The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from September 2006

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from September 2006

Defending the Constitution.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... "... I will support and depend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,foreign and domestic..." Soldiers and civilian employees take this oath when we enter our nation's service. Usually, we think of enemies as people who...

Friend or foe? CIPs can tell.(Combat, Tactical and Engineering Vechicles ...)(combat identification panels)
September 1, 2006... Combat is dangerous enough without having to worry about being shot at by someone on your own side. That's why your vehicle needs combat identification panels (CIPs). What are CIPs? CIPs are the ground-to-ground component of the Joint...

Do not shift on the fly.(Stryker ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The transfer on your Stryker takes some getting used to, drivers. If you don't get used to it fast, though, you'll soon be buying a new one. The transfer has three settings: 4-wheel drive, 8-wheel drive high, and 8-wheel drive low. You...

Skirting danger.(M1-Series Tanks ...)
September 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, I've noticed a potential hazard with track skirts here in Iraq. A lot of mechanics and crewmen working on the track and suspension have been opening both skirts that are on the same hinge point. These skirts are...

Heater checks a year-round job.(M2/M3-Series Bradleys ...)
September 1, 2006... You may think the only time you have to worry about the heater on your Bradley is when cold weather sets in. Unfortunately, it's that kind of thinking that has resulted in some recent heater fires. It takes a joint effort between mechanics...

The whole wheel deal.(Wheeled Vehicles ...)(tire/wheel assembly repair programs )
September 1, 2006... Tired of repairing your wheel assemblies? If you're in Southwest Asia (SWA), then you'll be glad to know that the Army Materiel Command's tire/wheel assembly repair programs (TARPs) are up and running. TARPs are located in Kuwait (Camp...

New locknuts every time.(HMMWV ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Locknuts form to the bolt when they're first put on. They work loose if used over and over again. And even new locknuts will work loose if you don't use the correct torque. Once a locknut works loose, not only does steering control suffer,...

Protect your topside with TIPs.(Combat, Tactical and Engineering Vehicles ...)(thermal identification panels)
September 1, 2006... Friendly fire protection on the battlefield is vital. Combat identification panels (CIPs) do a good job of protecting your vehicle's front, rear, and sides. But what about the top? That's where thermal identification panels (TIPs) come in. ...

Maintain safe tire pressure.(Up-armored HMMWVs ...)
September 1, 2006... Just like maintaining a safe blood pressure contributes to good health, maintaining safe tire pressure on your up-armored HMMWV will do the same for you. Correct tire pressure is critical for vehicle mobility in snow, ice, sand, or mud. It also...

ABS troubleshooting tool.(M939-Series Trucks ...)
September 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, Our unit hag M939-series 5-ton trucks with the anti-lock blake system (ABG). Is there a good NSN For the diagnostic tool used to troubleshoot the truck's ABG? SSG D.C. Dear Sergeant D.C., You bet. The...

Magazines and scope mounts?(M14 Rifle ...)
September 1, 2006... Pear Half-Mast, Our unit recently received M14 rifles for our marksmen, but we got only one magazine per rifle and no scope mounts. And I can't find a TM for the M14. How do you get magazines and mounts? Is there an M14 TM? MAJ D.S....

Ways to wear your M9 pistol.
September 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, What options do we have for wearing the M9 pistol? CPT R.J. Dear Captain R.J., Several, actually, Sir. The M12 holster, NSN 1095-01-194-3343, is the standard method for carrying the M9 on your waist. You can...

Stick this in your pipe cleaner.(M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine ...)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Dear Editor, PS has told its readers many times not to use cotton swabs to clean their M16 dries and M14 carbines. Why? Because the swabs come off and plug up the gas system. But that's not all, as we can testify From recent...

Mounting sights on M2 machine gun.
September 1, 2006... Dear Half-Mast, Is there a mounting bracket For mounting sights like the AN/PVS-4 on the M2 machine gun? CW2 A.A. Dear Chief A.A., Sure is, Sir. Order it with NSN 5340-01-502-7233. Don't forget tire Small Arms Integration...

Before you call repair.(MLRS ...)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Dear Editor, At Ft Sill we've come up with a couple oF MLRS tips that may save you a call to your repair folks: * If one boom is working but the other won't, try paralleling both alternators (this works only on the -A1 MLRS)....

Look for sagging troughs.(MLRS ...)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Dear Editor, The MLRS W75 and W76 cables run in troughs along each side of the inside top of the launcher bays. The troughs are held in place by clamps that sometimes work loose. Then the W75 and W76 cables work loose and get wound in...

Bucket PM again.(IHMEE ...)(preventive maintenance)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... When you park your excavator, lower the bucket flat on the ground. Resting the bucket takes the weight off the lift cylinders and keeps water from pooling in the bucket. Travel Stop Reminder Make sure you install the excavator's...

Moving more sand.(M9 ACE ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... * Use the ACE's blade for moving, loading and unloading sand, dirt and gravel. Never use the ACE to break rock. You'll wreck the blade's scarifier teeth for sure, and damage the hydraulics. * Always fold the blade when traveling cross...

Stop for shifting.(RS28 Tampo Roller ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Operators, you know these rollers are getting a constant workout while rebuilding roads and runways in Iraq. It's easy to get into the hard and fast mode of shifting gears during operation. After all, you're on the move, shifting into...

The cutting edge.(DEUCE ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Operators, give your excavator the PM edge to successfully move dirt and sand. Follow the words in TM 5-2430-200-10 and use these pointers that others have learned the hard way to keep your DEUCE on the job. Cutting Edge The blade's...

When water gets in!(CB-534B Vibratory Roller ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The rubber boot has been known to come loose during operations. If water gets past the boot, it shorts out the valve's electronic relays. The end result is a roller that won't shift or engage its power takeoff (PTO). If the boot is loose,...

Two to lift.(SEE ...)
September 1, 2006... Mechanics, make sure you follow Pages 4-418 through 4-432 in TM 5-2420-224-20 when it comes to raising or lowering the excavator's cab. Without proper clearance, it's real easy to damage the throttle linkage and mount bracket when the cab...

The Adventures of Midshipman Trumpeter and the HMS Coldwhip.(Comic)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2006... BRITISH SEAMAN HAD THEIR HANDS FULL WITH THE FRENCH DURING THE NAPOLEONIC WARS... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MR. TRUMPETER SEEMS TO HAVE WARMED TO HIS DUTIES, MR BUSCH. AYE, HE HAS SIR. HE SHOWS A KEEN INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THINGS...

Check out R/TRU.(AH-64D ...)(regulated transformer rectifier unit)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Mechanics and pilots, your AH-64D's regulated transformer rectifier unit (R/TRU), NSN 6120-01-440-5711, can lose electrical power and you won't notice it. You'll get an indication that an R/TRU has failed because of thermal overload, but...

Not in here you don't!(UH-60A/L/HH-60L ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Pilots and co-pilots, don't you dare store stuff in the Black Hawk seat wells. They're not storage spaces. It's a bad habit to toss TMs, kitbags, checklists, goggles, and other stuff in the seat wells. Stashing things under the seat...

An ounce of prevention.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Mechanics, prevention is the pillar of PM. Keep that in mind when inspecting the primary servos' exposed pistons and internal seals on the hydraulic deck. The primary servos, the control rods and the swashplate are all connected. If...

You've just been reprogrammed.(OH-58d ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Mechanics, here's the latest about the thermal imaging sensor (TIS) in the Kiowa Warrior's mast mounted sight (MMS). Units can order either the TIS or a thermal imaging sensor upgrade (TISU), NSN 1260-01-503-4177 for the same price. AMCOM...

Heads up on helmet inspection.(ALSE ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The TACOM-RI headshed says the inspection interval for the integrated helmet and display sight system (IHADSS) has changed. The inspection requirement on the helmet is now 180 days instead of 120. That's because the headshed wants the...

Dissecting the distribution boxes.(Wire and Cable Operations ...)
September 1, 2006... If you work with either signal distribution box, J-1077A/U, NSN 6110-00-985-7574, or J-2317A/U, NSN 6110-00-937-4964, chances are good you're in need of some parts stock numbers and some maintenance info. TM 11-6110-201-12P on the...

A headset for the HMMWV!(Bose ITH ... Comic)(High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2006... HUH? WAHT DID YOU SAY? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT!? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING! SPEAK UP! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] D'OH! WE'VE GOT HEADSETS! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AHH... THAT'S BETTER ... AND...

PM keeps IBA defending you.(Interceptor Body Armor ...)(preventive maintenance)
September 1, 2006... That Interceptor body armor (IBA) you're wearing is hands down the finest body armor ever made. Its soft ballistic panels protect you against light fragmentation and 9mm rounds. Its small arms protective inserts (SAPI) protect you against...

What's in store.(Interceptor Body Armor ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... * Never fold the soft ballistic panels and inserts to store them. That rule applies whether they're inside or outside the cloth carders. If a soft panel or insert remains folded long enough, a permanent crease forms. That crease won't come out...

Please don't fold.(M40/M42-Series Masks ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... If you do nothing else for your M40- or M42-series masks, follow this rule: Do not fold. Folding a mask to put it in its carrier usually results in the drink tube being sheared off or the facepiece being punctured. That leaves the mask NMC...

FED log appearance changes.(Comic)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2006... FED LOG PUTS ON A NEW FACE FOR USERS THIS MONTH WHEN IT CHANGES THE APPEARANCE OF ITS INTERFACE SCREENS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE CHANGES REPLACE THE ICON MENU BAR WITH PLAIN LANGUAGE LABELS IN A CLEAN MODERN LAYOUT MAKING THE...

Creating document numbers.
September 1, 2006... So you've got a supply form that needs a document number. But, you're stumped. Where do you find document numbers? Document numbers, sometimes called document ID numbers, have three components: DODAACs, Julian calendar dates, and...

Online driver's course fills need.(Safety ...)
September 1, 2006... Military and civilian drivers of Army vehicles must complete the online Accident Avoidance Course through the Army Learning Management System. The course fulfills the requirement under ARs 385-55 and 600-55 for each driver to receive...

Cab cracks make M939 NMC.(Connie's POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... TACOM GPM 06-005 gave inspection criteria for stress cracks in the cab structure of armored M939-series 5-ton trucks in paragraph 3-B. These inspections no longer apply because now any crack makes your M939 NMC. See TACOM GPM 06-009 for more...

DOD Maintenance Awards.(Connie's POST SCRIPTS)(Department of Defense)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Red River Army Depot won the 2006 DOD Maintenance Award for its HMMWV RECAP work. The 297th Trans Co., Ft Hood, TX, won in the medium-sized unit category. At the Army depot level, winners of Shingo Prizes for Excellence in Manufacturing were...

FMTV tire chain update.(Connie's POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... Tire chain assembly, NSN 2540-00-933-9033, is no longer authorized for your FMTV's, so don't use these chains. Use NSN 2540-01-483-2930 or NSN 2540-01-492-2989 instead. Remember, once the chains are installed, CTIS must be in highway mode. And...

HMMWV engine oil pressure changes.(Connie's POST SCRIPTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The current engine oil pressure requirements in all HMMWV national maintenance work requirements (NMWRs) and technical manuals have been revised, Operating oil pressure requirements for engine rpm above idle should be changed from 40-50 psi to...

HMMWV tire chain.(Connie's POST SCRIPTS)
September 1, 2006... NSN 2540-01-530-6341 gets an improved tire chain for the HMMWV. This new "alloy all-square pattern" chain is made by PEWAG. It's easier to install or dismount, gives a smoother ride, has a self-tensioner, and lasts longer than the present...