TM-55-2350-224-14 Transportation Guidance for M113 Family of Vehicles Download
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TM 55-2350-224-14 e. Secure the battery. f. Inspect engine, brakes, and tiedowns, to en- sure they are in good mechanical condition. g. Mark shipping weight and center of balance location on both sides of the carrier. 5-7-2. Specific Carrier Preparations for Airlift: a. M106, M106A1, and M106A2. Secure base plate for the 107-mm mortar inside carrier. b. M548 and M548A1. Secure the bows canvas inside the carrier. c. M577, M577A1, and M577A2. Remove antenna extensions and guards to reduce the the and the the carrier to its lowest configuration. Rear ramp requires special preparation to prevent it from falling during transport. See appendix E for in- structions. d. M901, M901A1, and M981. Reduce the height of the carrier for transport on the C-130 and C–141 aircraft by removing the armored sight cover from the top of the TOW launcher or targeting head. The wide field of view (WFOV) sight must also be removed (by a qualified fire- control technician). Appendix D contains detailed procedures for converting from the high stow to the low stow position. e. M1068. Remove the antenna extensions and guards, auxiliary power unit, and tent light set mounts to reduce the carrier to its lowest configu- ration. 5-7-3. Loading Instructions a. Metal parts of the carrier tracks must not make contact with the aircraft loading ramp or cargo compartment floor. Prolonged operation of vehicles causes the rubber track pads to chip, crack, and wear, thus eliminating the rubber pad protection and allowing the steel track shoes to impact the surface. Therefore, the use of shoring is always required when loading and offloading the carriers. Use 2- by 12-inch lumber to provide two rows of shoring 24 inches wide and spaced to match the carrier tracks. The loaded height of the carriers may be reduced slightly by use of 3/4inch or 1/2-inch plywood shoring instead of 2- by 12-inch lumber. Lay the shoring from the ground end of the aircraft ramp extension into the cargo com- partment, so that when the carrier is in the tiedown position, the tracks are on the shoring. Shoring is provided by the transported unit or by the shipping activity. b. Place the transmission in neutral and set the parking brake, after the carrier has been posi- tioned aboard the aircraft. c. Restraint factors (g loads) for minimum ac- ceptable conditions (specified for crew and passen- ger safety in the event of a controlled emergency landing) are specified in the applicable aircraft Technical Orders (TO 1C-5A-9, TO 1C-130A-9, and TO 1C-141A–9). d. For the M113A3 and M730A2, put the trans- mission in SL position. 5-2