Hello guys.
I am working on Dragon's M1A1 AIM.
Finally,they made this part right but I don't know what this square thing on the tip of the side armor is for.
Dose anyone know?


Thanks in advance
Ko

When openng the front side skirt, a bar is inserted into the square tube to allow the crew to slightly lift and open the skirt, which weighs on the order of 800 or 900 pounds.

I didn't know they work like that.
Lift and open using a bar.Interesting.
900 pouds? That is almost 400kg!
WoW

Thank you Rob!

As Rob said above that is what it is suppose to be used for, but most crewmembers just put their backs into it to push it back so that a clip can be rotated and the skirt opened. The clip it am refering to is the one that you see on the outside of the #1 skirt.

Ric

On the New Dragon M1A1 this is optional and can be removed. T14 (T13) Adjacent Section 8.

I saw firsthand what Ric is referring to while visiting Ft Stewart. My back hurt just watching that. Owe!
Note only one guy did it. I suppose normally at least a couple would do this.

It is not an optional part. The option is to leave the plastic molded piece on the skirt, or use the provided PE parts (MA7 x 2) in their place. The lifting point is still there either way.

Depending on how you are doing your maintenance, a single guy will open and close the skirt. With the right leverage (you put your back to it, scoot your butt the level of the bottom, place both hands on the bottom, and push and lift at the same time), it's not that difficult to do in a clean environment, such as dusty conditions, or the motorpool.

However, if you are in mud, it's usually a two man job, and depending on how much mud, you will use the tanker's bar (5 foot pieces of iron) inserted into that bit at the end of the #1 skirt, and two will lift while one pushes.

You will never see an experienced tanker open up two skirts on the same hinge. The fear of having them drop on you is pretty significant. Total, the #1 and #2 weigh in the area of 1400 lbs, which is supported by a hollow steel pipe at the bottom, and a bolted on piece at the top.

Like Ric was saying, one guy will close them, then flip the half-moon around, and tighten the bolt on the half-moon finger tight, then insert the pin at the top.

Jed