The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from March 2005

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from March 2005

It's a stormy life.(preventive maintenance to diminish effects of weather on equipment)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... As a soldier, you know the weather is always doing something--always doing something to your equipment! A piece of Army equipment is called on to work at both ends of the extreme reaches of weather and in the middle, too. It's not too...

M1-series tank ... bustle rack cargo net.(Combat Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... One of the last things a crewman wants to see is his vehicle's load scattered out and about on the trail. So use NSN 3940-01-503-8210 to get an adjustable cargo net for the bustle rack on the M1-series tank. The black-nylon net hooks into...

M1-series tanks ... Give mine blade belts a lift.(Combat Vehicles Comic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GREAT JOB CLEARING THAT MINE FIELD TODAY! THANKS, I BUT HOW ABOUT A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING? THERE'S SOME SAND UNDER MY LIFTNG BELTS THAT'S A REAL GRIND. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOU'D THINK IT WOULD TAKE A LOT TO BRING DOWN...

M2/M3-series Bradleys ... avoid a tow-jam.(Combat Vehicles)
March 1, 2005... If your Bradley breaks down and there's no recovery vehicle available, you can still tow it home--as long as you have another Bradley. 'Course there are a few things you need to know before you tow. First, you'll have to decide whether to...

M113A2-series FOV ... pivot steering reminder.(Combat Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... * Since the carriers no longer have swim capability. you don't need pivot steering for moving around in the water. That's always been the main use of pivot steering. * U-joints and the transmission case break when pivot steering is used at...

M109A6 Paladin ... take jiggle out of M93.(Combat Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Mechanics, when you replace the Paladin's weather curtain, make sure you reconnect the curtain support, NSN 5340-01-371-3595, to the gun shield angle bracket, NSN 5340-01-369-4657, right. If you don't, the top of the angle bracket jiggles...

M88A1 recovery vehicle, AVLB, AVLM ... nice and tight is right.(Combat Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Sprocket hubs work much better when they're attached to your M88A1 recovery vehicle, AVLB or armored vehicle-launched MICLIC. Keeping those hubs in place means making sure the mounting hardware stays nice and tight. One way to keep the...

Combat vehicles ... cap off grease fittings.(Combat Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Getting all the dirt, mud, and sand off your combat vehicle's grease fittings before lubing is important, crewmen. Lubing a dirty grease fitting just forces dirt and sand in along with the grease. Contaminated lube not only won't do its...

HMMWV ... stop starter fallout.(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A loose starter on your HMMWV is the start of a big problem. Eventually it's going to end up on the ground. It's tough to tell if the starter's loose just by looking at it, though. Loose bolts may look tight. And it's hard to tell with a...

FMTV ... how dry's the air dryer?(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... If you can't remember the last time you serviced the FMTV's air dryer, it's probably been way too long mechanics. If the paint hasn't been disturbed on the line fittings and canister hardware, chances are the air dryer isn't doing much...

Cover your FMTV cargo. (Wheeled Vehicles).(Comic)
March 1, 2005... Y' SURE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WORD FROM THE DESERT IS THAT COMPONENTS FOR THE FMTV'S CARGO COVER KITS ARE HARD TO COME BY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FIRST, HERE ARE THE COMPLETE COVER KITS... HERE ARE...

M939/A1/A2-series trucks ... tires, CV joints & seals.(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Unnecessary tire wear on M939-series 5-tonners in the "sandbox" has more than a few mechanics scratching their heads. They've checked the CTIS and tire pressure, and it's on the money. The front wheels disengage when the Front Wheel Drive...

Fuel tankers ... use replacement clamp.(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The old-style ground wire clamps used on fuel tankers are known to fall apart from rust and broken springs. If you have an old clamp that's seen its last days, replace it with a more durable clamp that comes with NSN 5999-00-134-5844. ...

HEMTT ... soak up battery spills.(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Corrosion that drips out of the battery box splatters all over the air tanks. It eats away at the mounting hardware and corrodes fittings. You could lose air pressure for the brakes! The best way to prevent battery corrosion from spreading...

HEMTT, PLS ... cab net for safety.(Wheeled Vehicles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... One of the last things a HEMTT or PLS driver wants to see is his vehicle's load scattered on the side of the road. To keep cargo in place, use the adjustable cargo net, NSN 2590-01-522-8060, that fits above the vehicle's cab. A...

TOW 2 missile system ... are you an adapter?(Missiles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TOW and Bradley TOW units that don't use the 2W1 cable adapter are guaranteed to be making large withdrawals from their bank account. The adapter, NSN 5935-01-117-3304, fits on both the 2W1 cable that goes to the MGS and on the MGS...

Missiles, aviation ... how to improve AMCOM TMs.(Missiles)
March 1, 2005... If you think you've found a mistake in a missile or aviation TM or you have a suggestion for improving a TM procedure, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) would like to hear from you. Feedback from equipment operators and...

M120/M121 mortar ... what's the matter with my mortar?(Small Arms)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Lubrication--Of course, you need to follow the lubrication chart on Page 3-4 in TM 9-1015-250-10. But remember when you squirt grease in the crank handles for the traversing, elevation, and cross leveling assemblies, more is not better. If you...

M121 mortar carrier ... mounting the 120mm mortar.(Small Arms)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Dear MSG Half-Mast, I need info on mounting the M121 120mm mortar to the side of the M1064 mortar carrier. I can't find anything in TM 9-2350-277-24P on the mounting bracket. SSG M. P. Dear Sergeant M.P., The TM does come up...

Mortars ... firing pin needs to move.(Small Arms)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Dear Editor, If any mortar firing pin becomes immoveable due to PM neglect, the tube can end up condemned. That recently happened here at Ft. Drum when we had to condemn a 60mm tube because its Firing pin had gone so long without cleaning...

D7G tractors ... on the move.(Combat Engineering)
March 1, 2005... Dozer's are racking up more hours of operation as they continue to move sand and dirt around the worksite. Follow the word in TM 5-2410-237-10 and ponder these transmission tips to keep your dozer mission-ready. Breather Valve Reminder ...

Deuce ... no steering while dozing!(Combat Engineering)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Turning the wheel while dozing puts so much stress on the track that it can be thrown. Thrown track can crack road wheels, bend road arms and rip actuators from the hull. And forget about sharp turns during other operations. You can throw...

HYEX ... walk the hoses.(Combat Engineering)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Operators, easy does it when you "walk" the excavator's hydraulic tool hoses away from or back to the vehicle. Do not yank on the hoses or let them snap back into the recoil spool. Sooner or later this yo-yo treatment breaks the spring...

Extreme makeover.(PMCS Edition Comic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GOOD EVENING, ONE AND ALL! WELCOME TO EXTREME MAKEOVER: PMCS EDITION [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS YOU KNOW WE SELECT ONE SOLDIER EACH WEEK AND DO A COMPLETE PMCS MAKEOVER ON HIS EQUIPMENT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WE BRING THE...

AH-64A/D ... wing stores cover up.(Aviation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... MECHANICS, YOUR APACHE'S WING STORES CARRY A LOT OF FIREPOWER. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOUR PILOTS AND GUNNERS THEN LISTEN UP! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IF YOU WANT THE HELLFIRE MISSILES AND THE 2.75-IN ROCKET...

CH-47D ... sloppy samplings slashed.(Aviation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Taking a fuel sample on a Chinook can be a messy job, mechanics. But before you start grabbing things from bench stock to use to get a sample, here's a simple tool that lets you open the drain, direct the fuel into your sample jar and close...

CH-47D ... bangin' in the hinge pins.(Aviation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... New Chinook mechanics, in case you haven't noticed, vertical hinge pins on Chinook rotor heads have a top and a bottom. Putting them in upside down and tapping away can ruin a good hinge pin. It doesn't take much to get a hinge pin stuck,...

Back AGPU up right.(Aviation)(aviation ground power unit)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Almost every crew chief or mechanic has used an aviation ground power unit (AGPU). So think back. Did the AGPU have a bent or damaged drawbar, tongue assembly and axle, or even a broken pivot bolt? Some believe that sharp vehicle turns made...

Black Hawk T700 engines needed!(Aviation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Mechanics, T700 engines are in short supply! But you can help. Turn in all unserviceable engines right away. And then the supply system can get them repaired and have serviceable engines on hand to keep your aircraft mission ready. Please...

All aircraft ... too hot to handle.(Aviation; protective clothing for mechanics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Mechanics, a day in the desert is really hot, sometimes limiting maintenance that can be done. Aircraft parts, tools and the airframe exposed to the sun can get hot enough to fry you. So when you're doing split maintenance operations around...

IHADSS helmet test set?(Aviation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Dear Sergeant Blade, I'm an ALSE tech on the Apache IHADSS helmets. Are there any approved AVUM test sets for the IHADSS helmet? SGT J. B. MAARNG Dear SGT J. B. There is no unit test set fin" the IHADSS helmet. The only...

DA Pam 25-35 ... say 'goodbye' to COMSEC publication index.(Communications)(Index of Communications Security rescinded)
March 1, 2005... DA Pam 25-35, Index of Communications Security (COMSEC) Publications, has been rescinded, It is no more! All of the Army's Communications Security Logistics Activity (CSLA) COMSEC-equipment TMs have been transferred to DA Pare 25-30,...

15- and 30-KW DED generators ... a little oil will do ya'.(Communications)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Forgetting to oil the adjustment rod on the electric actuator on your 15-KW MEP-113A or 30-KW MEP-114A generator could shut down an entire communications system. Here's how: The rod is part of a governor that controls engine speed. Without...

Generators ... they need clean fuel!(Communications)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The engine in your generator will run poorly--or not at all--with dirty fuel. To prevent dirty fuel, the PMCS in your TMs call for checking the fuel-water separator for water and other contaminants and to drain them. Too often, this is not...

M48/M48A1 GPFs may nee replacing.(NBC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... If your equipment uses the M48A1 GPF, NSN 4240-01-363-1311, it needs to be replaced immediately if it was manufactured by Parmatic. Parmatic filters may not provide chemical protection. Parmatic filters have lot numbers beginning with P, PFC or...

M17-series decon ... cap inlet and outlet.(NBC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... If the M17-series decon's inlet and outlet assemblies are left open when the hoses are removed, dirt and sand get in the water pump and eventually destroy it. Save me water pump by keeping the inlet and outlet capped when the hoses aren't...

Fox NBC vehicle ... keeping Fox on the run.(NBC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Lack of PM attention can stop your Fox NBC vehicle dead in its tracks. Here are two easy ways to keep your Fox on the run. Warm Up MM1 When you turn on the MM1 spectrometer, let it warm up and finish self-testing before you start...

Bumper numbers ... markings ID vehicles.(Logistics Management)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WHAT'S STANDARD ABOUT VEHICLE BUMPER NUMBERS AND WHAT'S LEFT UP TO UNIT SOP? THE ANSWERS ARE FOUND IN TB 43-0209, TM 43-0139, AND AR 750-1. HERE ARE THE BASICS... TB 43-0209 TB 43-0209, Color, Marking, and Camouflage Painting of...

Hearing protection ... two-ended earplug muffles two kinds of noise.(Soldier Support)
March 1, 2005... As a soldier, you face two kinds of noise that can damage your hearing over time: One is steady-state noise, the kind you're exposed to when you run a jackhammer, operate a power generator or ride in an armored vehicle. The other is...

Containerized kitchen ... loose handrail needs strap.(Soldier Support)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Cooks, take care when you mount the stairs to the cook's entrance on the containerized kitchen (CK). The handrail is not securely anchored. It fits into the holes at the base and at the top of the steps--but it doesn't lock in place. So, while...

Cots ... a stubborn stick.(Soldier Support Comic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WHAT IS ALL THAT RACKET? THAT'S THE SOUND OF A SOLDIER TRYING TO INSTALL THE SECOND END STICK ON HIS ALUMINUM COT, NSN 7105-00-935-0422. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] INSTALLING THE FIRST END STICK IS SIMPLE. YOU JUST SLIP IT THROUGH THE...

Alice PM short and sweet.(Soldier Support Comic; all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... OTHER THAN CLEANING, WHAT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE CAN YOU, THE USER, PERFORM ON YOUR ALL-PURPOSE LIGHTWEIGHT INDIVIDUAL CARRYING EQUIPMENT (ALICE)? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NOT MUCH. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING EITHER. ...

Advanced combat helmet ... new hat, same PM.(Soldier Support Comic)
March 1, 2005... AS ANY OLD SOLDIER WILL TELL YOU, SERVE LONG ENOUGH AND YOU'LL SEE ALL KINDS OF CHANGES TO EQUIPMENT... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] UPGRADES... MWOS... NEW MODELS... NEW ENGINEERING... YOU NAME IT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...