TM 9-2350-247-20-1
THEORY OF OPERATION — Continued
0003 00
Shock absorbers stabilize the carrier when operating over rough terrain. Shock absorbers are at each first two road wheels and
each rear road wheel.
PIVOT STEERING AND BRAKES (M548A1)
Pivot steering brakes are disk brakes and work like the differential brakes, but quicker. Only use disk brakes in the water or
when stopped. Speeds above 10 mph (16 km/h) damage disk brakes.
AUXILIARY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEM
The auxiliary automotive system includes driver controls, vehicle compartment heater, bilge pump, and fire suppression
system.
The driver controls regulate the engine, transmission, steering, and braking systems of the carrier.
The fuel shutoff control is used to stop the supply of fuel to the injectors. To start the engine, the driver must push in the fuel
shutoff control. The throttle linkages are used to control the engine speed. The gear selector allows the driver to choose the
proper gear for the carrier. The steering and braking levers control separate right and left steering brakes in the control
differential on M548A1. By pulling the levers, you can slow or stop either track for steering, or both tracks at once for
stopping. A lock button at the top of each lever lets you set and lock the brakes for parking. On M548A3, the steering wheel
controls steering and pivoting turns. On the M548A3, when the brake pedal and parking brake are applied at the same time
they will hold the carrier.
0003 00-14
