Product Improvement Test of T132E1 Snow Pads for M578 Recovery Vehicle Under Arctic Winter Conditions.

• Main Authors: Durso, Joseph P., Jr., Wayne, Robert A.
• Other Authors: ARMY ARCTIC TEST CENTER FORT GREELY AK
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1969
• Subjects: Surface Transportation and Equipment; (*RECOVERY VEHICLES; SNOW); (*VEHICLE TRACKS; COLD WEATHER TESTS); MANEUVERABILITY; ARCTIC REGIONS; PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING); MOBILITY; TRACKED VEHICLES; M-578 VEHICLES; TRACK PADS; T-132 VEHICLE TRACKS; WINTER; Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0855243; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0855243

A Product Improvement Test was conducted at Fort Greely, Alaska, to determine if the T132E1 track snow pads increased the mobility of the M578 recovery vehicle over arctic terrain. Three test pad designs were evaluated: low durometer rubber, spring loaded rubber and steel grouser. The test approach used was to first determine which snow pad design provided the greatest vehicle mobility, and then to test that design for durability under the prevailing environmental conditions. Initial testing of all three types snow pads revealed that the low durometer rubber snow pad provided the best performance in the areas of mobility, slope performance, and tractive effort, over the steel grouser and spring loaded pads. Durability of the low durometer pad was adequate except for frequent loosening of the retaining nut. It was concluded that the low durometer snow pad increases the mobility of the M578 recovery vehicle more than any other track pad configuration tested under arctic winter conditions.