PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-575
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 575
OCTOBER 2000
echanics, installing a
new torsion bar housing
on an AVLB will just
create a new problem for
crewmen if you don’t give
them a way to lube it.
That’s because new
housings come with
pipe plugs installed to
keep out dirt during stor-
age and transportation. If you don’t
replace the plugs with a relief valve
and grease fitting, you’ll have to
replace the new torsion bar housing
again real soon.
Crewmen can’t lube a housing
with no grease fitting. With no
grease, the bearings burn out.
So, whenever you put on a new
torsion bar housing, pull the plugs and put in a safety relief valve, NSN 4820-01-
070-7670, and lube fitting, NSN 4730-00-172-0028.
Combat Vehicles . . .
Help Engine Keep Its Cool
M
echanics, putting a new or rebuilt powerpack into a combat vehicle is a big
job. So testing the powerpack to make sure it works before you install it is a
pretty smart idea.
Just don’t forget to hook the engine up to the cooling system before you
run the test!
Even a minute or two without coolant circulating through the engine will
cause major problems. Combustion chamber temperatures get so high that gas-
kets, O-rings and seals begin to melt. Piston rings and valves warp and burn.
When that happens, a perfectly good engine has to be repaired or rebuilt and
your unit is out a whole lot of money.
So don’t take shortcuts. If you want to test the engine before installing it, hook
it up to the cooling system first.
AVLB . . .
whatcha
lookin' for,
bub?
corrosion,
cracks, and
bad
rivets-
like
you
!
ad rivets, corrosion and cracks are big trouble for your AVLB.
Rivets can snap like toothpicks when corrosion sets in. At the bridge’s high
stress areas, corroded rivets will break, causing the bridge to collapse.
Protect yourself and others by following the PMCS in TM 5-5420-203-14.
Then go one step further. Before each operation, take a close look at the center
panel hinges and the upper and lower connectors on the center and end panels. If
you see a broken or missing rivet, look for white powder in the rivet hole or on
the remaining portion of the rivet—that’s corrosion.
If you find any corrosion, the AVLB is NMC until the panel is repaired or
replaced.
If you find a loose rivet, a rivet whose head has been sheared off, or a missing
rivet with no sign of corrosion, tell your support folks. They’ll replace the bad
hardware.
Make No Welds
If you find a crack on the bridge, get support to replace the bad parts.
You may be tempted to weld that spot.
Don’t
. The bridge is made of a special
high-strength, heat-treated aluminum. Welding will weaken it. That could cause
the bridge to collapse during a crossing.
your
road arms
don't have
any grease
fittings!
that's
because they
weren't
installed
!
Pipe plugs prevent lubing
PS 575
19
OCT 00
PS 575
18
OCT 00
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