PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-608
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 608
JULY 2003
M1A1 Tanks…
Shedding a
Little Light
B
oth the OVERHEAT SPONSON IN and
OVERHEAT SPONSON OUT warning lights
on the tank commander’s panel are yellow.
They should be red. They’re supposed to
be warning lights, not caution lights. Ignoring
the lights could result in an NBC filter fire.
If you’ve not yet made the switch, get your
mechanic to replace those yellow covers with
red ones, NSN 6210-00-176-4954.
JULY 03
2
PS 608
M1-Series Tanks…
Pump Up Turret Seal
When water is forced inside the race ring, grease is
washed away. Dirt gets inside and corrosion starts. That
leads to damage to the springs, ball bearings, and the
race itself. Eventually the turret will lock up and no
longer traverse.
Fixing the damage is difficult and costly, so avoid it
by using the turret’s inflatable seal to keep wash water
out. You’ll find the inflatable seal on all M1, M1A1 and
some M1A2 tanks.
Engage the turret
traverse lock mecha-
nism, close the bleed
cock below the inflat-
able seal’s pressure
gauge and pump the
handle until the gauge
reads 25 psi. If the seal
won’t inflate to 25 psi,
let your mechanic
know. The seal could
be damaged.
Do not
try to traverse the turret
with the seal inflated. That dam-
ages the seal.
After washing the tank, deflate
the seal by opening the bleed cock
under the gauge and allowing the
pressure to drop to 0 psi. Then dis-
engage the turret lock mechanism.
Don’t forget to grease the turret
race ring monthly with WTR, too.
That keeps corrosion away and the
race ring turning smoothly.
didn’t you
see an nbc
warning
light!?
sure,
but it
was just
a
caution
light!
I didn’t
know it
was that
serious!
Change covers to red on OVERHEAT
SPONSON IN and OUT lights
Pump handle
until gauge
reads 25 psi
Lube race ring monthly
with WTR
When it’s time to
take your tank to the
wash rack for a
good cleaning, you’d
better remember to
protect the turret
race ring, drivers.
wait!!
you need to
pump up my
turret seal
first!
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