The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from September 2004

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from September 2004

As years roll by.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Did you hear about the HEMTT engine that had to be rebuilt because it was operated low on oil--low by 3 gallons in an 8 1/2-gal sump? And, did you hear about a 621B scraper engine that arrived in the same rebuild shop a few days later...

Say 'so long' to plug problems.(Stryker ...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... There are two wrong ways and a right way to close the 15 drain plugs on the hull of your Stryker. Wrong Way #1: Some crewmen close them loosely. But that lets the plugs vibrate loose. They hang below the hull and are knocked off by rocks...

Spare the rod, spoil the steering.(Stryker...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Drivers, your Stryker is strong and rugged. But even it has a few soft spots. Take the steering dampers, for example. The dampers are like mini shock absorbers that act as a stabilizer for the steering system. Without 'em, the steering...

Contents under pressure.(Stryker...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Fuel flow on the Stryker can be a little tricky, drivers. Fuel is supposed to automatically transfer from the right to the left fuel tank as fuel is burned. But sometimes the pressure relief valves stick on the left and right fuel tank...

Fuel filter foulup.(M2/M3-Series Bradleys...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... If you want to keep your Bradley's FUEL FILTER CLOGGED light off, you'll have to pay close attention to your fuel filter PMCS, drivers. The -10-1 TMs say to drain water after every operation. If you forget, the separator starts to rust....

Keep ammo doors moving.(M1-Series Tanks...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Lubrication Proper lubrication should be your first priority, since lack of lube will result in a stuck door almost every time. A semiannual coat of solid film lubricant (SFL), NSN 9150-01-260-2534, is the way to go. Wipe away any dirt...

Providing powerful starts.(Grounds Power Units...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Tired of trying to maneuver a vehicle close enough to slave start a dead vehicle? It's never easy, but it's especially hard within the close confines of a motor pool. Not only is the job time-consuming, but it usually takes two or three...

The ins and outs of PM.(M109-Series SP Howitzers, M992A2 Ammo Carrier...)(Preventive Maintenance )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... You're a firm believer in preventive maintenance. You do a complete and thorough PMCS whenever the TM requires it. So why is the track on your howitzer or amino carrier in such sad shape? Sprocket wear could be the culprit. Most crewmen...

3 Steps to sling safety.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... 1 Step one in preventing sling failure is to keep the sling properly marked. At a minimum, the sling should show the ID number (vehicle number and sling NSN), load rating, and the next required inspection date. Unmarked slings are more...

Protect rubber lines and hoses.(CARC Paint...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... So, your vehicle's being sent off for a fresh coat of CARC paint. Before it goes, take a close look at the exterior rubber lines and hoses. Have they been covered with tape and paper yet? CARC paint and rubber do not mix. CARC is designed...

Voltage KOs Sport, MSD Cards.(Knowledge Online)(Maintenance Support Device)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... If you use the internal combustion engine (ICE) box with the AN/PSM-95 Soldier's Portable On-system Repair Tool (SPORT) or AN/PSM-95A Maintenance Support Device (MSD), make sure the ICE box power switch is turned off before you connect their...

Sport warranty wrong.(TMDE... Comic)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... THE WARRANTY DATE LISTED ON SOME AN/PSM-95 SOLDIERS PORTABLE ON-SYSTEM REPAIR TOOLS (SPORT) IS WRONG. IF YOU HAVE A SPORT WITH SERIAL NUMBER CDA 20366 THROUGH CDA 21733, IT MAY STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY DATE SAYS IT...

How to ship weapons.(Small Arms...)
September 1, 2004... Dear Half-Mast, We are getting ready to ship out to Iraq and we're wondering where to go for info on packing our rifles and machine guns. We don't want to get there and find out our weapons didn't make the trip safely. B.B. Dear...

Is there a cleaning kit NSN?(M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Dear Half-Mast, We've heard that there's an NSN that brings the entire cleaning kit for the M16-series rifle and M4/M4A1 carbine. Is there? SFC K.M. Dear Sergeant K.M., No, there is not an NSN for a cleaning kit....

A large amount of mounting info.(Small Arms...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The trouble comes when you try to figure out which sights and aiming devices can be mounted on which weapons and how you mount them. The TMs for the weapons usually don't cover that and sometimes it's hard to locate a TM for a sight or aiming...

TM changes for M31 ballistic computer.(Mortars...)(Technical Module)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... IF YOUR UNIT USES THE M31 MORTAR BALLISTICS COMPUTER (NSNS 1220-01-484-0716), MAKE THESE CHANGES IN THE COMPUTER'S TM 9-1220-247-13&P... Page G-3: Change the cable diagram to show the 3W17 cable's P1 connector hooked to the J4 port of...

Confused by the TM and FM.(M2 Machine Guns...)(Technical Module)(Field Manual )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... HMMM... THIS GUY IS CONFUSED BY YOUR TM AND FM. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN STRAIGHTEN EVERYTHING OUT. GOOD IDEA. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED, TOO. Dear Half-Mast, There are some places in the M2 machine gun's TM 9-1005-213-10 and FM 23-65 that...

Send in broken components.(Position and Azimuth Determining System ...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... IT SAYS HERE THE ARMY DOESN'T HAVE ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR YOU BECAUSE NO ONE HAS BEEN SENDING PARTS IN FOR REPAIR. DRAT! NOW I'LL NEVER GET BACK TO THE FIELD. I FEEL SO USELESS. When components are breaking down on the position and...

Let's keep M8A1 alarmed.(M8A1 Chemical Agent Alarm...)
September 1, 2004... YAAAHHHH! I'M SO ALARMED BY THIS CHEMICAL THREAT! EVERYONE IN THEIR JSLIST! OUR M8 HAS COME THROUGH FOR US! PMCS If your M8A1 has been locked in a cabinet for weeks, the M43A1 detector probably won't reach the green zone...

The future of PM.(Comic)(Preventive Maintenance)
September 1, 2004... THE YEAR IS 2104 AT THE FORT BANNEKER ARMY BASE, WHERE SOLDIERS ARE BEING TRAINED AT THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FACILITY. HERE THEY LEARN TO OPERATE STATE OF THE ART WEAPONS THAT FUNCTION ON VOICE COMMANDS AND RETINA SCANS. I'M FRANK TATE...

UHF radio checks in tailcone.(HH-60A/UH-60A/L...)(Ultra High Frequency )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A trip through the crawlspace underneath a house is a daunting task. So is crawling through a gauntlet of stuff to perform checks on the AN/ARC-186 UHF radio cables in your Black Hawk's tail cone crawlspace. Sometimes the cables get...

Too much of a good thing.(HH-60A/UH-60A/L...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... That's right, mechanics, put a little too much hydraulic fluid in your Black Hawk's hydraulic pump reservoirs and you've just committed an overfilling violation. You can take care of the problem by draining off the excess fluid. Just...

Load up on loading tips.(M260/M261 Rocket Launcher...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Loading Tool Use the loading tool for loading and unloading rockets. Without the tool, you could jam the rocket in its tube against the rocket stop. Then, when you have to move it forward to lock it in place, the end shield may be...

Helmet and headset-microphone kit.(CVC and MK-1697/G Comic)
September 1, 2004... SO, I TRIED TO ORDER THE HEADSET-MICROPHONE KIT, MK-1697/G, USING NSN 5965-00-313-8958. YOU DIDN'T GET IT? NAH, TURNS OUT THAT'S ONLY A REFERENCE NUMBER! YOU CAN'T ORDER THE ASSEMBLY WITH IT! HOW THE HECK CAN YOU GET THE KIT?...

Just bag it.(packaging the spare parts)
September 1, 2004... The original shipping containers are the best place to keep spare parts. But when that option is not available, use plastic self-sealing bags. These bags keep dirt, dust, sand and moisture away from small commo parts in the field. The...

Radiac reasoning.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Dear Half-Mast, We cannot find a substitute for battery, BA-1391/U, NSN 6135-00-935-2532, which is no longer in the supply system. We have an IM-174A/PD radiac that uses three of these batteries. What should we do? SGT L.N. Dear...

A hard case for the AN/PVS-14.(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Dear Editor, When deployed, we have a real problem keeping our AN/PVS-14 night vision sights in shape. Broken battery compartments, broken battery cape and broken adapter brackets are common. After talking to many people, we think much...

You've got to update!(PLGR/EPLGR Software ...)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Old software could cause your PLGR/EPLGR to continually reset and the display to flash over and over. That would make your precision receiver not so precise! Even if you haven't had these problems, check what software you're using. As you...

Vital link to safety.(Material Safety Data Sheets...)
September 1, 2004... Dear Half-Mast, Here in the maintenance facility we rely on material safety, data sheets (MSDS) every day. I've Found a website that makes it; convenient; to view or print; MSDS From a variety of manufacturers. Best of all, it's free of...

Formula for repelling water.(Extended Cold Weather Clothing)
September 1, 2004... Every time you wash your extended cold weather clothing system (ECWCS) parka and trousers, you wash away more than just dirt. You wash away some of their water repellency. So, if your ECWCS has gone through lots of washing and rainwater no...

Thoughts on cots.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Want to get a good night's sleep? Before you try counting sheep, try performing a little PM on your aluminum cot, NSN 7105-00-935-0422. Here are some trouble spots: * Rivets sometime break or get lost. Unfortunately you won't find...

To secure or not?(military security)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Our MSG Half-Mast, We used to leave all refueling vehicles and fuel tankers steering wheels unsecured for safety. In case of fire we could quickly move the vehicles out of danger without the delay of getting a key. Recently we were told to...

Nominations for the army award for maintenance excellence.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Nominations for the FY 2004 Chief of Staff Army Award for Maintenance Excellence (AAME) are due Dec. 15. The AAME program recognizes units for improving and sustaining readiness, if you believe your unit should be recognized, go to Chap 7...

Query searches get results.(FED 2D of 5 LOG)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Last month we discussed the opening screens of FED LOG. This month we look into making queries. FED LOG allows you to search for: NIINs/NSNs, part numbers, item names, medical/common names, supplier names, CAGE codes, federal supply...