PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-669

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 669

AUGUST 2008
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-669 - Page 6 of 33
8
PS 669
AUG 08
Dear Half-Mast,
I’m hoping you can help settle an argument. On some of our Bradleys,
the lead seals on the fire suppression system’s external pull handles have
corroded. Some of them are so bad that they crumble away when touched.
Some of the folks in our motor pool say that the pull handles don’t need
the extra protection since they’re covered by a fold-down rubber guard. I’m
not so sure. What do you think?
SFC W.P.K.
T
he old saying,
“There’s a place for everything and everything in its place,”
takes
on new meaning when you’re talking about your Bradley turret, crewmen.
Loose items, such as tools, parts, trash, and TMs, can put you out of operation fast.
If these or other items get under the floor or between the hull and turret, they can
break parts, cut cables, damage ammo, and on and on.
One soldier accidentally
dropped and forgot a 25mm
cleaning
rod.
When
the
turret was traversed, the rod
punctured the lower fuel cell
and the Bradley was NMC
for weeks.
A
daily
housecleaning
inside the turret and under
the floorboard will help get
rid of loose items before they
become a repair problem.
And don’t make the mistake of using safety wire to hold the handle in place.
Safety wire may last longer than the lead seal, but it won’t snap when you try to
pull the handle. And you sure won’t have time to cut it off!
P.S. Page 14-8 of TM 9-2350-284-20-1-5 (Feb 97) on EM 0043 says you’ll ±nd
the lead seal press for your Bradley listed as Item 146 in App G. You may have
noticed that App G ends with Item 145. The lead seal press is actually Item 87.1,
Dear Sergeant W.P.K.,
I think you’re right, Sergeant! The rubber guard will protect the pull handle
from most problems, but not everything. It takes only a chance encounter with
some stray branches in the ±eld to accidentally pull the handle and trigger the ±re
suppression system.
Your best bet is to inspect
the
pull
handle
during
PMCS and replace the lead
seal if it doesn’t appear
strong enough to hold the
handle
in
place.
Get
a
replacement lead seal with
seal it with a hand press,
M2/M3-Series Bradleys…
Get a Handle on It!
Turret Cleanup a Must
Check pull
handle’s
lead seal
and replace
if necessary
Items
that fall
between
hull and
turret can
puncture
fuel cell
and cause
other
damage
hmmm…
I coulda
sworn
I brought
a screwdriver
with me, too!
you
did!
but you
dropped it
between my
hull and
turret!
I’ve got
that safety
wire for
your
external
fire
suppression
system
handle!
forget it!
you’re only
supposed to
use a lead seal
on my handles!
669.08-09.indd
1-2
7/7/08
6:06:52 PM
Click here for a copy of these articles to save or email.
Back to Top
Back to Top