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Maintenance in the Desert, official US Technical Bulletin, special care of military vehicles in desert environment
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TB 43-0239
Maintenancein the
Desert
15 May 03
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT C. Distribution authorized to U.S.Government agencies and their contractors. This publication is required foradministration and operational purposes, as determined 15 May 03. Otherrequests for this document shall be referred to Commander, U.S. Army LogisticsSupport Activity, AMXLS-AM, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000.
This TB supersedes TB 43-0239 dated 15 Oct 1990
Maintenance
in the
Desert
But in extreme conditionssuch as high heat anddesert, PM may be the
most important elementof your battle plan.
Thumb through the bookand find information oncooling systems, air
induction systems, fuelsystems, batteries, tires,fuel systems, weapons,
communications equipment,aviation and much more.
This TB is devoted toPM tips that will standyou in good stead in theheat and sand.
But standard PM is notenough when you’reworking in heat orblowing sand and dust.These extreme condi-tions will mean changesin the way you dopreventive maintenanceand in the preventivemaintenance you do.
Missions performed in the heat or in
the desert will be successful only if
you’ve plannedahead by doing PM.
In all conditions—weather and
terrain—PM makesa difference in
whether a missionsucceeds or fails.
Keep Your Equipment
“Cool” in the Heat
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i
iii
NBC EquipmentM40-, M42-Series Mask Canister Change Interval ........................................ 53M12A1 Decon PM .................................................................................... 54-55M17-Series, M12A1 Decon PM ..................................................................... 56
Soldier SupportWood Handled Tool PM .................................................................................. 57Personal Items for the Desert ................................................................... 58-59Gloves for Heat Protection .............................................................................. 60Safety Glasses .................................................................................................. 61BLPS, SPECS, and SWDG Glasses ......................................................... 62-63Collapsible Canteen Carrier ............................................................................ 643,000-Gal Water Tank Fill Limit ..................................................................... 65600-GPH ROWPU PM ............................................................................. 66-67600-GPH ROWPU Transportation ........................................................... 68-69600-GPH ROWPU Filter Element Storage ..................................................... 70600-GPH ROWPU Dust Caps ........................................................................ 71Collapsible Tank Use, Repair and Disposal .............................................. 72-743,000-GPH Trailer-Mounted ROWPU Repair Parts ....................................... 75
Commo & ElectronicsDirty Dozen PMCS Checks ...................................................................... 76-77Desert Commo PM ................................................................................... 78-81AN/GRC-103 Radio PM .......................................................................... 82-83Desert Grounding ...................................................................................... 84-87
AircraftHydraulic Oil Contamination .................................................................... 88-89UH-60 Console Cover .............................................................................. 90-91Caps for Lines, Tubes and Fittings ........................................................... 92-94Grease Application and Cleanup ..................................................................... 95Sand Protection ......................................................................................... 96-98
ii
Table of ContentsWheeled Vehicles
M1112 Water Trailer Landing Leg ................................................................... 1M1112, M149-Series Water Trailer Tank Cleaning ...................................... 2-3M1112 Water Trailer Bearings ......................................................................... 3M149A2 Water Trailer PM Checklist ........................................................... 4-6M1112 Water Trailer Faucets ........................................................................... 7Tire PM ........................................................................................................ 8-9Lead-Acid Battery PM .............................................................................. 10-12Cooling System PM .................................................................................. 13-15Air Induction Systems .............................................................................. 16-18
Combat VehiclesRoadwheel Grease Fitting Caps ...................................................................... 19Track Component PM ............................................................................... 20-21General Desert PM ................................................................................... 22-25M1-Series Tank Transmission Overheating .............................................. 26-27M1-Series Tank Air Induction System ...................................................... 28-31M1-Series Tank Transmission Oil Spills ........................................................ 32M1-Series Tank Main Gun Service Life ....................................................... 33M1-Series Tank Mine Clearing Blade PM ................................................ 34-36M1-Series Tank Mine Clearing Blade Motor Brushes ................................... 37M113A2 FOV Engine Overheating .......................................................... 38-40M88A1 Recovery Vehicle Roadwheel Relief Valve ....................................... 41M109-Series SP Howitzer, M992A2 Ammo Carrier Air Cleaner Box ........... 42M109-Series SP Howitzer, M992A2 Ammo Carrier Radiator Seals .............. 43
Missile SystemsAvenger Launcher PM .............................................................................. 44-45Patriot PM ................................................................................................. 46-49
Small ArmsGeneral PM ............................................................................................... 50-51M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine PM ..................................................... 52
This TB supersedes TB 43-0239 dated 15 Oct 1990.
Comments and suggestions on how to improve this Technical Bulletin shouldbe sent to Commander, USAMC LOGSA, AMXLS-AM, Bldg 5307, RedstoneArsenal, AL 35898-5000.
Technical BulletinTB 43-0239
HeadquartersDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Washington, DC 15 May 2003
TB 43-0239
By Order of the Secretary of the Army:ERIC K. SHINSEKI
General, United States ArmyChief of Staff
Official:
JOEL B. HUDSONAdministrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army xxxxxxx
This Page Intentionally Blank
iv
1
You can’t unhook your M1112 water trailer from the towing truck if the landingleg won’t deploy. And the landing leg won’t deploy if you don’t take good care ofthe release latch.
GOT A LEG TO STAND ON?M1112 Water Trailer...
withouta littlelatchlube...
...I haven’tgot a leg to
stand on!
ahhh...that’sbetter!
Lube the latchat least every 6months and thenagain followinga heavy rain orafter washing
the trailer.
The release latch has no lube points,so it’s usually ignored when it’s timeto lube the trailer. But then the latchrusts in place and won’t move.
Give your trailer a leg to stand onby putting a few drops of OE/HDO oilon the latch’s release pins. Then, raiseand lower the latch a few times to workin the oil.
Wheeled Vehicles
1
Lube pins here,then work latchup and down
2 3
M1112, M149-Series Water Trailer...
Cleaning the tank regularly will improve the taste ofthe water and keep the tank safe to use when it’s needed.So follow these tips to keep your drinking water fromtasting slimy, rusty, or metallic.
• Make sure you drain the tank completely betweenuses. Water left in the tank causes rust, mineral depositsand algae buildup.
Put the trailer on an incline with the rear slightly lowerthan the front so that all water will drain through thedrain plug. Then open the faucets to let out any waterstill in the pipes.
...especially ifyou’ve got a field
exercisetomorrow!
If you’re trying toremember the last
time you cleaned thetank on your water
trailer, it’s probablytoo late...
Drain tank on slight incline
• Close the manholecover tightly when thewater trailer is in storage.That keeps out dirt, sandand rainwater.
Keep manholecover closed
• Every three months, pour 8 gallons of vinegar, NSN 8950-01-079-3978, intothe tank and leave it for 5-6 hours. Then empty the tank and flush it out with cleanwater. The vinegar kills algae and prevents deposit buildup.
Since algae is a bigger problem when it’s hot, clean the tank more often duringthe summer.
• Before filling a tank with drink-ing water, eyeball the weld joints in-side the tank for signs of rust. Scrubaway any rust with a solution of wa-ter and scouring powder, NSN 7930-01-294-1116. Always use a nonme-tallic, nylon brush such as NSN 7920-00-061-0038, to avoid scratching thetank’s inner surface.
Flush the tank thoroughly withclean water. Then scrub it again ifyou see any more rust.
Check welded jointsinside tank for rust
M1112 WaterTrailer Bearings
The wheel bearing listed in TM 9-2330-397-14&P is for the bearing only.To get the race and outer bearing assembly, order NSN 3130-00-100-5997(Fig 13, Item 25). The inner bearing and race assembly come with NSN3130-00-100-5303 (Fig 13, Item 22).
don’tblameme!!
i haven’tbeen cleaned
in a year!!
4 5
M149A2 Water Trailer...KEEP WATER FLOWING
Manhole Seal ReminderIt takes just a moment of carelessness to poke a hole in the manhole cover
seal on the water trailer.
Morale can take areal plunge when
the water in aunit’s water
buffalo tastesfunny or
goes bad.
Add these PMpointers toyour mini-checklist
before thetrailer heads
out to thefield.
HEY, ROB!
C’MERE.CHECK
OUT THISWATER!
WHY DIDYOU GIVEME THAT
TO DRINK!?
YOU WERES’POSED TOCLEAN OUTTHE TANK!!
If you don’t get thecover latches out of the way,any time the cover closesthe seal takes a poke. Anyhole in the seal can lead tocontamination of yourunit’s drinking water.
In addition to makingsure the latches are out ofthe way, lock the cover openwhile filling the tank. Thatway, the cover can’t closeunless you want it to.
WAIT ‘TILTHEY GETA TASTEOF ME!!
Keep latchesaway frommanhole
Lock coveropen whenfilling tank
Water Faucet Update
Stop the Drip
Use NSN 4510-01-433-0396 to get a faucetmade to dispense potablewater from the watertrailer. The stock numbershown for Item 1, Fig 28,in TM 9-2330-267-14&Pcannot be used for po-table water.
we maylook
similar...but i’msafeand
you’renot!
Overtightening strips threads, causingleaks. It also makes the plug hard to re-move.
So head off leaks and removal problemsby wrapping every new plug’s threads withantiseize tape, NSN 8030-00-889-3535,and by lightly snugging it in place. Thatway, the plug can be used several times.
A leak around the plastic plug, NSN 4730-01-086-1620, under your watertrailer probably means it was overtightened when last installed.
Wrap plug withanti-seize tape
6 7
1. Remove the manhole cover.2. Scrape off the old seal andtoss it.3. Sand the outer 1½ inches ofthe underside of the cover withemery paper.4. Use denatured alcohol towash the sanded area. Be care-ful not to touch the sanded andwashed area with your barehand. Oil or dirt from yourhand can keep the sealant fromworking properly.5. Let the cleaned area dry.
Here’swhat
to do...
But that seal, NSN5330-01-317-9640,
is only as good asits installation.
if you’ve alreadypoked a hole in
the seal, you canreplace it with an
improved seal thatwill make leaks athing of the past.
the new sealseals out
leaks...if youinstall it
correctly!
6. Spread a 1-in wide band of siliconeadhesive, NSN 8040-00-118-2695,around the outside cover.7. Slip the seal onto the cover.8. Put a little more sealant around theinside of the seal where it meets thecover.9. Now lay the cover with the seal sidedown on a smooth, flat surface, such asa work bench. Let the sealant cure for24 hours.10. Rinse the cover with clean water.11. Install the manhole cover on thetank.
Spread silicone adhesive here
Better Seal DealThere’s nothing better than a cool drink of
water on a hot day. There’s also nothing morefrustrating than getting just a trickle of waterfrom the faucet of your M1112 water trailer.
There’s plenty of water in the trailer and thefaucet is on full blast, so what’s the problem?
Could be that you forgot to loosen the smallnut on the manhole cover. If the nut’s not loos-ened, air can’t get into the tank and a vacuumforms. That slows the water down to a trickle.
Justrememberto loosenthe nut...
...and you’llsoon have allthe water you
can drink.
I’m dyin’of thirst
here!
a little isthe best
you’ll getunless youloosen thenut on mymanholecover!
can’t ihave alittle
water?!
M1112 Water Trailer...
...can be cured byloosening nut
Slow trickle of waterfrom faucets...
7
8 9
Tires catch a lotta grief when you drive in the desert. Heat and terrain team upto deliver a one-two punch that can KO your mission—unless you are prepared byPM.
Tires... Note that if you must addmore than 10-15 psi to thetires you need to use a tireinflator gauge, NSN 4910-00-441-8685. That givesyou 10 feet of hose betweenthe gauge and the chuck soyou can stand away from thedanger zone created by a fly-ing split ring or an explod-ing tire.
In Sand?Some vehicle operator’s
manuals list a lower tire pres-sure for driving in sand. Alower tire pressure gives moreflotation and traction in sand.However, be sure to add airback to those tires before youdrive on pavement.
Cut the HeatDuring normal operations in an average climate, tires get hot as they flex under
a load. But they have a chance to cool off when the mission is done. When the airtemperature is high, the tires can’t cool off, and the excess heat weakens them.
Since you can’t do anything about the outside temperature, you can help by notoverloading the vehicle. An overloaded vehicle creates extra heat on the tires.
Take that heat off the tires by reducing the load. Plus, a reduced load willreduce the chances that you’ll bog down in sand. This goes double for trailersyou’re pulling. Keep them loaded as lightly as possible.
Avoid Flats
you alsowant to avoidincreasing thechances you’ll
have flats.
Try not to run over overgrowth or brush that may have spinesand thorns that break off in tires and work their way through.You’ll have more leaks than you can handle.
Take it easy moving over rocky, roughterrain. The sidewalls of radial tires arethinner than those of bias tires, and rockscut them to ribbons. Wheeled construc-tion and material handling equipment isespecially prone to tire damage becausethe mission often requires them to workwhere the going is rough.
Tubeless tires have a special prob-lem—bead breaking. The bead pullsaway from the rim, letting air escape.Bead breaking is caused by traveling overrocky terrain. Check the air pressure intubeless tires often.
Rocks rubholes in tiresidewalls.
During stops,also look forrocks caughtbetween dual
tires.
I toldjanot to runover that
brush!
a littlehelp
here...?
my dogsare barkin’something
fierce!
Avoid “Danger Zone”when inflating tires
10 11
Working in the heat means drinking lots of water so your body stays hydrated.So you drink lots of water.
Working in the heat also affects the water in lead-acid batteries. So you have tokeep them hydrated, too.
Normal charging causes somewater in the electrolyte to evaporate.But overcharging drives off muchmore water. Add in the evaporationcaused by high temperatures and yourbatteries can go dry quickly.
Just adding water won’t alwaysbe enough to save your batteries.First off, the batteries need to bechecked by your mechanic using theoptical battery/antifreeze tester, NSN6630-00-105-1418. A fully-chargedbattery should give specific gravityreadings of 1.280.
Use testerto checkelectrolyte
Full chargewill be 1.280
Boy, withoutwater, this
heat would bea killer!
Hey! Don’tforget
about me!
Where Does It Go?
hey! i’mdying of
thirst downhere!
if you’renot hydrating,
it ain’t theheat that gets
ya...it’s thestupidity.
Then operators should eyeball the elec-trolyte levels at least once a day if the tem-perature stays above 90oF for a week. Thelevel should be at least ½ inch above thetop of the battery plates. If the filler holehas a lip or an indicator at the bottom, itshould be filled to that.
Fill tobottom...not to top
Adding Just EnoughMore is not better, though. If batteries
are filled to the rim, the electrolyte will boilout through the vent caps when the batterycharges. Use the battery filler syringe, NSN6140-00-808-7325, to remove any excess.
Make sure, too, that the vent caps areopen so that gases can escape. If the ventsare clogged, the battery can explode.
If you find a battery that needs water, let your mechanic know ASAP. The bestwater is distilled water. NSN 6810-00-682-6867 gets a gallon and NSN 6810-00-356-4936 gets a 5-gal jug.
Another good choice is battery water. It has no more than 100 parts per millionof impurities, and costs a little less than distilled water. Get a gallon with NSN6810-00-286-3783 and a 5-gal jug with NSN 6810-00-297-9540.
This bird’s eye view shows eye-shape
Electrolytelevel low
Electrolytelevel OK
12 13
Ground water has minerals init that can kill batteries, so don’tuse it. If there’s no other choice,plain drinking water (not mineralwater) can be used.
Use a battery syringe or a bat-tery gravity filler, NSN 6140-00-635-3824, for precise filling andhelp in avoiding overfilling. Bothare in the No. 1 Common shop set.
Tight and Right?Make sure the caps are in
place on the fill holes. If youneed caps, ask your mechanicfor them from an unservice-able battery.
Mixing batteries of differ-ent types is OK, as long asyou don’t use maintenance-free batteries with the olderstyle. It’s best to keep 6TLs,6TLFs and 6TMFs together.
hey! Me! me!use me!
aw, c’mon...whaddaya got
against groundwater?
Replacemissingcaps
12
y’know...batteries neverpay cash! We
always chargethings! Ha-Ha!
That’s mycurrent
joke! Ha-Ha-Ha!
Distilledwater
runs Deep!ha-ha-ha!
I thinkyou’re toocharged up!
Enginesproduce heat.High summeror desert
temperaturesjust add
more heat.
“Your vehicle’scooling systemmust get rid of, orcontrol, that heatif you want tooperateunder thoseconditions.”
I’mdyin’heah!
The systemwill do so,
if it canwork asdesigned.
However, smallproblems in thecooling system,like low coolant
level or crackedhoses, quickly turninto big problems.
this weatheris just addingmore heat tomy already
warm engine!
Cooling Systems...
14 15
“Check the coolantlevel often. Beforeyou roll, when theengine is still cool,make sure thecoolant is up to themark. If it’s low,add coolant tobring the level up.Never overfill,though. When theengine heats up, theextra coolant willoverflow.”
Check coolantlevel in radiator...
...or surgetank
“Addcoolant
only whenthe engine
is cool.Adding
coolant to a hot enginecan crack the engine
block or burst a seam inthe radiator.”
wait forme to cool
down,dude!
“A 60-40 mixis best,but maintainat least a50-50 mix ofantifreeze andwater to raisethe boilingpoint of thecoolant so it won’t boilaway likeplain water.”
Plainwater
60% antifreeze40% water
Boilingpoint 212o
Boilingpoint 226o
Boilingpoint 230o
50% antifreeze50% water
“Check theprotection levelwith tester, NSN6630-00-105-1418.”
“Use distilledwater, NSN6810-00-356-4936,in radiators ifit’s available. Ifnot, use potablewater. Groundwater containsminerals thatwill clog upthe radiator.”
rememberuse only
clean waterfrom a
reliablesource!
“While you’re addingcoolant, take aclose look at theradiator cap. Makesure it is in top-notch condition andis the right cap foryour engine. Checkthe pressure ratingon the cap with thatlisted in your TM.”
makesure
you’reusing the
rightcap!
“Check for wetnessaround the radiatoror hoses. Wetnessmeans a leak. Feelthe hoses andreplace all thatare mushy, crackedor leaking.”
Remember, too, thatlow RPMs don’t turnfans quickly enough
to keep coolant cool.Gear down to create
more RPMs.
“During operation, keep aneye on the temperaturegauge. If it goes abovethe normal operatingrange noted in your TM,shut down and findout why.”
THIS ISTHE PLACE
TO BE!
fIND ANYOF THESE
CONDITIONSAND YOU’LL
NEED ANEW ME!
HARD (cracks are clues) WET (or even damp)
PUFFY
16 1716
Wheeled Vehicles...
we’re yourfirst line ofdefense in thewar against
sand and dust!
Make sure your air induction system—hoses, inlets, outlets, filter elements—isin good condition from the get-go.
Cracks, tears, holes and loose clamps let sand and dust get into engines.
If your vehicle does nothave an air restriction in-dicator, your engine will letyou know when the ele-ment is clogged. You’llnotice poor acceleration,lower power output orheavy black smoke fromthe exhaust.
Take out thefilter
element andtap it toknock outmost dirt.
Don’t bang itagainst
anything hardbecause you’ll
bend itssealing edgeor crush it.
Clean air filter elements oftento keep engine performance high.Keep a close eye on the air restric-tion indicator if your vehicle hasone. Once it turns red, stop!
ifyou see
red...
...check airfilter element
Tapelementwith yourhand
No restrictionindicator?
Look for blacksmoke orpoor engineperformance
An air hosewill blow
away stubborndirt, but useno more than
30 psi.
If thatdoesn’t free
up the element,your mechanicneeds to washor replace the
element.
Use low-pressureair...
...or washelement
18 19
For air-cooled surfaces, keep them clean of oil and grease. These surfaces, partof radiators, oil coolers and the like, transfer heat away from the water and oilinside them as air flows past. Oil and grease attract dust and sand. The layer ofdust and sand keeps the air from entering and the heat from escaping, which causesengine and transmission damage.
Combat Vehicles
keep aneye on
air-cooledsurfaces!
Wipe any oil or greaseoff while you determinewhere it’s coming from.Let your mechanic know
about the leaks.
Getting all the dirt, mud, and sand off your combat vehicle’s grease fittingsbefore lubing is important, crewmen. Using a dirty grease fitting forces dirt andsand in along with the grease. Contaminated lube not only won’t do its job, but itcan damage bearings and other components.
One way to ensureclean fittings is to keep‘em covered. Protectivecaps, NSN 4730-00-289-8148, do a great job ofkeeping grease fittingsunclogged and dirt-free.So keep plenty on handand use ‘em when doingPMCS.
Even cappedfittings should
be wiped offbefore lubing,
though.
That providesextra insuranceagainst contami-
nated grease.
with all thisdirt, I’ll never beable to get cleangrease into theroadwheel arms!
what youneed are
some greasefittingcaps!
20 21
HeatAir temperatures of up to 120oF are bad enough, but sand absorbs the heat and
can get as hot as 165oF!Those temperatures are extremely hard on rubber parts. Heat makes track shoes
soft and weakens their resistance to sharp rocks and plant spines. High tempera-tures also increase rubber/metal separation on roadwheels.
Desert environments can be lethal toyour combat vehicle tracks, crewmen.
Heat, sand, and rocks all combine to takea heavy toll—unless you’re willing to
ante up with PM!
my trackjust can’t
take all thisabuse
without PM!
Pay special attention to shoes androadwheels during PMCS. Replace shoesthat are severely damaged or worn down tothe grouser.
Roadwheels with tread separation of 1inch or wider (½ inch or wider for M113-series FOV, M992A2 ammo carrier andM109-series SP howitzers) around 75 per-cent of the wheel should be replaced. Also,replace M113-series FOV roadwheels thathave chunking across ½ the width or moreof the outer rubber surface.
Combat Vehicles...
whoa!I’m gonnaneed new
track padsafter this!
Track TensionSince metal expands and contracts
with the ups and downs of tempera-ture, proper track tension is essentialin the desert.
During the heat of the day, trackparts expand and the track runs looser.That results in thrown track.
At night and early in the morn-ing, it’s much cooler. Track partscontract and the track runs tighter.The track can bind, causing bent roadarms, damaged end connectors andmore.
Check track tension often in thedesert. Don’t try to make it extraloose or tight to compensate for tem-perature changes. Your best bet is toadjust it according to the TM.
i think theheat’s made
my tracka littleloose!
i feela thrown
trackcoming!
DrivingDrivers, be wary of a lack of steering response. That indicates sand is building
up between the treads and sprockets or idler wheels. If you allow the buildup tocontinue, the sand will throw the track.
Try “shaking” the vehicle with the steering or backing up to remove sand buildup.Remove accumulated sand by hand at your next stop.
22 23
Combat Vehicles...
Clean AirMake sure your air induction system is in good shape.
That includes hoses, inlets, outlets, precleaners, and fil-ter elements. Cracks, tears, holes and loose clamps letsand and dust get into engines.
Your -10 TMs providea lot of good infofor taking care of
your combat vehicleduring hot, dusty
and sandy conditions.
Here are afew moretips for
keeping yourvehicle up-to-snuff... Clean air filters
frequently
Pay attention to air restriction indicators. Cleanair filter elements as often as necessary to keepengine performance high.
Park your vehicle with the enginecompartment downwind. That al-lows the bulk of the vehicle to shieldthe engine from blowing sand or dust.
Keep engine compartment downwind
WIND
when itcomes to theair induction
system, it paysto sweat thesmall stuff!
Keep all air-cooled surfaces—oil cool-ers and radiators—free of oil and grease.These surfaces transfer heat away from theoil and water inside as air flows past them.Oil and grease attract dust and sand likemagnets. The heat can’t escape and engineand transmission damage are the result.
Keep oilcoolersclean
Whew!this heatis unreal!
ah, theheat i canhandle...
...it’s theblasted sand and
dust that giveme problems!
24 25
Use only cleanwater from a
reliable sourcefor fillingradiators.
Clean FuelIt’s critical to keep fuel clean during refueling. Always wipe off the nozzle
before refueling. If you suspect there’s dirt inside the nozzle, flush it out or takethe nozzle off and clean it. Keep the fuel nozzle capped when it’s not in use.
Blow away loose dust and sand fromthe vehicle’s fuel filler opening before re-moving the cap. When the fuel nozzle isin place, use a clean rag to close off anygaps between the nozzle and the fuel filleropening. That keeps blowing sand and dustfrom getting into the fuel tank. Close thefuel cap tight when you’re finished.
No matter how careful you are, somedirt is going to get into the fuel system.That means draining the fuel filters to keep‘em from clogging.
Draining the fuel filters also gets rid ofcondensation that results from cool nightsand hot days. You may need to drain fuelfilters more than once a day to keep en-gine performance high, but they shouldalways be drained at least once a day tokeep water from diluting the fuel.
Blow away dust and sandbefore opening fuel cap
Drain fuel filtersat least daily
Clean Water Local water supplies often contain mineral deposits that will
eventually clog up radiator cores.If local water must be used, filter it through a clean cloth first.
Then, clean and purge the radiator at the next opportunity.
are yousure that
water’sclean?
Track MaintenanceCheck drive sprocket and roadwheel
mounting bolts before, during and afteroperation. Sand, rocks and gravel tend tobreak or damage lube fittings and reliefvalves. Rough terrain causes hardware towork loose.
Never neutral steer in soft sand. Thatlets sand build up in the final drive sprock-ets and can result in a thrown track. Makefast turns wide. Keep short turns slow.
Check and lube drive sprocketsand roadwheel arms often
Pay attention to the tracks during at-halt inspections. Check track tension. Lookfor cracked end connectors and broken link pins.
On tanks, look for damage to the right frontroadwheel support arm and sheared mountingbolts on the No. 1 right or left roadwheel armhousing.
M113-series carriers have more trouble withleft rear idler arm bearing burnout. Check oftenand keep the grease gun handy.
Since you’ll be lubing bearings much moreoften in sandy and dusty conditions, make sureyou wipe away any excess lube when you’re fin-ished. Grease attracts sand, and combined thetwo can grind away metal.
Look for damagedroadwheel supportarms and bolts
Cover glass surfaces when they’re not being used. Scouring and etching bysand and dust will ruin them. That’s especially true for sighting and fire controlequipment.
The buildup of dust on these surfaces can also de-grade low-light vision. So keep surfaces as clean aspossible using the specific cleaners called out in yourTMs. Optical lens cleaning compound, NSN 6850-00-227-1887, can be used if your TM does not listone.
During dust or sandstorms, you might want to useself-clinging plastic film to cover optics between mis-sions. NSN 8135-00-043-5331 gets a 100-ft roll of11½-in wide film.
this sandis killingmy optics!
Optics Care
26 27
M1-Series Tanks...
You can tell when things get too hot by the warninglight on the driver’s control panel. Don’t overlook it! Ifthe transmission goes down, your mission is over.
A sand-cloggedoil cooler meansan overheated
transmission foryour tank.
Even if the troubleshooting info in your -10-2 TMsdoesn’t turn up a solution, you shouldn’t ignore the lightand drive on. There’s a problem somewhere, so call inyour mechanic.
Watch for redwarning light
Mechanics,there are
two ways toclean the
transmissionoil coolers.
The first way you can try on the spot. Open the right- and left-hand top grilledoors and both rear grille doors. Also, open the access cover to the plenum.Clean out any debris or sand you see in the airway.
Then run the engine at tactical idle while pouring a couple of buckets ofwater into the access holes. The fans propel the water against the cooler finshard enough to wash away most of the gunk that’s causing the overheating.
If oil has turned the sand into a sticky mess, you’ll need to use the secondway—a full-blown oil cooler washing. If that is not possible in the field, tow—don’t drive—the tank to a location where the oil coolers can be properly cleaned.
Fanforceswateragainstcoolingfins...
...andcleansgunkoff oilcoolers
Pour water in openaccess holes
27
once you’vecleaned the
inside...
...could youhang up one of
those little treeair fresheners?
Thanks!
oh, great!overheated oilhas ruined mytransmission!
28 29
M1-Series Tanks...
back up!give him alittle air,willya!?
To operate atpeak performance,the engine in your
M1-series tankneeds a lot of
clean, air.
They also keepout largerdebris that
can dent, crackor break
compressorblades.
They screenout sand
and dirt sothat onlyclean aircan get
through.
Keeping airclean is the job
of the sealsand filters onyour tank’s air
inductionsystem.
PrecleanerTrees and bushes make a good hiding place for your
tank, but they also result in clogged air precleaners.Leaves that fall on or near the air inlets get sucked
onto the precleaner. Enough leaves will cut off air-flow and lower power output.
Precleanersurfaceclean?
If the AIR CLEANER CLOGGEDFILTER light comes on, make theprecleaner one of your first checks.
While you’re there, take a closelook at the baffle seals. Cracked, tornor missing seals allow dirt and oil fromthe engine to clog the air cleaner as-sembly element strainers.
28
NSN 5330-01-225-6106 gets anew short seal. The longer seal is NSN5330-01-320-3696.
Next, eyeball the bottomprecleaner seal. If the seal is missing,loose or torn, replace it. There are twodifferent seals available: NSN 5330-01-166-5798 and NSN 5330-01-329-6614. Check your -24P-1 TM tomatch the correct seal with yourprecleaner.
Baffle seals tornor missing?
Precleanerseal torn?
1. Clean off the old seal and adhesivecompletely. To do it right you’ll need alot of elbow grease—combined with a rag,dry cleaning solvent and a wire brush.
2. Spread adhesive, NSN 8040-00-664-4318, in the seal groove. Use enoughto hold the seal, but not so much that itsqueezes out around the seal. The rightamount of adhesive keeps the seal fromsticking to the airbox frame and rippingloose every time you remove theprecleaner.
3. Apply a very light coat of adhesiveto the bottom of the new seal and press itinto the groove with your finger. Takeextra care not to twist the seal as you putthe rounded side in the mounting groove.A twisted seal is not airtight.
4. Let the adhesive dry completely be-fore you put the precleaner back in place.Put a dab of adhesive on a piece of paper.When it’s dry, the seal should be, too.
A new sealis useless,
though,unless youput it on
right. Here’show...
30 31
Skirt SealsIf you’re having problems with clogged air cleaner intake filter elements (V-
packs), missing fender skirt seals could be the cause. Those rubber strips are thereto seal the area between the skirts and hull.
Missing seals let dirt and dust get sucked inside the fender skirts. The enginepulls the dirt into the intake system where it clogs up the V-packs.
All the seals are important, but pay special attention to the seals at skirts 4, 5and 6 on the left side of the vehicle. These seals are closest to the air intake grillsand can let in the most dirt.
V-PacksThe three V-packs on all tanks not equipped with the pulse jet system (PJS)
should be removed, cleaned and inspected after every operation in dusty, sandydesert conditions. V-packs on PJS-equipped tanks are self-cleaning.
The preferred cleaning methodis the V-pack cleaning wand.You’ll find info on the wand in the“unusual conditions” section ofyour -10-2 TM’s operating instruc-tions.
If the cleaning wand isn’t avail-able, shake the V-packs, makingsure not to hit them against any-thing harder than your hand. Brushdirt and dust from the elementswith your hand. Then, have theelements properly cleaned by yourunit maintenance folks as soon aspossible.
Use wand toclean V-pack
No wand?Shake V-packgently
Figs 261-264 and 266of TM 9-2350-255-24P-1 (Oct 92)
NSNs forthe sealsare listed
here...
Figs 241-244 and 246of TM 9-2350-388-24P-1 (Feb 01).
Figs 242-245 and 247of TM 9-2350-288-24P-1 (Jul 01)
Figs 263-266 and 268of TM 9-2350-264-24P-1 (Sep 01)
M1
M1A1
M1A2
M1A2 SEP
While theV-packs areout, inspect
the plenum boxand elementsfor potential
problems...
• Eyeball the bead on the front face of each V-pack elementfor dents or sharp edges that could cut the plenum box seal. Thencheck for buckling on the rear face of the element. Either prob-lem means you need a new V-pack.
Look for dentsor buckling
• Look forbroken weldsand cracks in theplenum air box. Dust trails alongthe welds and seams of the box area good sign of a leak, so tell yourmechanic.
• Look for torn, cracked or missing plenum box seals. A miss-ing seal makes your tank NMC.
Those three seals also deteriorate over time, so check each one by measuringthe depth of the depression made by the V-pack bead in the seal. If the depressionmeasures more than 3/16 inch, get the plenum box seal replaced.
Here’s
anotherway to
check the
seals...
If the chalk line is broken, the V-pack may not be sealing correctly. So, get yourmechanic to install a new seal, NSN 5330-01-098-6807. Remember to wipe thechalk off the V-pack bead and seal after testing.
This method works especially well if you are putting new V-packs in withoutreplacing the plenum box seals. But, it’s a good idea to put in new seals along withthe new V-packs whenever possible.
1. Apply chalk to the raisedportion of the V-pack bead.
2. Install the V-pack and se-cure the holding clamp.3. Remove the V-pack andeyeball the plenum box seal.There should be a completechalk line around the sealfrom contact with the V-packbead.
Chalk placed here...
...shouldshow uphere
32 33
Transmission oil belongs in your tank’stransmission, not sprayed all over the engine.
Unfortunately, the filler neck is so smallthat spills often happen. A lot of that spilledoil gets blown by the cooler fans onto theoil cooler fins.
That oil residue attracts dirt and dust likea magnet. The gooey mess that forms onthe cooling fins won’t let the heat radiateaway from the oil inside the coolers. Thatresults in transmission damage.
Never add oil without a funnel. If yourtank’s oil funnel tip is broken or too largefor the filler opening, get a new funnel.
A flexible funnel does the best job. NSN7240-00-559-7364 brings a box of 12.
Each funnel holds one quart, so use itcarefully. Don’t pour more than a quart intothe funnel at one time or it’ll overflow. Ifthat happens, wipe up any spilled oil rightaway.
M1-Series Tanks...
Spilled oil windsup on cooling fins
Flexible funnelprevents oil spills
looks likeyou had a hardtime hitting mytransmissionoil filter neck
again!
The M256 cannon tube on your M1A1/A2 tank isn’t cheap, crew-men, so don’t replace it before you have to.
When do you have to?The safe service life of the M256 cannon tube is 1,500 equivalent
full charge (EFC) rounds. For some cannon tubes, when theammunition’s ambient temperature rises to 100oF or higher, the EFCcount increased from one to two for each round fired.
There is no temperature sensitivity for M256 ammunition, so itsEFC count remains at one regardless of the temperature. See Page B-5 of TM 9-1000-202-14, Evaluation of Cannon Tubes, for the straightscoop.
Don’t mistakenly enter the wrong number of rounds on the DAForm 2408-4, Gun Record Card, just because it’s hot outside. If youdo, the tube will be condemned too early.
let’s see...we fired 20
rounds and thetemperature’s
above 100 ...o
...so thatmeans werecord...
40 rounds!
hey, waitaminit!temperature
doesn’t affectmy rounds fired
count!
you’re gonnaget my cannon
tube condemnedbeforeits time!
M1-Series Tanks...
34 35
M1-Series Tanks... Depth AdjustmentWhen you’re training with the mine clearing blade, keep the adjusting plate set
at its shallowest depth—eight inches. That prevents damage to your tank’s engineand the blade’s teeth.
Power Cable
Water DamageHeavy rain or high-pressure water
can seep into the relay box if any ofthe cover assembly bolts are missingor if the cover seal is missing or dam-aged. Water buildup causes electricalshorts.
It takes regular doses of PM to keep your tank’s mine clearing blade out of amaintenance minefield. Follow the good words in TM 9-2590-509-10, then dig alittle deeper to unearth these PM tidbits:
MotorsIf the blades come crashing down
when the electrical or manual blade re-lease is used, too little oil or oil con-tamination could be the culprit.
Use the electrical switch to raiseand lower the blades once more. If theycome crashing down again, have yourmechanic drain the old oil from eachmotor and replace it with four ouncesof damping fluid, NSN 9150-00-607-0897.
Your mechanic can replace a miss-ing or damaged seal with NSN 5330-01-277-5647. New bolts come withNSN 5305-00-269-3235. NSN 5310-00-637-9541 gets new lock washers.
OK! Let’sgo! We’vegot a job
to do!
I can’t do mymine clearingjob until you
do your pmjob!
Fill motors herewith damping fluid
Check relay box formissing hardware
Make sure the power cableis secured to the fender torsionbar. That keeps the cable fromgetting pinched when thedriver’s hatch is opened.
Secure power cable tofender torsion bar
Travel Lock Linch PinsThe travel lock linch pins, NSN 5315-01-
382-5953, should be put in the locked posi-tion whenever the mine clearing blade is notin use. That keeps the blade from being acci-dentally dropped while the tank is moving.
Before starting mine clearing operations,move both pins to the stowed position so theblade can be lowered.
Locking PlateKeep a close eye on the lock-
ing plate, NSN 2590-01-277-5628, for the blade’s mountingpins. These C-shaped plates areunder a lot of stress and can crackor break.
Without ‘em, the mountingpins slip out and the blade comesloose from the mounting frame.
Put linch pins inlocked position whenblade not in use
Move pins tostowed positionfor plowing
Look for cracked ormissing lock plates
Look for cracked ormissing lock plates
36 37
Lifting BeltsTake care of the mine clearing blade’s lifting belts and they won’t let you down.
That means using the right lifting techniques.During operations, always make sure you back the vehicle 8-10 feet before
lifting the blades. That keeps the blades from hanging up on anything that’ll snapthe belts.
Never use the mine clearing bladeto recover mired vehicles or to liftanything. Either the lifting belts willbreak or the motors will burn out.
Never drive the blade throughconcertina wire. It’ll nick and cutthe belts. When that happens, yourmechanic has to replace them withnew belts, NSN 4020-01-289-8249.
Lubing
There are only six lube points oneach side of the mine clearing blade, butthey still get missed.
There are four lube points on eachof the travel lock assemblies. The restare at the base of the lifting straps.
Give each of these lube points a goodshot of general purpose aircraft greaseafter every operation. NSN 9150-00-145-0268 brings a 5-lb can of the grease.
Don’t Forget the Tank
The blade’s weight puts a lot ofextra stress on your tank’s suspen-sion system, so check the shock ab-sorber housings for leaks each timeyou stop. If the fluid level is low,add lubricating oil, NSN 9150-01-439-0756, until it reaches the half-way point in the sight glass.
and at baseof lifting belt
Lube travel lockassembly...
Replace wornlifting belts
Now that you’ve got the mine clearing blade checked out, don’t forget the tank.
Never park your tank with the mine blade in the travel position for an extendedperiod. Lower the mine blade to the ground.
Oil level should bein middle of shockhousing sight glass
The mine clearing blade on an M1-series tank won’t be clearing much of any-thing if the lifting mechanism, NSN 2590-01-277-0060, isn’t working, mechanics.
But before your unit pays more than $7,000 for a new lifting mechanism, con-sider this: Every part is replaceable. You’ll find them listed in Fig C-3 of TM 9-2590-509-23&P.
The number-one lifting mechanism problem is loose electrical brushes in themotors. That’s especially true if the operator does a lot of “combat drops” or changesthe motors’ direction without first letting the mine blade come to a complete stop.Reinstalling the brushes usually fixes the problem.
If not, the brushes may be burnedout. Install new brushes, NSN 5977-01-412-0758. You’ll need fourbrushes for each motor.
If the motors, NSN 6105-01-502-9448, still won’t work, you may needto replace them. At $3,500 each,that’s still a lot cheaper than order-ing a new lifting mechanism.
Check forloose brushesinside motor
it’sno
use!!
My mineclearing
blade justwon’t lift!
hmm...couldbe loose
brushes inthe motors.
M1-Series Tanks...
38 39
M113A2 FOV...
Coolant LevelsIf you operate with low coolant levels, the
engine overheats and is ruined. So take a lookat the coolant level daily before operation. Besure coolant is within ½ inch of the bottom ofthe filler neck. Keep the level up at all times.
If the coolant level is low, have your me-chanic give the system a complete inspectionfor leaks.
When it getshot outside,
it’s a lotharder to keep
your M113A2carrier coolon the inside.
But nomatter how
high thetemperaturegoes, PM is
still the bestway to keepyour vehiclerunning cool.
Fact is,over-
heating isa leadingcause of
enginedamage.
Keep coolant level within1/2 inch of filler neck bottom
Engine WarmupYour engine will last longer if you always warm it up before you move out. Oil
drains out of bearings when the engine is at rest. You need to give the oil time tocirculate before you move your carrier.
After you start the engine, check theENGINE OIL HI TEMP LO PRESS warn-ing light. Make sure it goes out within10 seconds. Then, set the hand throttlebetween 800 and 1,000 rpm and let theengine run for 3-5 minutes. That lets thecoolant and engine oil warm up.
Idle at 800 to 1,000 rpm for3-5 minutes to warm up...
Engine ShutdownBefore you shut off the engine,
run it in neutral at 800 to 1,000rpm until you get a normal idletemperature of 160-180oF on theTEMP gauge. Then, set the en-gine back to idle (650-700 rpm)for a few seconds. Finally, pull thefuel cut-off handle to shut downthe engine.
...and againbefore shut-down...
...then pullfuel cutoffhandle
Remember towarm me upand shut me
down properly,pal!
shut downproperly
or you may beshutting downpermanently!
What agreatmorningfor adrive!
speak foryourself! lack
of pm has mesuffering from
heat exhaustion!
40 41
Air CleanerYour engine will
lose power and overheatif the air cleaner elementis choked with dirt. Ifthe air cleaner restrictionindicator shows red inthe window, clean or re-place the element.
BeltsThe fan and generator belts can contribute to engine overheating, too.When the belts get too loose, the fan and the coolant pump can’t operate fast
enough to keep the engine from overheating.Check the belts by push-
ing on them halfway be-tween the pulleys. If youcan push either belt morethan 5/8 inch, get your me-chanic to adjust them.
Check the idler adjusterrod, too. If the rod is notbetween the operating rangemarks, tell your mechanic.
Radiator FinsYour radiator can’t do a good job of
conducting heat if its fins are cloggedwith dirt, oil, leaves, grass or twigs. Any-thing that restricts airflow through theradiator keeps the coolant hot and over-heats the engine.
Keep your equipment—packs, watercans, tents, camouflage screening, poles,etc—off the air intake and the air exhaustgrilles. Make sure both are clean and freeof dirt, twigs, leaves and other debris.
If you use protective covers over thegrilles, make sure they’re rolled up andstrapped in place before you operate yourvehicle.
is theindicator
red?
then it’stime toclean or
replace theelement.
Get loosebelts adjusted
Keep radiatorfins cleaned
Keepequipmentoff grilles
M88A1 Recovery Vehicle...
Most people don’t work well under a lot of pressure. The same holds true forthe roadwheels on your M88A1 recovery vehicle, crewmen.
A roadwheel relief valve that’s clogged with dirt and sand won’t relieve pres-sure when you pump in new grease. The pressure grows until something gives—usually the hub seal.
When the seal goes, so does thelube. The result is burned-out bear-ings.
So before adding new grease, usea cloth to wipe away any dirt and sandfrom the relief valve. Then pull outon the valve stem.
If it slides out smoothly and popsback in when you release it, the valve’sOK. If it doesn’t, replace it with reliefvalve, NSN 4820-01-070-7670.
i don’t getit! I just
lubed thoseroadwheels!
yeah, but youdidn’t clean
my reliefvalves first!
myseals
are allblown!
Valve stemsticks?
Replacerelief valve
42 43
If it has been a while since you’ve cleaned the air cleaner boxes in your howit-zer or ammo carrier, they need your attention now.
That’s because dust and grit collect all over the boxes even under normal condi-tions. During the heat and dust of the desert, things just get that much worse. Theair induction system exhaust fans just can’t remove all the dust and grit.
So, next time you pull the air filters for cleaning, clean the air boxes, too.First, brush off any dirt on the panel under the air filter. Next, open the two
plugs at the base of each air box and blow out all the dirt and sand with low-pressure air—no morethan 30 psi. You haveto remove the blowermotor hose bracket toget to the plugs on thePaladin’s left air box.
If the dirt and sandhave hardened—which is what happenswhen water gets mixedin—you’ll probablyhave to break up themess with a knife or screwdriver before blowing it out.
Never clean the boxes by hosing them out with water. That leads to rust, whichcauses even more clogging problems.
M109-Series SP Howitzers, M992A2 Ammo Carrier...
boy, am i gladthat exerciseis over! I’ve
got a week’sworth of dirtto clean off!
hey, don’tforget me!my air boxis pretty
dirty, too!
Brush dirt andsand from panel
Remove plugs and blowout sand and dirt
Got a hot-running engine in your M109-series howitzer or M992A2 ammo car-rier? There’s a good chance the radiator shroud seals are to blame.
Those seals form an air barrier between the radiator and fan tower. That barrierincreases air flow through the radiator to keep the engine cool. If seals are missing,torn, squashed or mangled, air escapes around the sides of the radiator. Enginetemperature goes up.
M109-Series SP Howitzers,M992A2 Ammo Carrier...
Have your mechanic check outthe shroud seals next time thepack’s out. If the seals are miss-ing or damaged, he’ll order newones.
NSN 5330-00-102-9927 gets aseal for the right or left side. NSN5330-01-314-1439 gets a top orbottom seal for the M109A6 andthe M992A2. A top or bottom sealfor the M109A2-A5 comes withNSN 5330-00-899-5220.
Anotherhot day
in thedesert!
Yeah! Andwith my wornout shroud
seals, ifeel like I’mcookinG!
Replace worn ormissing shroud seals
44 45
Missile Systems
An Avenger with a standard vehicle-mounted launcher (SVML) in bad shapeisn’t going to sting many enemy aircraft. But you can shoot down many launcherproblems with PM.
Be CleanJust a little dirt and moisture can be fatal to your
SVML’s cryogenics or electronics. They cause firingproblems or even no firing. So think clean and dry.
The best way to seal out dirt and moisture is to use
Use caps toseal out dirtand moisture
the SVML protective caps as much aspossible, especially during travel. Thecaps are cheap, so order plenty of ex-tras. The rear caps come with NSN5340-00-855-7993, the front caps withNSN 5340-00-157-5624, and the capsfor the pressure gauge holes with NSN5340-01-348-6514.
It’s also important to use the caps forthe SVML cryogenic and electronic portsas much as possible to further seal outdirt and moisture. Order replacementcryogenic caps with NSN 5340-01-466-
Avenger Missile System...
1897 and the electronic caps with NSN 5340-01-466-1898.
Use electronicand cryogeniccaps, too
No svml
pm means
stingers
can’tsting!
Letting dirt build up inside theSVML isn’t going to help keep dirtout of the cryogenics or electron-ics. Whenever you notice muchdirt, use a shop vac to suck it up.Of course, keep the SVMLs closedas much as possible to keep outdirt.
Coolant Reservoir BottlesRemember that the coolant reser-
voir bottles are under 6,000 pounds ofpressure. When you’re installing abottle in an SVML, make sure nobodyis standing behind the launcher. Abottle can take off like a rocket if itscoupling malfunctions.
All that pressure can cause leaks ifyou leave the bottles hooked up whenthe Avenger sits for weeks in the motorpool. To release the pressure on abottle, just open its quick-release clampand turn the bottle three times counter-clockwise until you hear a hiss. Thenclose and latch the quick-release clamp.Don’t let anybody stand behind thelauncher while you do this.
Captive Flight TrainerBe careful plug-
ging in the captiveflight trainer. TheSVML connector hasdelicate pins. If youmuscle the trainer con-nector on and bend thepins, it’s an expensiveand lengthy procedureto replace the SVMLconnector.
Vacuum dirtout of SVML
Keep peopleaway fromrear of SVMLwhen installingcoolant bottle
g’wan,get outta
here!
Turn slowly counterclock-wise until you hear hiss
Connector forcaptive flighttrainer isdelicate.Be careful
46 4746
Patriot Missile System...
Fresh Air
An AN/MPQ-53radar whose
electronics areoverheating or
whose cableconnectors areclogged with
sand won’t be anyhelp to your
Patriot battery.
But you can keepthe radar radiatinggood health if you
keep PM on yourradar screen.
The AN/MPQ-53 needs plenty offresh air to keep its electronics from over-heating, especially in the desert. Thatmakes filters Job No. 1 during mainte-nance.
At least monthly (every other weekin the desert), check all eight vent screensfor dirt. Vacuum them if necessary.Before powering up the radar, make sureevery vent is open.
The radar’s two A100 distribution box power panel filters, the A122 controllogic panel excitor filter and the filters behind the inverters are almost alwaysforgotten. They should be checked monthly (every other week in the desert) andcleaned if necessary.
don’tforget tocheck paneland inverter
filters!
Vacuumdirt vents
Filters will stay clean longerif you keep radar doors shut asmuch as possible and weeklyvacuum inside the radar. Dustlying on the floor will be suckedinto the air system.
The IFF cabinet also becomesclogged with dirt and its circuitcards overheat. Weekly, wipe dirtoff the IFF cabinet and follow therest of the PMCS in TM 11-5895-824-12.
Cable Care
Inside the radar are numerous slen-der cables that require the properwrench. If you use your multipurposetool on them, you can twist the cablesand tear their wiring.
It’s a different story with the big J1,J2, and J3 cables. They require twohands. If you twist cables on or off one-handed, you rip the wiring. And they’reexpensive. So use one hand to supportthe cable and take the weight off theconnector. Use the other hand to turnthe connector until it disconnects. Pullit straight off. Don’t let the cable slamto the ground. It can’t take the hit.
support the cable withone hand while unscrew-ing the connector. then
lay the cable down.
47
don’t usemultipurpose
tools onsmall cables
like this!
Use twohands
48 49
Cap the cables and radar connectors as soon as you disconnect cables. Other-wise, dirt and sand clog the connectors. If the caps have disappeared, tell yourrepairmen and wrap the connectors in plastic.
Cable grips will help these big cables last by supporting the cables’ weight.Order grips with NSN 5120-01-213-9538.
RadiatingBefore you radiate, double check that the covers have been removed from the
comparator assembly and the antenna. If a cover’s left on, it reflects the RF energyback down the wave guide and the radar becomes a microwave oven, cracking ordamaging the waveguide window and other components.
Usecaps.
cablegripssave
cables.
Make sureantenna andcomparator
assembly areuncovered
beforeradiating.
Any time you’re rotating and lose power, don’t power up again until you in-spect the slipring for tangled cables or arcing. A cable may have fallen out of thecable tray or the tray itself may be loose. If you continue to operate, cables rip outor the whole slipring burns up. Check by manually rotating the radar to see if thecables are clearing.
Never muscle antenna elements in place. An element should go in with justslight pressure. If it doesn’t, turn the element and try again. Forcing bursts theantenna socket. The whole antenna has to be taken apart to fix one socket.
Hitting the RoadBefore you hit the road or
traverse, make sure all doorsare latched and shut. If youforget just one door, it can betorn off and then the electro-magnetic interference shield isruined.
Fold the shroud com-pletely flat before you lowerthe radar. If it is bunched up,it can damage the roof covers.
eyeball theslipring for
tangledcables.
neverforce
antennaelements.
fold theshroud
completelyflat!
50 51
Small ArmsSmall Arms...
“Clean your gun often.Sand can stop yourrifle, machine gun, orpistol from firing.
Sand blows inplaces like the
muzzle and ejectionport and stopsmoving parts.
Evenworse, itmixes with
lube...
...and formsa scouring
powderthat grinds
up parts.
Stop sand fromstopping you andyour weapon bypaying attentionto a few rules...
That means at leastdaily in the desert.Something as quickas wiping off theoutside of your gunwith a clean clothevery chance you getwill help. Cleaningthat involvesdisassembly shouldbe done only inenclosed areas, likeyour tent.Otherwise, blowingsand will defeatyour cleaning.”
“Pay special attention to moving partslike the bolt carrier.
Wipe and brush themclean. Blow outsand from areas likethe triggerassembly thatyou’re not allowedto take apart.”
What’swrong?
why won’tyou fire?
ppft!that’s itfor me!pffp!
phhpt! sandhas stopped my
moving partsfrom moving!
“Easy on lubrication.
Lubricants like CLPattract sand.Corrosion is not abig problem in thedesert, so you don’tneed as much lube.Lube only internalparts. Wipe the out-
“Clean magazines.
Magazines jam withsand. Unload andwipe off ammo daily.Run a rag throughthe magazine. Don’tput any lube inmagazines or on
“Use rifle covers,muzzle caps, andspare magazine bags.Cover mounted machine guns. Keepthe M16/M4’s ejection port coverclosed and a magazine installed.”
side oftheweapondry.”
ammo.”
all this lubehas made me
a sandmagnet!
i like aclean
magazine in
the desert!
are yousure this
will protectme fromsand!?
52 53
M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine...
You know the standard rules for taking care of a rifle, pistol, or machine gun inthe desert:
• Clean your gun twice as often.• Pay special attention to the surfaces of moving parts like the bolt carrier.• Lube only internal parts.• Wipe down the outside of your weapon as much as possible.But there are some additional tips for your M16 or M4/M4A1:Use the protective dust cap, NSN 5340-00-880-7666, the 30-round magazine
bag, NSN 1005-00-193-8306 (that gets 500 bags), and M16 rifle cover, NSN 1005-00-809-2109, as much as possible to keep dirt out of the weapon and magazines.
Keep your ammo clean and clean the magazines before using them. Wipe outthe magazines with a dry cloth and check for any damaged parts. But don’t lubemagazines. Lube attracts dirt and sand.
Shootin’ in the Desert
This sand is areal killer!
Yousaid it!
NBC EquipmentM40-, M42-Series Masks...
When Must Canisters Be Changed?
Dear Sergeant J.P.,If you’re operating
where there have been nochemical attacks and noblood agent CK (cyano-gen choloride) threat,change the canister an-nually.
Dear Half-Mast,How often must NBC
NCOs change the canis-ters on the M40/M42-se-ries masks in order to pro-tect soldiers from agentslike anthrax?
SFC J.P.
In an area with no confirmed chemical attacks but a CK threat in a climatethat’s cold and humid or warm and moderately humid, change the canister an-nually. Change it every 39weeks when it’s hot and dry. Change it every 10 weeks when it’s hot and humid.
For units that have experienced chemical attacks, change the canister every30 days.
Whenever a soldier has trouble drawing breath through the canister, it shouldbe changed.
For more information, see FM 3-4, NBC Protection. If you don’t have acopy, your pubs clerk can order it with IDN 110736 and PIN 058794.
SB 3-30-2, Canister and Filter Elements (Serviceability Lists), has info onwhich canisters are still good. It’s part of EM0045, the CD-ROM that containsmost of the NBC TMs. Unopened canis-ters have a 5-year renewable shelf life.
54 55
M12A1 Decon...
The M12A1 decon generates lots of heat while it operates, so you have to keepit cool while it’s running and let it cool off before you shut it down. Otherwise, itcan suffer major damage, like warped pistons. So think cool.
Thinking cool begins with “panelsoff, shroud on.” If the side panels areleft on while the M12A1 is running,heat can’t escape. So before start-up,remove all five panels.
But keep the engine shroud latchedin place. It directs cool air around theengine for efficient cooling.
But the shroud won’t do muchgood if it doesn’t fit—and new shroudsdon’t fit. The shroud wasn’t designedfor the M12A1. Support can make itfit by using the info on Page 2-77 inTM 3-4230-209-30&P.
Remember to adjust the engine aircontrol handle to the outside tempera-ture.
Removepanels beforestarting
Shroudlatched?
ShutdownTo shut down the heater unit, put
the heater switch in the PURGE ONposition. Let the heater run for 2 min-utes after combustion stops, then turnthe heater receptacle switch on thepump to OFF.
Check the heater’s water tempera-ture gauge. If the temperature is above100o F, continue to cycle waterthrough the boiler until the tempera-ture drops. Once it’s below 100oF, it’ssafe to shut off the heater.
Give the pump engine a chance tocool off, too. Let the pump idle for10-15 minutes at 500-600 rpm. Thenshut down the pump by turning theFUEL-SHUT OFF valve before youmove the starter switch to STOP. Oth-erwise, fuel collects in the carburetor.Next time you start the engine it couldbackfire and burn somebody—or theengine won’t start at all.
Wait till water temperaturedrops below 100oF
Let enginerun at 500-600rpm for 10-15minutes
Requital
recognition,
daddio!
your groovy pm
has, like, given me
a one-way ticket to
coolsville! Dig?
He says,“Thanks”.
oh.
Let’s becool, daddio-
cool withpm!
56 57
M17-Series and M12A1 Decons...
Your M17 or M12decon will run
dry in the field ifyou forget thesePM points for the
65-gpm pump.
In the field, don’t fasten either hosemore than hand-tight. If youovertighten either hose, you’ll stripthe threads. That’s the last timeyou’ll be able to fasten that hosetight.
Your repairmancan order new
gaskets with PN13230E5325 fromSchleyer Pump,(765) 643-3334.
Before you go to the field, checkboth the inlet and outlet hoseconnectors for gaskets. If agasket is missing or cracked, thepump can’t build up enoughpressure to pump water.
Gasketmissing orcracked?
Don’t screw on hosesmore than hand-tight
this m17checks out...
guess i’m donefor the day.
hey! Hey!what aboutme? pumps
need pm,too!
Soldier SupportTools...
• If the handle is on a tool storedoutside, paint it to protect againstweather.
• Follow the local SOP for paintcolor, usually the same as thevehicle’s basic color—but not incamouflage pattern.
• If the handle is on a tool keptinside, rub it with linseed oil. That’llprevent drying, cracking and splin-tering. Order a gallon of linseed oilwith NSN 8010-00-152-3245.
When a paintedhandle shows ex-posed wood, stripand repaint it.
When an un-painted handle getsdry, give it anotherrub with linseed oil.
Wood handles onpioneer and engineer-type tools splinter
and crack, especiallywhen they’re exposed
to the elements.
To head offhandle damage,keep these PM
pointers inmind...
no one didpm on us.
now we’reuseless...
sob
what’samattahwith you
guys?
58 59
Soldier Support...
Headed for anNTC rotation or
being deployed tosome other desert
location? Thentake a look at
the list ofitems here.
Some just come inhandy; others can
make a veryuncomfortablesituation a lotmore tolerable.
A Good, Hot ShowerStaying clean in the desert isn’t easy and tak-
ing a cold sponge bath is no one’s idea of a goodtime. That’s when a solar shower comes inhandy.
These gravity-fed showers are made of so-lar-absorbing materials that can heat 4-5 gallonsof water in just 3-4 hours.
ChapstickHydrogen peroxideAdhesive bandage stripsCotton swabsSnake bite kitInsect repellentInsect repellent (controlled
release over 24-hr period)Insect repellent, aerosolInsect repellent (for wash
treatment of BDUs)Insect sting kill swabsFly bait insecticideDust maskSunscreenSunglassesTalcum powderFoot powderToothbrush, 6-inToothpaste, fluorideDisposable wipes, pre-
moistened, antibacterialDisposable wipes, pre-
moistenedHand cleaner, pumiceEar plugs, disposable foamGoggles, safetySewing kitBatteries, D-cellBatteries, C-cellBatteries, AA-cellBatteries, AAA-cellBatteries, 9-volt
Item6508-01-436-06076505-00-153-84806510-00-597-74696515-01-464-0432*6545-01-281-12376840-01-003-9589*6840-01-463-5455*
6840-01-278-13366840-01-345-0237
6510-01-045-3506*6840-01-183-72444240-01-463-5449*6505-01-121-23368465-00-045-46518510-00-817-02956505-01-008-30548530-01-293-13878520-01-303-40377930-01-423-1120
8520-01-415-2929
8520-00-634-15946515-00-137-63454240-00-052-37768315-01-222-06806135-01-446-8310*6135-01-446-8307*6135-01-447-0950*6135-01-446-8308*6135-01-447-0949*
*Order on a DD Form 1348-6 and put “NSN not on AMDF” in theREMARKS block.
144 sticks1 pint
100 ¾x3-in strips1001
1 oz4 oz
12 6-oz cans12 kits
105-lb can
204-oz bottle
1 pair9-oz can
45 gram container12
12 3-oz tubes60 sheets in
pop-up container255 individuallypackaged wipes
3-lb container200 pairs
1 pair144442
NSN Qty/Size Keep the Sand Out
http://www.altrec.com/shop/detail/1884http://www.ballystore.com/product/
index.jsp?productId=502809http://www.kmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=502809
http://www.gijoes.com/product/index.jsp?productId=502809
You can find other vendors by doing a websearch for “solar shower”.
They aren’t availablethrough the supply system, solook for them at your localcamping and sporting goodsstores or check them out on-line at:
Since sand has a habit ofgetting into pretty mucheverything, keep a good
supply of zip-seal bags onhand for small parts and
other items.
4x4-in6x6-in8x8-in
11x10½-in12x12-in
1,0001,0001,000500500
77537754775577567757
Size NSN 8105-00-837- Qty
i can’t waitto get home!
this placemakes me
miserable!
it’s no funfor me, either.‘least i came
prepared!
hey, standdownwind,will ya!?whew!
60 61
Glovesaren’t just
for coldweather.
ANTI-CONTACT GLOVE
SML
122012211222
SIZE NSN 8415-00-227-
HEAVY DUTY WORK GLOVE
12345
78717872786978707868
SIZE NSN 8415-00-268-
Withoutgloves, your
hands getscorched.
Protect yourhands with
thesegloves...
Anyone who hasto work on metalequipment on ahot, sunny dayquickly findsthat out.
Safety Glasses...
Dear Editor,Safety glasses are vital for mechanics and operators who need protection
from small debris and sand when working at NTC or other desert environ-
SPC George B. WalshTNARNGAthens, TN
ments.Unfortunately, most safety glasses
don’t provide any sun protection and areso ugly that most guys won’t wear them.
I found the perfect solution when I cameacross some safety glasses that were re-cently added to the supply system. Theseglasses filter out 99% of all harmful UVlight, have curved lenses to provide 180o
of protection, and have adjustable templepieces with four different size settings.
An additional plus is the cool frame andlens style.
From the Desk of the Editor:The better they look, the more likely theyare to be worn. Thanks for the info!
CamouflageCamouflageCamouflageCamouflageBlackBlackBlackBlackMetallic blue
MirrorAmberGreyClearMirrorAmberGreyClearMirror
611661616164616761696171617361746178
FrameColor
LensColor
NSN4240-01-500-
hey!great
shades!Where’dyou get
‘em?
believeit or not,they’resafety
glasses!
60
62 63
Eye Protection...
All protective lenses for BLPS, SPECS, and SWDGs provide ballistic fragmentprotection and are available in clear, neutral gray tint (for sun protection) and laserprotective configurations. Here’s what’s available:
When you needheavy-duty
eye protection,you have three
choices...
1. Ballistic/laser protectivespectacles (BLPS) for soldierswho need corrective lenses.2. Special protective eyewear,cylindrical system (SPECS) forsoldiers who don’t need cor-rective lenses.3. Sun, wind and dust goggles(SWDG) for protection fromthe elements.
You must obtain BLPScorrective lenses through yourpost clinic. BLPS lenses canalso be used with the M40A1mask, but you will need pre-scription lens carrier, NSN6540-01-264-1348, andadapter, NSN 4240-01-389-7152, from the clinic for this
application. While the prescription lens carrier can be adapted for use in the mask,it’s best for operational readiness to keep two separate prescription lens carriers—one for the BLPS and one for the M40A1 mask.
BLPSNSN 8465-01-
416-4636417-4004416-3207416-3210417-9963416-4637
BLPS, clearBLPS, grayBLPS, 2-wavelength laser protectionBLPS, 3-wavelength laser protectionCarrying caseRetainer strap
Item
The SPECS kits each contains a clear ballistic protective lens in a frame, anextra neutral gray ballistic fragment protective lens, a retaining strap, carrying case,and extra temple pieces.
if your
vision is
20/20, try
specs eye
protection...
RegularLarge
RegularLarge
RegularLarge
RegularLarge
RegularLarge——————
SPECS kitSPECS kitSPECS, graySPECS, graySPECS, 3-wavelength laser protectionSPECS, 3-wavelength laser protectionSPECS, clearSPECS, clearSPECS, 2-wavelength laser protectionSPECS, 2-wavelength laser protectionSPECS caseRetainer strap
462646294630463346358516462846314634463246274637
SPECSNSN 8465-01-416- Item Size
109-3997109-3996439-3506439-3511328-8268
Lens, Class 3, clearLens, Class 4, neutralGoggle assembly, Class 5, green, 2-wavelength laser protectionGoggle assembly, Class 6, brown, 3-wavelength laser protectionKit (clear goggle assembly with an extra neutral gray lens)
SWDGNSN 8465-01- Item
The SWDG kit includes a synthetic rubber frame; clear and gray, class 3 and 4plastic lenses; and a carrying case.
Clean BLPS, SPECS,and SWDG with
soap and waterand dry with aclean cloth.
64 65
Collapsible Canteen Carrier...
Working around a motor pool on a hot sum-mer afternoon can drain your strength. Metaland concrete reflect the heat and make a hotday dangerously hotter. But you’ve got to beout in that heat if you’re going to do PMCS.
So protect yourself from dehydration or heatstroke by wearing a collapsible canteen carrier.A 2-qt collapsible canteen, NSN 8465-01-118-8173, with carrier, NSN 8465-00-927-7485,and optional sling, NSN 8465-00-269-0682,costs less than $19 total and is authorized byCTA 50-900. A 100-oz collapsible hydrationsystem (MOLLE hydration bag with drink tubeand carrier), NSN 8465-01-465-2154, is autho-rized by CTA 50-900, easily worn on your backand costs $32.70. A 5-qt canteen without drinktube, NSN 8465-01-254-5759, is authorized byCTA 50-970, and can also be attached with tiecords and worn on your back. Get yourcommander’s approval before ordering.
Once youget thecanteen,
there are afew things
toremember
aboutusing it...
• Don’t put soft drinks or drinkmixes in the canteen. They leavea smell that’s hard to get rid of.Put only water in the canteen.• Keep the bladder part of the can-teen away from intense heat thatcan melt it.• The inside of the 2-qt carrier hasa fabric that will help the canteenstay cooler in hot weather if yousoak the fabric with water. In thewinter, the fabric will help insulatethe canteen if the fabric is kept dry.
it’s ascorcherout here!
how can theseguys be sorefreshed?
they’ve...all got...collap...sible...
canteens!they...don’t...
get...de...hy...drated!
Water Tanks...
You’ll end up with wet boots and a busted 3,000-gal onion tank, GTA-Z60TPW, NSN 5430-01-469-8744, if you follow the info on Page 0002 00-2 of TM10-5430-237-12&P.
That’s because the water fill level says 45 inches. That’s wrong—it should be32 inches!
Filling the onion tank to 45 inches isalmost the equivalent of 5,000 gallons ofwater. The tank will rupture and break atthat level. It’s only designed to hold 3,000gallons of water.
Play it safe with no more guesswork.Use a yardstick to mark a line at 32 inchesaround the tank with a permanent marker.In the meantime, make a note of the erroruntil there’s a change or revision to the tech-nical manual.
Mark a 32” fill line around onion tank
headfor highground!
surf’sup!!
I justshowered
thismorning!
66 67
600-GPH ROWPU...
Tire PSIKeep the tires on your ROWPU at 75
psi at all times. Don’t lower the pressurefor off-road use. That puts a lot of stresson the sidewalls and can lead to a blow-out. As a kindly reminder, have yourmechanic paint “75 PSI” on the fenderabove the wheels.
Operators,your ROWPU ismission-readywhen PM flows
like water.
Keep these PMpointers in mindin addition towhat you canread in TM 10-4610-240-10.
Junction Box DrainRain and high-pressure water pools
inside the junction box. The water cor-rodes switches, relays and wiring.
Since you can’t stop the water fromgetting in, give it somewhere to go.Have your mechanic remove the boxand drill 1/8-in holes in the bottom ofthe box.Paint 75 PSI
on fender Drill eight1/8-in holes
Generator Oil LevelWhen you pull PMCS on the ROWPU, don’t forget about the 30-KW genera-
tor. If the generator doesn’t run, neither does your ROWPU.The generator is covered by the Army oil analysis program (AOAP). Sample
the crankcase oil like it says in the LO, and send the sample to the AOAP lab.If a lab isn’t available, have your me-
chanic drain and refill the crankcase oiland change the filter by the LO.
After an oil change, run the enginefor five minutes and check for leaks.After shutdown, check the crankcase oillevel and make sure it’s at the FULLmark. Do not overfill the crankcase be-
For completegenerator PM, readTM 5-6115-465-12 and
LO 5-6115-465-12.
67
cause too much oilwill blow seals.
Don’t forgetcrankcase oil
i’ve gonethrough thetm’s entire
rowpusection.
i’m doneand you’reready to
go!
hold on,pally. There’smore for you
to do thanwhat’s listed
in your TM.
68 69
Transport and PM Tips600-GPH ROWPU...
A ROWPU operator with a long face and rampant mood swings can only meanone thing: his water purification unit isn’t working, or it’s pumping out swampwater!
Preparing the ROWPU for transport and some good PM will get rid of the longface and keep your ROWPU mission-ready.
During travel, the product flowvalve should be in the open, notclosed, position. Also, it shouldn’tbe tightened. Tightening it in eitherposition could damage the valve,because it could corrode in place.Then it takes excessive force to movethe valve. The threads could be dam-aged or the valve stem broken off.
Travel Know-how
Get Rid of GrooveIf the ROWPU’s water suc-
tion hoses are quickly getting a“set” or groove in the gaskets,they’re too tight. So tighten‘em just enough to hold a seal.
Reverse the gaskets be-tween uses to help keep theseals from getting grooved.
whatth-!?
this smellslike swamp
water!
...and everysingle uniform
smells and lookslike this!
oh,no!
i forgot tomark the tubesfor the ROWPU’s
6-way valve!
and ifthe valve
connectionswere
wrong...
...the backwashcycles would’ve
been out of time!I gues that’s
what happened.
Go easyon productflow valve
Reverse gasketfor longer use
6-Way ValvesThe 6-way valves are molded
with numbers on them. When youtake apart the valve, make sureyou look at the numbers and markthe tubes with the same numberas the 6-way valve connection. Ifyou don’t, you’ll put your valveback together wrong.
Six-wayvalve hasnumbers1-6 on it
Timer Reminder
The timer has six tubes connected to it from the 6-way valve and two from themultimedia backwash piping. Mark these in the same manner. If the timer or thevalve connections are wrong, the backwash cycles will be out of time. Then youcan’t backwash the multimedia filter, and your mission goes down the drain!
In fact, always tag, mark or identify every wire, hose, tube or line so that youcan put your ROWPU back together the same way you took it apart.
Never bypass or override the timer during operations. The backwash cycle onthe ROWPU cannot be controlled manually, and bypassing the timer could damageit. Worse yet, it’s dangerous! If you touch the capacitor or any other “hot” part ofthe electrical timer, you could be seriously injured.
Remember, always allow the backwash cycle to complete itself naturally onceit begins. Reset the switches before backwashing only if the timer is not function-
70 71
Filter Element Storage600-GPH ROWPU...
Those 6-in diameter filter ele-ments on the reverse osmosis waterpurification unit have a shortenedlife span if they’re left lying on thevehicle exposed to the weather.
To increase the life of the ele-ments, take them out during ex-tended periods between operationsand store them in water-tight con-tainers.
Order the reverse osmosis (RO)element reusable container assem-bly with NSN 4610-01-212-2704.That NSN brings you eight contain-ers. Each container will hold one 6-in RO element and will retain themoisture that is in the element. It sohappens that eight is exactly thenumber of containers for one 600-GPH ROWPU.
The desert sand-colored contain-ers are lightweight and can bestacked four high and banded to-gether. Store ‘em in garrison or onthe ROWPU.
Store filter elements inwater-tight container
Lookwhat I’vegot for
you!
A storagecontainer!?
forme!?
and it’snot even
christmas!
600-GPH ROWPU...
It’s plain and simple...dust caps aren’t much good ifyou don’t use ‘em.
Keep that in mind when you disconnect the chemicalfeed lines from the cans on your 600-GPH reverse osmo-sis water purification unit (ROWPU).
If you leave those lines uncovered, dust and dirt andanything gritty will get inside the chemical connectors.
Don’t be fooled by the dust caps when you’re readyto use ‘em. They may seem too large to fit snugly overthe connectors. But give ‘em a try. They’ll snap right inplace over the groove on the connectors. Order the capswith NSN 5430-01-307-5989, 5430-01-307-2679, or5430-01-307-4394. (Make note that these NSNs will beadded to TM 10-4610-215-10 and to the -24P.) You mayhave to try all three NSNs to find the right cap for yourconnector.
By the way, tape is no substitute for a missing con-nector cap. It leaves behind a sticky residue that attractseven more dust and dirt.
Protect connectorswith caps...
...nottape
there’s no waythese dust capswill cover your
connectors!they’re too big!
don’t befooled!
They’re thebest thingfor me...
...a heckuvalot betterthan thattape you
were using!
72 73
Collapsible Tanks...
Shelf, Service LifeFuel tanks from 3,000 to 210,000 gallons
have a dry, indoor shelf life of 12 years. Fueltanks not stored dry and indoors have a 5-yearshelf life from date of receipt, or 12 years fromthe manufacturing date, whichever comes first.
Once fuel is put in a tank for the first time,the tank is good for 3 years max. Service lifemay be less than 3 years, depending on whereand how often the tank is used.
Water tanks from 160 to 50,000 gallonshave no shelf or service life restrictions. Souse them until they are no longer repairable.
You can’t tell much about thecondition of collapsible
fuel or water tanksunless you inspect them.
Before you inspect,though, check the
shelf and service lifeof the tanks.
In fact, a visual inspectionis the only way to be surethat a fuel or water tankis ready for deployment
and use.
what inblazes
happened toyour tank?!
didn’t youinspect it
regularly?!
I guess it just‘collapsed’...
heh-heh...
Inspection CriteriaDispose of a tank if:
• It has holes, tears or cuts through thecoated fabric greater than 6 inches long.
• It has severe discoloration (darkcolored stains along seams of fueltanks or an entire panel is darker thana panel next to it).
• It has seams that show signs ofcoming apart.
• It has cracks in the exterior coating.
• It has fungus growth.
Repair a tank if:
• It has holes, tears or cuts throughthe coated fabric that are less than 6inches long. Make temporary repairsusing the tank’s mechanical repairkit. Permanent repairs can be madewith an adhesive repair kit, NSN5430-01-359-1078 (for both fuel andwater tanks).
• It has abrasions that have exposed thenylon fabric underneath the outer coat-ing. Re-coat with the adhesive repair kitslisted above.
• It has blisters, which are areaswhere the coating appears to haveseparated from the fabric or wherefluid has leaked between tank lay-ers.
Fix this damage by puncturing andcutting away the separated coating. Tem-porarily repair the defect with the me-chanical repair kit. Make permanent re-pairs with the adhesive kits listed above.
74 75
Re-use of Components
Once a tank’s service or shelf life is used up, serviceable components should beremoved for re-use before you get rid of the tank.
These items include berm liners, filter/discharge hose assemblies, drain hosesand control valves, gate valves and some other vent and hose assemblies.
The complete scoop onshelf life, inspection andcomponent re-use is found
in an interim maintenanceadvisory message (MAM)
dated 6 Mar 98 and in TACOMMAM 99-007 (Jun 99).
...Or, for moreinformation, send anemail message [email protected]
If you have a password,you can access the MAM
at the AEPS site:http://aeps.ria.army.mil/
i may be retiring,but my serviceable
components arestill reusable!
3,000-GPH Trailer-mounted ROWPU...
Hard To Find Repair PartsTrying to find repair parts for the 3,000 GPH trailer-mounted ROWPU can be a
real puzzler. That’s because some of these old parts are no longer available or theparts info in the TM has changed.
Make a note of these changes in TM 10-4610-232-24P until there’s a change orrevision to the technical manual.
NameNSNFigure412
9613144
17181994
33
Plate, mountingLatch, electrical panel doorGasket, retainer in booster pump discharge assemblyClamp, product water outClamp, basket retainerValve, solenoid assemblyValve, solenoid assemblyLevel switchLevel switchLevel switchClamp, multi-media tankElbow, waste out (AquaChem models only)Material, electrical panel seal
5340-01-468-49432540-01-468-50205330-01-467-16054730-01-467-15265340-01-468-49374810-01-467-15894810-01-467-15915999-01-467-16855999-01-467-16765999-01-467-16834730-01-467-15014730-01-468-53395330-01-468-5373
343676972808183838384116
BULK
Item
Keep thesensns handy
so the waterflows in your
3,000-gphrowpu!
76 777 7
National Training Center...
What To Know About COMMO
Commo & Electronics
Pulling a rotation at NTC can be rough on commo equipment, but pulling onewithout first pulling PM can be a real bear.
People in the know say that 50 percent of the communication equipment prob-lems at NTC can be avoided if proper PMCS and training takes place at homebefore your commo act hits the road.
Here are adirty dozen of
NTC commokillers...
Good trainingand solid PM
could help youavoid ‘em! Obvious,
but ithappensall thetime.
Happens evenmore than with
the powercables.
They don’tstart out
clean, they’renot keptclean, and
theycertainly
don’t finishclean.
Frays, breaks,busted
connectors, brokenpins—heck of a timeto find out when
you’re setting up.
5. Missing parts.Can youbelieve
the knob’sgone?
6. Bad switches.Won’t turn on,won’t turn off.Wiring shot and
so are yourcommunications.
7. Poor grounding is a safety hazard andadds a lot of noise to commo system.
Not deep enough,soil not prepared,not tied off right,
or wrong wireused.
8. No cleaning.Vacuum dirt out,
sweep dirt out orblow dirt out—before, during
and after.
9. Bad storage procedures.
Toss it here,toss it there,
toss iteverywhere—
and breakthings in the
process.
10. No antenna maintenance.
Just stick it inthe air. It’s
bound to work,right? Sorry, Ican’t hear your
response.
11. No generator maintenance.Hey, I
work onradios. I
don’t knownothing
about nogenerators.
12. Bad batteries.“Replacing iseasier than
maintaining?”
I don’tthink so.
NTC throws someserious stuff at
you and your commoequipment. Don’tbegin a rotationwith a handicap.
deal with thedirty dozen athome so youdon’t have to
deal with themin the sand,
dirt and heat.
1. Power cables hooked up wrong.
2. Cabling wrong inside shelters. 3. Air filters not clean.
4. Cables not repaired.
78 79
Commo in the Desert...
Good MoisturePut damp rags on the tops of radios to keep them
cool. Make sure the rags are damp, not soaking wet.Soggy rags lead to water inside the radio. Some of youhave tried letting ice melt on top of a set. Don’t. Thatmuch water assures some will get inside and do damage.
In the desert—NTC or elsewhere—
maintenance of radiosets and other
electronic equipmentis tough. It’s easy
for sand and heat todamage equipment.
Here are afew desertmaintenance
tips.
Before you put on the damp rag,make sure all screws are screweddown tight and all seals are in goodcondition.
Cool radio downwith damp rags
Checkscrews andseals beforeaddingdamp rags
hold it!before you
do this,read on...
Of course, whenever possible,shade your radio. Use cardboardor your vehicle’s canvas top.Anything will help that keeps theglaring sun off the radio, butdoesn’t hold in the heat.
A fan will run itself to deathtrying to cool your radio in thedesert.Give the radio the moisture andshade treatment to help the fan.
Give radio shadewhenever possible
Bad MoistureOvernight, condensation forms on metal sur-
faces that are cooler than the air temperature.This condensation can affect electrical plugs,
jacks and connectors. If condensation is affect-ing your commo connectors, tape over all con-nectors that may be exposed to moisture over-night. This prevents that moisture from contami-nating the contacts.
Plugs should be dried before inserting theminto equipment jacks. Excessive moisture or dewshould be removed from antenna connectors toprevent arcing.
Cover exposedconnectors with tape
that sun might bemenacing, but with theproper precautions,
your time in thedesert will be like aholiday in the sun!
80 81
No Moisture
sure your equipment is properly grounded.Be sure to use tip caps on all antennas to
cut down on wind-caused static discharges.
Electrical InsulationWind-blown sand and
grit will damage electricalwire insulation over a periodof time. All exposed cablesshould be protected with tapeor large shrink-wrap tubingbefore insulation becomesworn. Of course, keep dustcaps on all cable connectorswhen not in use.
Sand will also find itsway into parts of items suchas spaghetti cord plugs, eitherpreventing electrical contactor making it impossible tojoin the plugs together. Carryan old toothbrush and use itto clean plugs before they arejoined.
Static electricity is common in the desert. It’s caused by wind-blown sand andextremely low humidity. Poor grounding conditions aggravate the problem. Make
Protect cablesfrom wind-blown sand
Use toothbrushto clean plugs
Make sureyou have acap and thatyou use it!
A Little More CleaningKeep all cooling fans clean
and their vents clear of all clog-ging sand, dust and dirt.Use a brush or compressedair—whatever your equipmentTM says—to clean the fan andthe areas around it.
Keep cooling fansand their vents clean
Some Things to CheckIf you have any broken or missing knobs, switches or connectors, get them
replaced.Dirt and sand work into the con-
nectors and keep the contacts fromtouching. If they’re dirty or makingbad contact, clean them with low-pressure air or a soft brush.
Keep connector caps on audioconnectors to keep out dirt and sandwhen the radio’s not in use.
If you have loose or missingpanel or cover screws, tighten or re-place them. A missing screw lets dirtand sand get inside your set.
Give your commo equipmentroom to breathe. If you pile gear onor around it, heat quickly builds up.Keep field gear, maps, manuals andother items away from the RT blowerfan. Blocking the airflow will causethe heat to build up inside your set.
Make sure loose latches and mounts are tightened properly or repaired. Theycan cause commo equipment to bounce out on a rough desert ride.
Check the whipantenna’s mast base to besure the contact is clean.Use low pressure air or asoft brush to clean it.
Clean antennacontact with softbrush or low-pressure air
Keep caps onconnectors
Missing screwlets dirt andsand get in set
what partof “don’tpile stuff
on me”don’t you
get?!
wheeze
82 83
AN/GRC-103 Radio...
Sometimes something real small can cause really big headaches. Dust is tiny,but it packs a big, damaging punch like when it clogs the transmitter’s air filter onthe AN/GRC-103 radio.
Dust clogging the air filter makes the ventilation fan work harder and harder tosuck in cooling air. The transmitter overheats and the OVERHEAT lamp comes onand stays on. The transmission signal degrades or the signal goes out altogether.
That’s just the begin-ning of the problems.Components begin toburn up—like drivertubes, the RF amplifier,frequency generating cir-cuits and the transmittingsection of the duplexer.
All this isnot good
and all this isavoidable.
Look at the filter before and during operations to make sureit’s clean and stays that way. If you’re in a dusty environment,make your checks more frequent.
If the filter is dusty, remove itfrom the transmitter by looseningthe captive screws. Use an air hoseand air gun to blow dust out of thefilter. Direct the airflow from theinside of the filter to the outside.
Remove airfilter...
Overheatlamp on?Inspectair filter!
Also wipe downthe transmitter
frequently to keepdust away from the
ventilation fan.
Don’t use the air hose un-less you have an air gun, NSN4940-00-333-5541, to attach toit. The air gun limits the outletpressure to 30 psi, a safe levelthat won’t damage the filter orinjure you.
If you don’t have an air hoseand air gun, tap the filter andshake the dust out. If your mis-sion permits, wash the filter inwarm water and a mild deter-gent, NSN 7930-00-929-1221.Let it air dry for a few hoursbefore reinstalling it.
Dust also collects on the re-cessed area and the metal screenwhere the filter fits on the trans-mitter. Use a clothto wipe them clean.
yikes!!here
comesthe dust
devil!
...and blowout dust
Wipe dust offtransmitter
Order replacementfilter with NSN4130-00-879-2280
84 85
12
36
36
Make sure thegrounding rod
is clean. Grease,oil, paint and
corrosion on therod make it a
poor conductor.
GROUNDING IN THE DESERTSoils like clay and
loam are goodconductors. Dry
sand is not.
Prepare the Soil
84
Because sand is a poor conductor,getting a good earth ground in thedesert requires extra time and effort.
yOU’RE NOTDONE YET?WHAT’S THEHOLD UP?
hEY, i GOTTAGET TO THE
WATER TABLE!
Soil conductivity can beimproved by keeping the soilmoist and by adding a salt-water mixture to the area
around the ground rod.
Use a poundof salt foreach gallonof water.
The best salt ismagnesium sulfate.
Next are coppersulfate and thencalcium chloride
(ordinary rock saltor kitchen salt).
Start with 5gallons ofthe mixture.
Dig a shallow trencharound the ground rodat a distance of 18 inchesso that the mixturedoes not run off.
Pour it slowlyso it sinks intothe ground.
Use the salt and water mixture often. Inthe desert, it may take a daily mix todo the job.
you’re doingthat againtoday?!
yep!today andevery day!
In the desert, itis a good idea ifthe grounding
rod reaches thewater table,but that maynot always be
possible.
Use a sectional groundrod and add extensionsto reach deeper into thesoil until the rod nolonger can be driven.
Soundslike you’vegone farenough!
If you can’t, makesure you use thesalt and water
mixture.
Before You Drive
If you use a sledge hammer, wear safetygloves to protect your hands from metal
Wearsafety
goggles,too!
Before you drive, dig a holeat least 12 inches deep and36 inches square.
The top of the rodmust be belowground level.
Drive the rod in thecenter of the hole.Drive it straight.If the soil won’tpermit the rod to goin straight, makesure the drivingangle is no morethan 45 degrees.
If you can, locate yourequipment near an oasisor subterranean water.
fragments when youdrive in the rod.
86 87
If more than four rodsare used, put them in astraight line or a starpattern, which works wellin the desert.
When using multiplerods alwaysconnect all therods together,the final rod beingconnected to theequipment to begrounded.
Leave about 3 inches of the rodsection above the the rim of thehole. When adding rod extensionsmake sure each section is tightlyconnected to the previous one.
If they’re nottight, when youdrive in the rod,you’ll damagethe couplingsleeve threads.
Don’t hit the threaded end of therod with the hammer. This will
Use a driving bolt on the top sectionand make sure it’s tight. A loosebolt will break off.
don’tdamage mythreads,
man!
If possible,use a drivinghammer wheninstalling asectioned
ground rod.
Slide hammer, NSN5120-01-013-1676,makes it easier todrive rods, andeasier to get themout, too. For drivingrods into very harddesert ground, use a12-lb sledge hammer,NSN 5120-00-293-0887.
If you cannot reachthe water table with asingle ground rod orone with extensions,
use multiple groundsand the salt-water
mixture.
Drive in the additionalrods two to four rod
lengths apart.
If three rods areused, drive them in atriangular pattern.
If you can’t drivea ground rodmore than 4 feet,dig a hole, addthe salt-watermixture and thenbury the rodhorizontallyalmost 11/ feetdeep.
4
Grounding Plates
Ground rodassembly, NSN
5975-00-878-3791,comes with...
Rods, NSN 5975-00-878-3791
Couplings, NSN 5975-00-794-2523
Clamp,NSN 5999-00-186-3912
Drive/head stud,NSN 5975-00-924-9927
Terminal lug,NSN 5940-00-271-9504
No.6 AWG wire,NSN 6145-00-395-8799
Pour yourmixture of waterand salt into thesoil around the
plate tofurther increase
conductivity.
Drill a hole in thecenter of the platejust large enough forthe bolt. Dig a hole sothat the plate can beburied vertically, thetop edge about 5 feetbelow the surface.
It’s easier tobury the platevertically andstill ensuregood soilcontact onboth sides ofthe plate.
Along with the
plate you’ll need
a metal bolt, nutand lock washerto attach the
ground wire.
The plate should have at least 3
square feet of surface contact
with the ground. The larger the
plate, the lower the resistance
and the better the ground.
Since sand is easy tomove, groundingplates can be a goodidea in the desert.
They also give you alarge, metallic areathat is in contact withthe soil. The groundplates—use two tofour—should be spacedat least 10 feet apart.
To make a groundplate, start with aclean, bare-metalplate or sheet 1/4inch thick.
damage the threads,too.
88 89
Aircraft
When a surgeon performs an operation, he operates with clean tools in anenvironment that is as free as possible of contaminants which can infect the body.
Without surgery SOP, patients could get sick and die from the infection.Likewise, mechanics, you need to treat
your bird’s hydraulic systems with cleantools and hydraulic oil in a clean environ-ment. When you perform maintenance,such as adding or changing hydraulic oilor removing and installing components onyour bird’s hydraulic systems, keep themfree of contaminants. Keep contaminantsout of the process.
Before flushing hydraulic systems, in-spect, service and clean the hydraulic ser-vicing unit or hydraulic test stand to beused. That way you won’t introduce out-side contaminants into your hydraulic oil.
All Aircraft...
almost done!just need tocheck for any
hydraulic leaks.
good job,but check thetm to make
sure it’s nottime for an
aoap sampling.
• Aircraft hydraulic fluid must be clean so hydraulic systems remain operational.• Aircraft hydraulic systems are easily contaminated if you use leftover opencans of hydraulic oil. Always use a fresh can of approved oil per your TM. Thecan lid and can opener must be clean, too.• Always use clean rags to wipe off exposed lines and openings. Use of dirtyrags or tools will contaminate hydraulic systems.• If your TM says don’t mix different types of hydraulic oils, don’t mix them.• Whenever your aircraft is undergoing any type of hydraulic maintenance, it’sespecially important to ensure all component/line openings are capped or cov-ered. If a new component is being installed, be sure to remove all the preserva-tive fluid that was shipped in the part.
If your aircrafthydraulic systemsare contaminated,
your aircraftcould have an
unexpected meetingwith the grounddue to hydraulicsystem failure.
here are some
other hydraulic
system checks to
make beforeevery flight...
Eyeball all hydraulic pumps and reservoir sight glasses for oil level and color.Check for hydraulic fluid leaks. If you find any, refer to the aircraft TM for
proper corrective action now. Later might not come around.Eyeball indicator buttons, and if popped, change hydraulic filters. Dirty filters
allow contaminants to bypass the filter and muck up the hydraulics.Make sure all hydraulic systems are safe from moisture, dirt, and other fluids.Be sure that all exposed hydraulic pistons are wiped down during preflight.
Follow your TM’s hydraulic servicing and maintenance proce-dures exactly. Shortcuts could put you and your bird in harm’s way.
Keep your bird’s hydraulic system’s life blood clean and it won’tget sick from contaminated fluid. For example, AH-64A/D, AOAPsampling should be done every 50 hours. TB 1-1520-238-116 hasthe details.
90 91
UH-60...
Let’s get towork on these
overheadcomponents!
Hey! What’reyou gonna doto protect myconsole fromfalling crud?
Don’t worry,we’ve got
you covered,buddy!
Our canvas shop orders the material withNSN 8305-01-452-9332, and makes the coverusing these measurements:
SSG David KingALARNGBirmingham, AL
Dear Rotor,Our air crews have
problems with consoleknobs, switches andbuttons sticking.
When working inthe UH-60 cockpit onoverhead components,dirt, oil, and sand dropdown on the consoleand gum up the works.
We’ve come up witha cover that protectsthe console from thefalling gunk and cangive some dropped-tool protection, too.
It also works wellwhile we’re performingmaintenance in a sandyenvironment.
Fold and stitch one inch seams around entire outer edge.(Outer dimensions are before folds and stitching are done.)
20”
40”
26”
38”
12”
22”
9”
1”1”
Distance betweenfolds (when finished)
will be 18 inches
Finishedstitched fold
1” folds around edges andcenter. Start with a 40” x 38”piece of material.Final size is about 38” x 36”.
When finished, the cover looks like this:
From the Desk of the Editor:You’ve got that problem covered.Good job!
Use cover to protect console duringmaintenance. Remove when done.
92 93
All Aircraft...
the timehas come!attack allexposedopenings!
caps and plugs...
protectthose lines!
Leaving aircraftlines, tubes and
fittings uncoveredwithout caps,bags or plugs
while doing checksor maintenance is
a bad checkagainst you.
This is whatyou’ll get...
So use and reuse caps andplugs that come withcomponents, hoses, linesand fittings. Check and cap,bag or wrap all exposedopenings and lines toprevent fluid spills,moisture in oil and dirtbuildup.
Dirt in open lines contami-nates fluids and residue won’tlet connectors seal.
Moisture in lube becomespaste and can’t do its job.
Threads get smashed, anddelicate connector pins get bro-ken or bent.
Cap, bag, and plug alllines, tubes and fittings
93
If your TM doesn’t listcaps or plugs to use, usethis list to identify plugsand caps needed to seal
fluid systems and protectthreads on your bird...
if wework
together...
...we canbeat ‘em
every time!
Tube Plug(Flared)
NSN 4730-1/83/161/45/163/83/81/25/83/41
00-287-010900-287-0100 (plain)00-287-011000-287-011100-715-008200-287-011200-287-011300-287-011600-287-011700-287-0118
Size(Outside Diameter)
inches
94 95
Additional cap and pluginfo can be found in yourgeneral aircraft TMs.
‘Course, always use capsand plugs called for inyour maintenance TMs.
Check out Paras 4-5 and4-5L of TM 1-1500-204-23-2, and your consumableslist in TM 1-1500-204-23-6for more info.
1/83/161/41/4
5/163/83/81/25/85/83/43/43/411
00-837-984200-115-021000-958-370400-640-063200-985-516500-618-357200-990-258500-451-276200-618-422700-412-826000-202-879200-221-212800-400-222300-085-193600-274-7120
Tube Cap (HYD)(Flareless)NSN 4730-
Size(Outside Diameter)
inches1/8
3/161/4
5/165/163/83/81/21/25/85/83/43/411
00-540-223100-595-391700-541-719800-541-146500-202-916900-203-370900-555-780400-202-834100-202-886000-966-569500-203-024700-289-862700-203-024600-203-693800-289-8626
Tube Plug (HYD)(Flareless)NSN 4730-
Size(Outside Diameter)
inches
Cap Tube(Flared)
NSN 4730-1/8
3/161/4
5/163/85/83/41
00-497-424400-221-212600-278-500600-061-415000-585-876900-221-212700-221-212800-221-2129
Size(Outside Diameter)
inches
Here’s moreinfo for youon caps and
plugs! Battling Creeps and GlobsAll Aircraft...
Come on,Slimeball!
Make my day!
Creeps and globs maysound like something out
of a horror movie, butwhat they can do to your
aircraft is strictly for real.Some silicone and greases
“creep.” Grease applied
To battle the creeps and globs, you:APPLY just the right amount of lube or sealant. Wipe away any excess.CHECK all lube points in the heat of the day. Wipe away any creeps.REMEMBER where creeps usually start. Check these areas often.USE only sealants and lubes called for by the TM. Substitutes may seem to dothe same job, but they may creep more easily.
may be softened my middayheat. The softened grease—
goo—creeps to other surfaces.
And by now, you know the destruc-
This greasy mess makes thesurface a target for sand buildup.
tive force of sand. Some mechanics“glob.” They apply grease with a
heavy hand, thinking that if a littleworks well, a lot will work even better.
But that glob becomes a sand magnetand is a prime candidate for creep.
during morning maintenance
95
96 97
Windshields
Check out the coverinformation in
these TMs to keepsand at bay...
Aircraft maintenancein the desert starts
with keeping yourbird clean andunder cover.
That way, blowingsand can’t destroyoptics, aircraft wind-
shields, avionics,and engines.
TM 1-1500-204-23-1TM 1-1520-237-23P-5TM 1-1520-238-23-1 and -8TM 55-1520-240-23-1TM 55-1520-23-10
Before you cover the windshields,clean them and the cover. Even fine dustcan scratch the windshield when the windblows. When you attach the cover, makesure it’s snug. Otherwise, wind will blowsand under the edges. Cover windshield
in blowing sand
Optics and Commo
When not in use, keep opticlenses covered with cling film,NSN 5330-00-766-0062. Use avacuum, NSN 7910-00-807-3704,to suck up dirt and sand from in-strument panels, switches, flightcontrols and cable connectors.
When not in use, keep all avi-onics equipment covered. Just alittle sand will grind up delicatecommo.
Sand’s worstdestruction isunleashed on
your optics andcommunications
equipment.
Protect AN/ALQ-144Acountermeasure setwith a cover
Vacuum sandout of console
i need acover formy mastmounted
sight beforei go blind!
my an/alq-144awindow panes aregettin’ hammered
out here! Getmy cover!
hold yourrotors, all ‘a
ya! I’m gettingyour covers
hurry with thecovers, buddy!the sandmanwants to putme to sleep...permanently!
ARRGH!my enginesare choking
on sand!
All Aircraft...
98
Engines
Plug engine tokeep sand out
Your enginecan also fallvictim to thedestructive
power ofsand.
Sand gets trapped in excessgrease and form a paste that wearsout lubricated parts. Keep the en-gine inlet cover on and tight. If itblows off, or doesn’t seal the inlet,the engine will fill with sand. Thenyou can kiss your engine goodbye.
Rotor Blades
Other Areas
Sand in the air
tears into
leading edges
of your bird’s
rotor blades.
“Look for blade erosion after
every flight and clean and
cover ‘em like your TM says.”
Tape all openings or seams around windows, chin bubbles, and access panels.Be thorough, but be sure you don’t stop airflow that is needed to cool parts.
Of course, always check out TM 1-1500-204-23-1 and FM 1-202, Environmen-tal Flight, for other hot weather and desert environment tips.
Your engine can also fall victim to the destructive power of sand.
Comments and suggestions on how to improve this Technical Bulletin shouldbe sent to Commander, USAMC LOGSA, AMXLS-AM, Bldg 5307, RedstoneArsenal, AL 35898-5000.
Technical BulletinTB 43-0239
HeadquartersDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Washington, DC 15 May 2003
TB 43-0239
By Order of the Secretary of the Army:ERIC K. SHINSEKI
General, United States ArmyChief of Staff
Official:
JOEL B. HUDSONAdministrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army 0313501
Covers.pmd 05/20/2003, 10:28 AM7
048290-000
