The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from January 2008

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from January 2008

A letter from home.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 12 January 08 Dear Little Brother, It was great to get your letter. So, you've begun your First tour in Iraq. I'm sure it's pure culture shock. It was for me. At the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, I...

A place for everything.(Stryker ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It can be tight quarters inside your Stryker, crewmen. When you're carrying passengers plus all their gear, it can he hard to find a place to stow your own stuff. In fact, it's probably easier to list all the...

Search for severed seals.(Stryker ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Getting into and out of the hatches on your Stryker can be hard on hatch seals--especially if you're in a hurry. Boots grinding constantly against the edges of those seals will cut and tear them. Before you know...

Stow that pin!(M1-Series Tanks ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The pin is attached to a length of chain that keeps it from getting lost. The problem comes when you unlock the gun mount and let the pin dangle. The chain lets a dangling pin hit the gunner's auxiliary sight...

Periscope head safety wire fix.(M2/M3-Series Bradleys ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor During my time in Iraqi I've noticed a problem with the safety wire that's being used to tie up the mirror control knob on the side of the Bradley's ISU periscope head. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Cab raising ups and downs.(MLRS ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Raising Before raising the cab, eyeball the cab hinge studs and nuts for cracks. If you find any, let your mechanic know. Don't raise the cab until cracked studs and nuts have been replaced. You don't want to...

Bearings take a beating without lube.(M109A6 Paladin ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Crewmen, lube points that are hidden or hard to reach are often forgotten. Nowhere is this more evident than on the cradle mount bearings of your M109A6 Paladin. There are 10 lube points on the cradle mount-four...

Bamboozled by the brakes.(M113A3 FOV ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When you push on your M113A3's foot brake and there's no give at all, a big question comes to mind: "How the heck do I stop?!" That's what can happen if your mechanic doesn't lube the foot brake cross-shaft...

Surviving the cold.(Lead-Acid Batteries ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cold weather is here and the hawk is out. But that doesn't mean you have to use only Hawker AGM batteries. Flooded lead-acid batteries can take you and your vehicles through the winter, too. You've gotta give them...

Handle with care!(Engine Cooling Systems ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Regardless of the temperature, your vehicle's cooling system should be able to reach 160-180[degrees]F. If it doesn't, have the thermostat checked. It may need replacing. A vehicle system that always runs at more...

Which torque is right?(HMMWV ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, I'm having problems with the torque specs for the lockouts on the upper ball joint in front of my M99SA1 HMMWV. Page 6-58 of TM 9-2320-280-20-2 tells me to torque the lockouts to 37 lb-ft, but...

Battery box business.(M939-Series Trucks ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Editor, You provided an excellent article on 5-ton truck battery maintenance on Page 14 of PS 650 (Jan 07). But there's another piece of information that your readers with M939s should know about when it...

How to get armored doors.(M978 HEMTTs ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, I'm in Afghanistan and no one here seems to be able to help me out with this issue. I need armored doors for the rear compartment on my M979 HEMTT fueler. Can you help? SSG T.D. Dear...

What have I got? Part 2.(M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine, M203 Grenade Launcher ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since PS ran an explanation in PS 615 (Feb 04) of the different models of the NI16 rifle, the M4 carbine, and the M203 grenade launcher, things have changed. The M5 adapter rail system (ARS) now replaces the...

Headspacing video available.(M2 Machine Gun ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you gunners have trouble remembering how to headspace and time your M2 machine gun, you can now download a video that shows you the entire procedure. Just go to: https://aeps-demo2.ria.army.mi[/Services/...

Safety indicator for deployment?(M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Dear Half-Mast, How do you get the L-shaped white plastic device that shows your rife or carbine's bolt can't go forward? We need it for deployment. SGT H.O. Dear Sergeant H.O., The technical name for the device is ,safety...

Clean weapons before storing.(Small Arms ...)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Editor, Thank you for the article in PS 6S6 on the importance of keeping a dehumidifier running in the arms room to prevent moisture from corroding expensive weapons. One other point you should make...

... But just remember this.(Sentinel Radar System ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wear LSD (electrostatic discharge) protection when handling circuit cards. Some of the Sentinel circuit cards cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Just one tiny spark of ESD can ruin one of those cards and your...

Powerful sentinel suggestion.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, Here's a tip to help keep your Sentinel searching the skies for the enemy: Keep an eye on the generator. If the generator is not putting out the right amount of power, your Sentinel will start...

Get handle on launcher handle problems.(Patriot Missile System ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, The Patriot launcher's engagement control handle can be very touchy to work with. If you don't use the right touch, you can break it. Here are a few ways to get a handle on handle problems: Keep...

Maintenance platform care.(Ground Support ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If you're looking for a low-level maintenance platform TM, don't waste your time. There is none. For general maintenance info- check out Chapter 9 of TM 1-1500-204-23-9. General Aircraft Maintenance. For...

Seal problems.(OH-58D ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A missing or wrong seal means your bird will have some heated problems in the engine compartment. The air induction system connects to the forward firewall and has a seal between them in two places. In the event...

Tow the right way.(CH-47D/F ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Towing your Chinook from the rear--the normal method--means paying close attention to all CAUTIONS and procedural steps in TM 1-1520-240-23&P and TM 1-1520-271-23&P. If the landing gear are not positioned...

Keep your helmet clean.(HGU-56/P AIHS ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aircrew, it's not the ALSE tech's job to be your personal aircrew integrated helmet system (AIHS) cleaner. When your helmet starts smelling like a rotten sneaker, that means it's overdue for operator cleaning....

A sticky situation.(UH-60 Series/CH-47D ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pilots and copilots, sand is often the culprit for aircraft avionic problems because it gets into everything. Do your Black Hawk or Chinook a favor and make sure you have the plastic cover, NSN 7045-01-459-8528,...

Don't give 'em any static!(Electrostatic Discharge ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] What Causes ESD? ESD comes from electrically charged objects in your work area: clothing, rugs, chairs, paper, ordinary packaging materials, or the work surface itself. But the main source of ESD is you!...

Getting dressed by the numbers.(Body Armor Set, Individual Countermine ...)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] IF YOU'RE NEW TO THE BASIC, OR JUST NEED A REFRESHER, BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, TAKE THESE STEPS... * Learn to put on its components in the correct order. * make sure the BASIC fits right. ...

Fuel/water separator assembly.(350 GPM Pumps ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... MECHANICS, THE FUEL/WATER SEPARATOR ON THE ENGINE ON 350 GPM FUEL AND WATER PUMPS IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN THE ARMY'S SUPPLY SYSTEM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER A NEW SEPARATOR WITH THESE PARTS THAT'LL COST ABOUT 45...

What the H!?(ACADA Chemical Alarm ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Just because the green sample light comes on doesn't mean your ACADA is immediately ready to do an H reading. It's a good idea to wait five minutes after the light comes on before you do the H test. For more info,...

Sustain your knowledge online.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Internet has produced a number of websites that put information at your fingertips. A lot of Army websites are maintenance, supply or transportation related. Among them are: LOGNet, AKO, EOrdnanceU, and the...

Component lists made easy.(SKOs ...)(Cartoon)
January 1, 2008... SOMETIMES EVEN THE THOUGHT OF CONDUCTING INVENTORIES CAN BE MIND-BOGGLING. THE PROPERTY BOOK/HAND RECEIPTS ARE PRETTY OBVIOUS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE EQUIPMENT COMPONENT SETS, KITS AND OUTFITS (SKOs). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JUST ONE...

Solving component list numbering problems.(SKOs ...)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It may be quicker to find a current component list by simply using the NSN or LIN sort feature on the SKO website or on LM 0074. Find your NSN or LIN and you'll have the right component list number. However,...

The AMSS ground/missile readiness report defined.
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] This report, known as an XMF transaction, occurs in two parts. The summary (parent) line tells the database that the unit has equipment authorized and on-hand. The downtime. (child) lines identity equipment that has...

Abrams/Bradley newsletters.(Connie's Post Scripts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Abrams Tank Information Paper (A-TIP) and Bradley Bits newsletters are available through the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) website. Getting to them can be a little tricky, though. That's why the Program Executive Office-Ground Combat Systems...

Bradley trailer towing revisited.(Connie's Post Scripts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Pages 6-7 of PS 657 (Aug 07) to d how to use a tow pint e extension kit to tow an M105 trailer with a Bradley. That information is incorrect. Bradley vehicles are not designed or authorized to tow trailers--with one exception. The M2A2 ODS-E...

LWP exhaust hose.(Connie's Post Scripts)(light water purifier)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Replace the exhaust hose, NSN 4720-01-527-2439, after 150 hours of use when operating the high-pressure pump module with the light water purifier (LWP) during cold weather. The hose is shown as Item 25 on WP 0135 00-7 of TM 10-4610-310-14. Make...

Loop clamps.(Connie's Post Scripts)(Table)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... LOOP CLAMPS You'll need the right size loop clamp to hold that wiring in place. Order from this list: NSN Inner Dia Qty 5340-00- (inches) 845-2072 .125 1 291-5322 .173 1 291-5323 .235 ...

M88A1 ECD rods.(Connie's Post Scripts)(exothermic cutting device )(Table)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Need some replacement rods for the M88A1's exothermic cutting device (ECD) listed in TM 9-2350-256 10's additional authorization list? Order 'em with these NSNs: Size (inches) NSN Qty 1/4 x 22 ...

Flag NSNs.(Connie's Post Scripts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... if you're looking for instructions on how to order flags, guidons, streamers, flagstaffs or accessories, you'll find them at the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Heraldry website: http//www.heraldry.army.mil The...

Aircraft wash unit care.(Connie's Post Scripts)
January 1, 2008... Need info on maintenance and parts for your wash unit. NSN 4420-01-185-62157 Check out TM 14420-456-12&P for the details on wash unit care. You can find the TM on the LOGSA website.

RTCH front axle.(Connie's Post Scripts)
January 1, 2008... Tell your buddies in support that NSN 2520-01-543-8060 gets the front ax e for the rough terrain container handler. This NSN replaces the parts info shown as Item 1 in Fig 76 of TM 10-3930-675-24P.

H-250 handset POC correction.(Connie's Post Scripts)
January 1, 2008... Change the email address for the C-E LCMC POC in the Improved for the Desert article on Page 41 of PS 658 to: @us.army.mil

M9 ACE hydraulic filter kit.(Connie's Post Scripts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Use NSN 2530-01-118-2872 to get the hydraulic filter kit shown as Item 2 (includes items 3, 4 and 5) in Fig 97 of TM 5-2350-262-24P. This kit does not include the hydraulic manifold and filter housing mislabeled as Item 2 directly above those...

Operators, leaks have classes. Do you know them?(Cartoon)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CLASS I [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CLASS I LEAKS ARE IDENTIFIED BY DAMPNESS OR DISCOLORATION, BUT NO DROPS. KEEP AN EYE OUT WHEN YOU SEE THIS. CLASS II [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CLASS II LEAKS FORM A...