interrogator set.(AN/TPX-56(V)2 & (V)3 ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... TM 11-5895-1611-12&P, THE OPERATOR AND UNIT MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR INTERROGATOR SET, AN/TPX-56(V)2, NSN 5895-01-392-2206, AND AN/TPX-56(V)3, NSN 5895-01-504-4594, NEEDS A CORRECTION. CHANGE 1 FOR THIS OCTOBER 2006 TM HAS JUST HIT THE FIELD...

Radiosonde sets limited availability act now.(AN/TMQ-41/41A ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Meteorological measuring sets, AN/TMQ-41, NSN 6660-01-386-3906, and AN/ TMQ-41A, NSN 6660-01-468-3306, that have not had their processors upgraded use radiosonde set, RS80-67, NSN 6660-01-353-8793. The bad news...

Satellite communications terminal contact info.(AN/TSC-85C & D/-93C & D ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, I need to get the word out to users of satellite communications terminals, AN/TSC-85C/D and AN/TSC-93C/D, that they need to contact the tactical multi-band branch of CECOM LCMC when their system is...

Making the most of source, maintenance and recoverability codes.(Maintenance Management ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A bulk transfer fuel pumping assembly, NSN 4320-01-337-7538, is missing its noise enclosure. TM 10-4320-324-24P lists a CAGE Code of 36024 with PN 13220E1070. But the SMR Code is XDOHH. An X in the first...

Keep this SMR chart handy!(source maintenance and recoverability)(Table)
December 1, 2008... JOINT SERVICE CODING REFERENCE CHART (REF: AR 700-82/OPNAVIST4410.2/AFR66-45/MCO 4400.120/DLAR 4100.6) 1ST 2ND POSITION Means of Acquiring the Item P A ITEM: Stocked...

Hazmat packaging army-style.(Logistics Management ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE ARMY MATERIEL COMMAND'S LOGISTICS SUPPORT ACTIVITY'S PACKAGING, STORAGE, AND CONTAINERIZATION CENTER (LOGSA PSCC) IS THE ARMY'S FOCAL POINT FOR HAZMAT. DOD AND EACH SERVICE HAVE FOCAL POINTS THAT WORK...

Are you for real?(Army Combat Uniform ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] * The uniform may not meet appearance standards and specs set forth in AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. * It may not meet durability and wear specs. Seams might fail. Colors might...

Decon help in the desert.(M17-Series Decon ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] * Inspect the rubber hoses, water tank, and other rubber components weekly for wear, soft spots, and cracks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Order extra rubber hoses, gaskets, seals, and air filters. Also order...

Weed out bad gaskets.(M40A1/M42A2 Masks ...)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Immediately check your stock of side port gaskets for contract number SPM 500-03-d-0239-0130. If you're unable to ID the contract number, just check the size of the gaskets. The correct gasket has an outside diameter...

Connie's post scripts.(military equipment)
December 1, 2008... NEW RHINO TESTING BOX You may have noticed that new Rhino systems are coming equipped with a health and status monitor (go/no go) box that allows vehicle operators to test Rhinos during precombat checks. The new box, developed by...

Do your pm by the tm ... or you'll wish you had!
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] I DIDN'T NEED THAT TM TO DO PMCS! [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]