PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 595
JUNE 2002
PS 595
17
Track Maintenance
Check drive sprocket and roadwheel
mounting bolts before, during and after
operation. Sand, rocks and gravel tend to
break or damage lube fittings and relief
valves. Rough terrain causes hardware to
work loose.
Never neutral steer in soft sand. That
lets sand build up in the final drive sprock-
ets and can result in a thrown track. Make
fast turns wide. Keep short turns slow.
Pay attention to the tracks during at-halt inspections. Check track tension. Look
for cracked end connectors and broken link pins.
On tanks, look for damage to the right front
roadwheel support arm and sheared mounting
bolts on the No. 1 right or left roadwheel arm
housing.
M113-series carriers have more trouble with left
rear idler arm bearing burnout. Check often and
keep the grease gun handy.
Since you’ll be lubing bearings much more
often in sandy and dusty conditions, make sure you
wipe away any excess lube when you’re finished.
Grease attracts sand, and combined the two can
grind away metal.
Clean Fuel
It’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 take
the nozzle off and clean it. Keep the fuel nozzle capped when it’s not in use.
Blow away loose dust and sand from
the vehicle’s fuel filler opening before
removing the cap. When the fuel nozzle is
in place, use a clean rag to close off any
gaps between the nozzle and the fuel filler
opening. That keeps blowing sand and
dust from getting into the fuel tank. Close
the fuel cap tight when you’re finished.
No matter how careful you are, some
dirt 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 of
condensation that results from cool nights
and hot days. You may need to drain fuel
filters more than once a day to keep
engine performance high, but they should
always be drained at least once a day to
keep water from diluting the fuel.
Clean Water
Optics Care
Cover glass surfaces when they’re not
being used. Scouring and etching by sand and
dust will ruin them. That’s especially true for
sighting and fire control equipment.
The buildup of dust on these surfaces can
also degrade low-light vision. So keep sur-
faces as clean as possible using the specific
cleaners called out in your TMs. Optical lens
cleaning compound, NSN 6850-00-227-1887,
can be used if your TM does not list one.
During dust or sandstorms, you might want
to use self-clinging plastic film to cover
optics between missions. NSN 8135-00-043-
5331 gets a 100-ft roll of 11
1
∕
2
-in wide film.
PS 595
JUNE 02
16
Blow away dust and sand
before
opening fuel cap
Drain fuel filters
at least daily
Check and lube drive sprockets
and roadwheel arms often
Look for damaged
roadwheel support
arms and bolts
Use only clean
water from a
reliable source
for filling
radiators.
Use only clean water from a reliable source for filling
radiators. Local water supplies often contain mineral
deposits that will eventually clog radiator cores.
If local water must be used, filter it through a clean
cloth before adding it to a radiator. Then, clean and purge
the radiator at the next opportunity.
are you
sure
that
water’s
clean?
this sand
is
killing
my optics!
595. 14-17 (C)
4/27/02
11:51 AM
Page 3
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