Ground Vehicles: Removing Shippers Chalk Writing
By | Jan. 27, 2024
A unit writes to MSG Half-Mast about removing the shipper’s chalk writing on their vehicles. He replies with various remedies. Find out how they can solve the problem here…...
924H/G Wheel Loader: Arm Lube’s a Must
By | Oct. 27, 2023
Warfighters, lube the lift arm of your 924H/G wheel loader like the TM’s PMCS instructions tell you. That way your loader will continue working properly. Read more here...
CCE: Drain the Fuel/Water Separator
By | Oct. 17, 2023
Operators, it’s crucial that you follow the BEFORE OPERATIONS PMCS like it says in the -10 TM. Draining out the water keeps it from freezing in the fuel/water separator. Here’s what else you need to know...
Ground Vehicles: 6TAGM MILSPEC Batteries Can be Mixed
By | July 19, 2023
PulseTech® Products Corporation recently released the U.S. Army Battery Maintenance Management Program (BMMP) (May 23). The BMMP describes the three batteries that you could receive with NSN 6140-01-485-1472, and they’re...
Corrosion: Training the Basics
By | July 7, 2023
Maintenance leaders, PS has an excellent PowerPoint presentation that you can download and use to train Soldiers on basic corrosion information or tailor to your equipment and vehicles. Read on...
BEB BII Mast Clamps
By | June 5, 2023
Mast clamps left on the deck can inadvertently end up in the "drink." Be sure to place them in the storage bin when they’re not being used. Read on for more details...
120M Road Grader: Wrap Hydraulic Hoses
By | June 1, 2023
Use spiral wrap, NSN 9330-00-889-7776, to protect the hydraulic hoses on the road grader’s front hydraulic drive. Keep reading to find out more...
PLS: M6 Dump Body Tarp
By | May 24, 2023
This article initially appeared in PS 766 (Sep 16), p.60. NSN 2540-01-449-5775, which is shown as Item 19 in Fig 1 of TM 9-3930-259-13&P (Jun 07), is for the M917 dump truck. It’s too wide and short for the M6 dump body...
I Own This Campaign: Nominate a Deserving Warfighter
By | May 5, 2023
Taking ownership and pride in assigned vehicles and equipment is vital to ensuring personal, unit and fleet readiness. Without this personal investment and active involvement, Warfighters fail to ensure preventive and...
Ground Vehicles: Want to Order in Bulk?
By | April 14, 2023
There are items you can order in bulk for your vehicles and equipment. Ordering in bulk can save units money and ensure high-usage items are available when needed. Here’s how to find what you can order in bulk...
Lead-Acid Batteries: WP Update for TM 9-6140-200-13
By | March 28, 2023
AR 750-1 was recently updated which caused a need for an update in work package (WP) 0020 of TM 9-6140-200-13, Operator and Field Maintenance for Automotive Lead-Acid Storage Batteries (May 11). Get the correct info here...
Ground Vehicles: Remove Battery Corrosion
By | March 9, 2023
When cleaning and removing corrosion from your vehicle’s lead-acid batteries, follow the guidance in WP 0027 of TM 9-6140-200-13 (May 11) and your vehicle’s operator and field maintenance TMs. Get more info...
PS Magazine Year-In-Review: Top 10 Website Downloads
By | Jan. 13, 2023
The PS Magazine website features helpful documents, posters and charts that were downloaded over 80,000 times. You might be interested to learn what the most downloaded items were. Read on to find out...
Safety: Are You and Your Vehicles Ready for Winter?
By | Nov. 22, 2022
This article initially appeared in PS 792 (Nov 18), p. 12. Maintenance leaders, winter is here and requires more preparation and maintenance for vehicles. But that’s not all, read on…...
PMCS: Good PM Takes More Than Just the TM
By | Nov. 22, 2022
This article initially appeared in PS 774 (May 17), p. 1. Use your eyes, ears, nose and hands to help you uncover problems that could deadline your vehicle. Read on for more info…...
Ground Vehicles: Lead-Acid Battery Storage
By | Sept. 1, 2022
Flooded cell and absorbed glass material (AGM) batteries can be stored and charged in the same container as long as you follow the guidelines in TM 9-6140-200-13 (May 11). We’ve got the details here…...
Tactical Vehicles: Shocking Truth behind Defective Batteries
By | Aug. 3, 2022
Warfighters, new batteries are often returned to the Army supply system as unserviceable after only a few days or weeks. Did you know that very few of these new batteries prove to be defective at all? As shocking as that...
TWPS: RO Pump NSN
By | June 29, 2022
Get the reverse osmosis pump for the tactical water purification system (TWPS) using NSN 4320-01-531-1844. Keep reading to get the full story on the reverse osmosis pump...
Ground Vehicles: Don’t Use Tire Shine Products
By | June 24, 2022
Operators, we warned you about using tire shine products in our story on Page 15 of PS 791 (Oct 18). Sure, you want your ride to sparkle; however, using tire shine products to get that sparkle isn’t authorized. That’s because...
MK III VMMD Husky: Ink Spray Hoses
By | March 31, 2022
Operators, make sure the MK III VMMD Husky’s ink spray hoses are properly routed, attached and tucked away whenever the vehicle’s mine detector heads are in the elevated position. Here's why...
RCV Buffalo A2: When Water is Your Enemy
By | March 24, 2022
Water collects in the hull of the Buffalo A2 like a rain barrel on the side of a barn. Water drips off wet boots and uniforms, trickles in from the top of the vehicle, and more. Read on to learn ways to prevent water damage...
Corrosion: New Documents Published
By | Feb. 25, 2022
Corrosion is an ongoing battle. To ensure this menace never wins the day, two new corrosion policy and procedures publications are available...
Ground Vehicles: Arctic Oil Replacement
By | Feb. 9, 2022
A new multi-functional, heavy-duty, arctic engine oil called synthetic multi-purpose lubricant (OE/HDO-SMPL-I) is now replacing the old OEA-30...
CCE: 2021 Year-in-Review
By | Feb. 1, 2022
This article highlights construction-related articles from 2021 and some of the information readers found most useful...
CCE Vehicles: Cool Weather Maintenance Reminders
By | Sept. 28, 2021
The cooler days of fall are just around the corner. Here are some reminders that go hand-in-hand with your unit’s construction equipment as the temperature starts to drop...
Maintenance Mgmt: Ground Guiding is Serious Business
By | Sept. 20, 2021
Army equipment is often large and awkward to move. Safely maneuvering large equipment, especially in tight spaces, requires properly trained and positioned ground guides. Learn more here...
Maintenance Mgmt: Leaders Teach & Train PMCS
By | Sept. 20, 2021
Listen up! The next time a vehicle goes into the shop with an apparent low tire psi, ask the operator if they have a tire gauge. Then ask them how to check the tire’s psi. You might be surprised to find out what they don't...
Maintenance Mgmt: The Cold Reality about PMCS
By | Sept. 20, 2021
Army equipment gets used in some of the worst conditions imaginable. It’s common sense that equipment works “best” when operated daily, weekly and on a monthly basis...
Ground Vehicles: QR Codes for PMCS Not TACOM-Endorsed
By | Aug. 26, 2021
Dear MSG Half-Mast, I work on a Command Maintenance Evaluation/Maintenance Assistance Instruction (COMET/MAIT) team and keep seeing quick response (QR) codes used to access the PMCS tables of a vehicle’s TMs. Can they be...
PS Magazine: A Trusted Source for Readiness Information
By | July 20, 2021
For 70 years, Soldiers—as well as other service personnel—have relied on PS Magazine to get the late-breaking, correct information they need to keep their fleets combat ready. Still, a question continues to pop up in motor...
Maintaining it Means Using It
By | July 1, 2021
It’s common sense that equipment works “best” when operated daily, weekly and on a monthly basis, right? The cold reality is common sense flies out the window when a vehicle is allowed to sit idle for a long time...
Yellow Safety Paint
By | June 15, 2021
This article initially appeared in PS 766 (Sep 16), p. 61. Get a 5-gal container of yellow safety paint with NSN 8010-01-019-1776. This water-based latex is used to paint guide marks and warning lines inside your motor pool...
Don’t Spin Our Wheels!
By | Feb. 23, 2021
This article initially appeared in PS 759 (May 16), p. 1. PS Magazine gets lots of maintenance and supply questions each month. Sometimes we can send out an immediate answer. Other times, those answers take a couple days to a...
Maintenance Training: Find Every Chance to Teach
By | Jan. 22, 2021
Listen up! The next time a vehicle comes into the shop with an apparent low tire psi, ask the operator if they have a tire gauge. Then ask them how to check the tire’s psi. You might be surprised to find out what they don't...
Construction Equipment: Updated MEL List
By | Dec. 29, 2020
Need a maintenance expenditure limits (MEL) list for your unit’s construction equipment? You’ll find the latest updates in the attached 2021 MEL for the Army’s older construction equipment...
PS Magazine: Help Us Help You
By | Dec. 23, 2020
Each day, emails from Soldiers and DoD civilians all over the world come into PS Magazine seeking answers to challenges they're facing while maintaining their vehicles and equipment. And each day, Half-Mast or a member of his...
Battery Box Coating Compound
By | Dec. 9, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 745 (May 17), p. 61. If the interior coating on your vehicle’s battery box is wearing out, you’ll need to recoat it. Use a wire brush to scrape off rust and old paint. Then, after...
Windshield Washer Fluid
By | Dec. 9, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 615 (Feb 04), p. 60. To make windshield washer fluid, use NSN 6850-00-926-2275 to get a case of twelve 16-oz bottles of concentrated windshield cleaning compound...
UTAP: You’re Just a Click Away!
By | Nov. 17, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 798 (May 19), p. 20-21. TACOM’s Unit Training Assistance Program, UTAP, provides approved training materials for a variety of TACOM-managed equipment...
MK III VMMD HUSKY: Battery Drain a Real Pain
By | Oct. 28, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 769 (Dec 16), p. 14. Dead batteries and the Husky seem to go hand-in-hand, especially when your vehicle sits for long periods in cold weather. To keep batteries charged,...
M1231 MK II/III VMMD Husky: INK TANK ALERT!
By | Oct. 22, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 769 (Dec 16), p. 13. Operators, cold weather can spell D-O-O-M for the ink tank on the left side of your Husky’s cab. The water/ink solution inside the tank will freeze when temperatures...
M1272 Buffalo: The Pain of Battery Drain
By | Oct. 7, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 775 (Jun 17), p. 15. It’s no secret that electronics inside the M1272 Buffalo have a bad habit of running the vehicle’s batteries dry. And those batteries can lose their charge in just a...
CAT Construction Equipment: 500-hr Service Kit
By | Sept. 30, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 781 (Dec 17), p. 16. Mechanics, service kits which are now available for your CAT construction equipment. This article provide a list of kits to use for 500-hr services...
Construction Equipment: Stop That Sneaky Leak
By | Sept. 14, 2020
This article initially appeared in PS 774 (May 17), p. 16. Operators, working in rocky soil can play havoc with the tires on your construction equipment. When small rocks get stuck between the tire and wheel rim, tire...
Construction Equipment: Take Time to Eyeball Tire Damage
By | June 10, 2020
Construction operations in rocky soil will cause serious wear-and-tear on your vehicle tire’s treads and sidewalls. That means getting down on hands and knees to take a close look for gouges, tears or slits in the tire’s...
CIPs: Telling Friend from Foe Requires Proper Care
By | May 29, 2020
Combat is dangerous enough without having to worry about being shot at by someone on your own side! That’s where combat identification panels (CIPs) come in. CIPs are 24 x 30-in panels that help protect you from friendly...