TM-55-2350-215-10-15 M60 Series Transportability Guidance Download

TM 55-2350-215-10-15 CHAPTER 5 HIGHWAY TRANSPORTABILITY GUIDANCE Section I. GENERAL 5-1. Scope This chapter provides highway transportability guidance for movement of the M60-series tanks. It includes significant technical and physical characteristics and safety considerations and prescribes the materials and guidance required to prepare, load, tie down, and unload the vehicles. 5-2. Safety Movement of the M60-series tanks is subject to the safety precautions contained in chapter 3, as well as the same safety laws, rules, and regulations applicable to commercial carriers. Overseas, such movements are governed by theater regulations. 5-3. General The vehicles are considered self-deliverable only in limited emergencies and under appropriate tactical situations. Although the tracks of vehicles are rubber bushed, movement over paved public highways will be limited to contingencies or mobilization and must have approval of civil highway authorities. The weight of the M60-series tanks is considered excessive for many bridges. Their width and height exceed limitations in CONUS and overseas. Section II. TRANSPORT BY SEMITRAILER 5-4. Transport of M60-Series Tank by Semitrailer The M60 Tank, when loaded on heavy equipment transporters (HETs), can be transported over public highways; however, highway movements should be made only when other transport modes cannot be used. Normally, highway movements are made with the vehicle loaded on military or commercial low-bed HETs of adequate capacity. As identified in paragraphs 5-5 and 5-6, the M60 series, when loaded on a HET, exceeds length, width, height, and weight limitations in CONUS and overseas. Except for certain emergency conditions, special permits, special routing, and/or a "certification of essentiality to national defense" are required for movements in CONUS (AR 55-80 and AR 55-162). Special permits and routing are also required overseas. Military or commercial HETs with capabilities equal to or greater than those of the M747 are generally satisfactory for transporting the M60-series tank. Some States will not allow routine movement of the M747 HET when loaded with the M60-series tank. A typical loading, with the M747 as the transport vehicle towed by a truck tractor, is contained in this chapter. 5-5. Preparation of M60-Series Tank Preparation of the M60 tank for transport includes the following procedures: a. Turret traverse and gun-elevating mechanism must be in travel position and locked and wire-tied to prevent rotation. b. Antennae must be tied down or removed, hatches placed in closed position, and loose gear secured with nylon cord or suitable substitute. c. External machine guns must be removed and secured in locations provided. 5-6. Transport of M60-Series Tank on M747 Semitrailer, Towed by Truck Tractor (M746 or M911) of the Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) System a. General. The combined weight and axle spacing of M747 HET poses the greatest problem to highway movement. The air-bag suspension of the M747 causes excessive overloading of axles when traversing horizontal or vertical curves. Therefore, some States will not allow routine movements with the M747. Also, the combined length of the tractor and semitrailer, 61 feet, exceeds the generally accepted CONUS and oversea unrestricted length of 55 feet. The width of the tractor/semitrailer combination exceeds the legal limits for CONUS and overseas. The legal limits for CONUS are published in chart form by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Those for overseas are given in the Limits of Motor Vehicle Sizes and Weights, published by International Road Federation, Geneva, Switzerland. Movement of the loaded HET system with a payload (M60 tank) over public highways in CONUS and overseas is normally limited to emergencies or when other transport modes are not available or 5-1