EQUIPMENT CHARACTERISTICS, CAPABILITIES, AND FEATURES

TM 9-2350-238-10 EQUIPMENT CHARACTERISTICS, CAPABILITIES, AND FEATURES PURPOSE The M578 Recovery Vehicle is used to pick up or tow disabled mechanized equipment, as a crane at repair base, and as a carrying plat- form for spare parts and maintenance personnel. CAPABILITIES AND FEATURES The M578 Recovery Vehicle is a light, full- tracked, self-propelled, diesel-powered vehicle with a 30,000 lb (1 3,620 kg) boom winch and a 60,000 lb (27,240 kg) tow winch mounted in an armored cab. It is highly mobile and maneuverable and may be air transported. The vehicle is capable of long- range, high-speed operation on improved roads. It can also traverse rough terrain, mud- dy or marshy ground, snow or ice, and can ford streams of a depth of 42 in. (1 06.7 cm). A suspension lockout system and a spade assembly provide a stable platform and in- crease lifting and winching capabilities of the vehicle. Suspension lockout system, boom, winches, cab, and spade are hydraulically powered. A machine gun mount support is installed on the rigger/gunner cupola to accommodate a Browning M2 caliber .50 machine gun. LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR COMPONENTS The following pages show location and give a brief description of components and ac- cessories with which the crew must be familiar to effectively operate the M578 Recovery Vehicle. M578 RECOVERY VEHICLE– LEFT FRONT VIEW 1 CRANE. Crane consists of boom, cab, boom cylinders, boom cable, tow cable, hydraulic reservoir, seats, and operating controls. 2 HULL. Hull is an armor steel and armor steel plate weldment which forms vehicle chassis. 3 FLOODLIGHT. Two 24-volt sealed beam units provide illumination for night operations. 4 CRANE OPERATOR’S CUPOLA. Crane operator’s cupola consists of an armor- plate mounting ring welded to cab and an armor-plate cover hinged to cab top and counterbalanced by a torsion bar. Six M 17 periscopes are provided for external vision. 1-3