The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from September 2008

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from September 2008

Loose hardware is no game.
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Each bolt, nut and screw on your vehicle is a vital cog that keeps your vehicle FMC. Some are more critical than others, but each one has a job to do. Bolts are a lot like dominoes lined up in a row. Knock one...

Turbocharged PM.(Stryker ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Startup Gravity drains oil out of the turbocharger when the Stryker's been sitting for a while. So make sure you idle the vehicle for 30 seconds or so before moving out. And don't rev the engine while you're...

Cam setting makes a difference.(M1-Series Tanks ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] In cold weather, the recoil can slow way down for the main gun on your M1-series tank. The colder it gets, the slower the recoil. That's why the breech has an adjustable operating cam. When the temperature...

Check the brake for goodness sake!(M1-Series Tanks ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Access the service brake cable through the exhaust duct door panel assembly. Loosen the hose clamp holding the outer sheathing on the cable in place. If the service brake cable is green, you're good to go....

Check the valves first!(M2/M3-Series Bradley ...)
September 1, 2008... If your Bradley or its personnel heater won't start, don't pull your hair out! The problem could be caused by an accidentally closed fuel shutoff valve. The valves are located inside the bottom of the turret wall. With the close confines...

Connecting track made easy.(M2/M3-Series Bradley ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, Reconnecting broken track or installing new track on your Bradley can be a real pain. Even when using the track connector, we still sometimes have problems lining up the bushing holes just right so...

Contents under pressure.(M88A1 Recovery Vehicles ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A roadwheel relief valve that's clogged with dirt and sand won't relieve pressure when you pump in new grease. The pressure grows until something gives--usually the hub seal. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When the...

Safe storage for copperhead extractor.(M109-Series SP Howitzers ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If you store it backwards, or with the brace in the vertical position, the brace bangs into the wiring harness that powers the slip ring contact arms. Banging wears away the harness cover and leads to arcing and...

Cab door control solution.(FMTVs ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, Recently we pulled maintenance on some FMTVs, and the cab doors opened when the cab was raised. Imagine our surprise! This was a hazard to anyone standing near the doors and could have damaged...

Transporting a load.(Tractor Trucks/Semitrailers ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] You'll find the answer in Para 10-le of FM 55-30, Army Motor Transport Units and Operations. It says, "The driver supervises the loading of his vehicle and ensures that his cargo is properly loaded and secured...

Brake drag in the bag.(M105/M101/M116-Series Trailers ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, Our unit has received M105A3 trailers to replace the -A2 models. But we are having trouble with the brakes dragging while going down the road. We couldn't find a solution in the TM, and have ended...

Light bulb NSNs.(Tactical Vehicles ...)(Table)
September 1, 2008... Need a replacement for a common automotive bulb? Finding one is not always easy. Most bulbs are imprinted with standard trade numbers. That's helpful if you're going to an auto parts store, but not if you need an NSN! Using the wrong...

EU and EB SOP.(MLRS ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Check cables. The cables for the EU, EB, and fire control unit sometimes aren't completely tightened after maintenance. Then you get fire control panel faults and LDS malfunctions, which can cost you troubleshooting...

What's the zero mark?(M16A4 Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, When you zero the M16A4 rifle or the M4/M4A1 carbine with the backup iron sight (BUIS), do you place its knob on the white line or on the 300-m mark? CW3 D.C. Dear Chief D.C., Good...

Go for the gold!(M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The old extractor spring assembly, NSN 5360-01-424-5899, is still in stock and may be ordered for use only on the M16. The old breech bolt assembly, NSN 1005-01-422-3770, is also still in stock and may ordered only...

Sling adapter BII or AAL?(M249 Machine Gun ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, We read in PS 661 (Dec 07) about the new sling adapter for the M249 machine gun. Will the adapter replace the sling snap hooks as BII or are they going to be considered AAL? And if they're AAL, do...

Snug is tight enough.(M249 Machine Gun ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The screws are self-locking, so once they're tightened snug the forward rails should be tight. If you continue to tighten the screws, you strip or break them. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the rails aren't...

New coupling for easier linking.(MK 19 Machine Gun ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Army is fielding a new pivoting coupling that lets MK 19 gunners link individual grenade rounds or partial or full ammo belts together without hand tools. The new couplings are gold, not black like the old ones....

Who disassembles cover assembly?(MK 19 Machine Gun ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, TM 9-1010-230-23&P is confusing on what level of maintenance should disassemble the MK 19's top cover assembly. WP 004700-1 says the armorer should inspect, remove and repair the top cover...

Ammo pouch NSN?(M240B Machine Gun ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, Is there an NSN for the M240B machine gun's ammo pouch? We could sure use more of the pouches. SSG J.B. Dear Sergeant J.B., Yes, you can order more pouches with NSN 1005-01-529-8411....

What is cooling hole standard?(M2 Machine Gun ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, TB 9-1000-247-34 says that cracks up to 1/4 inch long are permitted at cooling holes, but Step 3 on WP 0020 00 in TM 9-1005-213-23&P says "Cracks up to 0.025 inch (0.635 mm) maximum in length are...

It happened on the Hindenburg.(Cartoon)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DATELINE: LAKEHURST NAVAL AIR STATION, NEW JERSEY, MAY 6, 1937. THIRTY-SIX PEOPLE DIED TODAY WHEN THE ZEPPELIN LZ129 HINDENBURG BURST INTO A BALL OF FLAME AND PLUNGED TO THE GROUND. AT 804 FEET IN LENGTH, THE...

Grounding your birds.(All Aircraft ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] None of this has to happen. Rushing to disconnect a ground cable leads to broken parts. The only way to disconnect from a grounding point is to reverse how you hooked it up. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Too many...

Rivets galore.(All Aircraft ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] * Protect yourself by following every safety precaution. That means wear goggles, NSN 4240-00-052-3776, a respirator, NSN 4240-01-463-5449, and earplugs, NSN 6515-00-137-6345. Dust and fumes from grinding or...

Prevent foreign object damage.(All Aircraft ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Crawling around an aircraft with small hardware and personal items in your pocket is tough on your bird. Things fall out of your pocket and create foreign object damage (FOD). To prevent FOD, use bags, tags...

For want of batteries.(ALSE ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] So if you're 'borrowing' the batteries out of the marker and using them on personal equipment, you're putting your life in harm's way when a real emergency arises. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Using the marker...

Submit publication changes online.(DA Form 2028 ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your AMCOM unclassified DA Form 2028s, Recommended Changes To Publications and Blank Forms may be submitted online: https://amcom2028.redstone.army.mil You can come back to the site later to click the link to...

Image intensifier tube update.(AN/PVS-7 Night Vision Device ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If you order the MX-10130D/UV image intensifier tube, NSN 5855-01-504-4589, to use on your AN/PVS-7 night vision device, you may get a substitute. The substitute is MX-10130C/UV, NSN 5855-01-380-5098. The reason...

The weakest link!(AN/ASM-189, -190 Semitrailers ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stick a magnet or a knife in your ACU pocket and take a walk to your AN/ ASM-189 and -190 electronic vans. The van's tailgate chain may have a weak link and you need to find it! The last link of the chain-the one...

Returning unserviceable RTs.(EPLRS ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The AN/TSQ-158, enhanced position location reporting system (EPLRS) radios, RT-1720B(C)/G, NSN 5820-01-457-0014 RT-1720C(C)/G, NSN 5820-01-457-0012 RT-1720D(C)/G, NSN 5820-01-490-7019 RT-1720E(C)/G, NSN...

Power supply repair change.(PP-2953D/U ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The power supply now is a Class 2 depot level repairable item. Turn in an unserviceable PP-2953D/U in accordance with the automatic return item list (ARIL). You'll receive unserviceable credit and you can then...

Air cleaner filter NSNs.(100-KW TQG ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, I was about to order the inner intake air filter element, NSN 2940-01-158-1462, Item 34 in Fig 15 of WP-0016 in TM 9-6115-729-24P, for my 100-KW tactical quiet generator, when my chief told me...

Keeping your M17 on the road.
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, A broken hose connector or plugged hose strainer can bring your M17 decon to a screeching halt. Here are a few ways to keep your M17 on the decon road: * The cam arm on the hose connectors is...

Watch for PATS upgrade.(protection assessment test system)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CBRN specialists, some time in the next four years your M41 PATS (protection assessment test system) is going to come back from calibration upgraded. The upgrade will add embedded diagnostics to PATS so that PATS...

How often should masks be tested?(M40-, M42-Series Masks ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Half-Mast, How often are M40- and M42-series masks supposed to be tested with PATS and where is that spelled out? SSG T.B. Dear Sergeant T.B., Generally for all the CBRN protective masks the...

Dealing with counter-clockwise torque.(Tools ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Editor, Most mechanics don't realize that torque wrenches are calibrated by TMDE only in the clockwise direction. What makes that a problem is that some of the larger vehicles like the M939s and M977s...

A gripping tale of hardware.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] * Always shake the bottle before applying gripping compound. * To remove or insert screws, apply a single drop of compound in the slot or on the tip of the screwdriver. Put the screwdriver tip into the slot....

BDAR emergency field kit available.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A BDAR emergency field kit is now available that helps with situations requiring quick bundling, securing, fastening, or clamping. The kit also eliminates or reduces wiring harness cuts or failures caused by bad...

Spiral technique explained.(AN/PSS-14 Mine Detector ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If the metallic signature is smaller than the search head, use the cross technique. For a detailed explanation of how to do both techniques, go to Section 2.9 of TM 5-6665-373-12&P. The TM should be part of the...

Only certain changes allowed.(G5A-Approved Security Containers ...)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Unauthorized Modifications * welding the container to the floor or welding items to the container * drilling the container to attach items such as pencil sharpeners or signs * painting the container...

Light reading.(Lantern ...)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Army is getting rid of the old gasoline lantern, NSN 6260-00-837-0996, that comes with the kitchen, company level field feeding (KCLFF). They're replacing it with a newer, safer and more versatile multi-fuel...

Correcting supply discrepancies.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dear Bonnie, My supervisor handed me an incoming repair part that should have been a nut, sheet spring, NSN 5310-01-208-3739. On FED LOG it costs 48 cents. The item we received was a receptacle, PN...

PS proudly presents Connie's post scripts.
September 1, 2008... UNIFORMS AND FLIGHT When the brass comes to inspect your unit, everybody wants to look their best. You can make sure that happens by following the good words in AR 95-1, Aviation Flight Regulations. And to make sure you look good in...

Stop the dirty dozen from stopping your M16!(Cartoon)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most of these problems come from DIRT, MOISTURE, and no lube in out-of-sight places. 1 FRONT SIGHT FROZEN: Unfreeze with lube 2 DIRT OR CARBON IN BARREL: Clean before firing 3 LOOSE HANDGUARD...