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The TMs. Why you should use them.

MarcusOReallyus

Well-known member
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“Read the blanking manual!”


Nobody likes to hear that when they have a question on a forum. What’s the point of even having a forum if you can’t ask questions and get answers? Just post the manuals for download and we’re done!

Nah, that's not what we do here. (Mostly. Sometimes we can get a little cranky. ;) )

On the other hand, those manuals (Technical Manuals) are a wealth of information, and those who use them are much better off. This thread is to try to help newbies get started with them.

Because, really you should read the manual! :D



Okay, first of all, the TMs are free for download on this site. Go to the Home page of Steelsoldiers.com, and scroll down a bit, and you’ll see them. Bazillions of them. 5 tons, Dueces, CUCVs, and a bunch more. Find the ones for the CUCVs, and grab them. They are PDF files, so you’ll need a PDF reader. (I like Foxit. Adobe is a security nightmare.)


These TMs were written to be so plain and easy to follow that 18-year-old kids with almost no training could pick them up and do useful work with them. They contain just about everything you could want to know. They have step-by-step troubleshooting guides that will walk you through problem solving and get you to a solution without a bunch of guesswork or parts swapping. (Throwing parts at a problem is a time-wasting, frustrating, and expensive way to solve a problem.)

But, I have to admit, they do take some getting used to. I’ll try to help you a bit with that.

First of all, you need to understand how they are arranged. The military has different levels of maintenance. There are basic things the operator is expected to do (like checking fluid levels and tire pressure), things that company mechanics are expected to do (more really mechanic stuff like troubleshooting) and things that higher levels are expected to do, like rebuilding engines. Each level has its own TM. So you want to know about the transmission? It won't all be in one manual. So, you need to get familiar with what’s where, OR, just check each manual when you want to look something up. And then there is a parts manual, and a lubrication manual. Here’s how they break down:

LO9-2320-289-12.pdf Lube Order, or just, LO. Got a question about any kind of lube to use? Check here.

TM9-2320-289-10 The “dash 10”, or “-10”. This is the operator level manual. Basic stuff.

TM9-2320-289-20 The “dash 20”, or “-20”. This is the company maintenance level manual.

TM9-2320-289-34 The “dash 34”, or “-34”. This is the more complicated stuff.

TM9-2320-289-34p The “34p”, “dash 34p”, or “-34p”. Parts!

TM9-2815-237-34 Deep engine stuff. Covers the 6.5 as well as the 6.2


There are a bunch of other manuals available, but this is the basic set.

The other important thing you need to know is that these manuals cover pretty much all of the CUCV variants. This means you need to pay attention to what part of the manual you are in. For example, if you are looking at info on transfer cases, it’s different for the M1008 vs. the M1028A1. There will be a section for each. Sometimes you’ll see a heading that says something like, “All except MXXXX.” That means that section covers every variant EXCEPT the MXXXX, and there will be a section that is ONLY for the MXXXX.



One last thing – some of the electrical diagrams have errors, but go to the “Helpful Threads” sticky (top of the CUCV forum) and you’ll find corrected diagrams there for you.

By the way, if you are a newbie, you really should read that list of Helpful Threads. Like the TMs, there’s a ton of good info there. I don't mean read every thread, but read down the list of titles so you know just so you know what’s there for you.



Happy wrenching! :beer:
 

frank8003

In Memorial
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PDF is used by any entitiy, like the USA gubermint, that wants what they published to be NOT Changed in any way

There is really easy searches within ANY PDF files whereas when one has it open, [NOT on a phone- I don't use phones so don't know] , then one may easily search for any particular word or subject or whatever, in a heartbeat.

It is almost as good as the other very frugal program known as Excel.

Any problems One may have being able to search PDF files just ask us.
I wrote it many times so far within the SS threads but seems it don't go to everybody.
Perhaps the Tritease of it should be a sticky.
 
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dependable

Well-known member
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I use the TM's only once in a while on CUCVs, but since already knew my way around a 6.2 diesels and any Chevy truck made from '60-86 before I ever got a CUCV, got admit I find TMs kind of cumbersome and hard to navigate compared w factory manual for the truck, military wiring excluded. It is also good to note that they can be wrong or incomplete. I found and posted one omission years ago here regarding wire diagram. If I found something, then I'm sure smarter people than me could find more.

That said, I use TMs with MEPs, because I don't know what I'm doing as much with them, and they are a very good reference, even if sometimes hard to chew though.

Resources on line are not always available. I suggest everyone download the TMs from this site for any thing they own or intend to own.

I don't know about others, but I have ability to generate power to run computer, but have no ablitly to fix when interweb is down (as mine was for three days last week). Download, save & store those TM's. I have all mine in a folder on my desktop, accessible when off line.
 
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