TM 10-8340-205-13&P
4.17 PROTECTION OF PINS, POLES, AND LINES AGAINST DAMAGE .
a. Pins. All wooden tent pins currently Issued receive a wood preservative treatment. Care should be
taken in handling pins to see that they are not broken or otherwise damaged. In determining
serviceability of pins, look for cracks, splits, distorted ends, and broken or flattened points.
b. Poles. Care should be taken In handling tent poles to see that they are not broken or otherwise
damaged. In determining serviceability of poles, look for cracks, splits, condition of metal parts, and
missing or bent spindles.
c. Lines. Lines require periodic inspection. The stability and safety of the tent may depend on the
condition of the various lines used. Deterioration may be either physical or chemical in nature.
Physical damage is caused by surface wear or from internal function between the fibers. Chemical
damage is caused by exposure to weather conditions and acids. To prevent damage to tent lines,
observe the following rules.
(1) Store lines properly in a dry, unheated building or a room with good air circulation. Place lines in
loose coils off the floor on wooden grating, or hang them on wooden pegs. It is best to hang small
lines In loose coils and to coil large sizes loosely on a grating or platform raised from the floor to
insure necessary circulation of air. Never store lines in a small confined space without good air
circulation Clean thoroughly before storing. Continuous exposure to sunlight is damaging to lines.
Improper storage conditions frequently causes dry rot.
(2) Dry line properly after exposure to moisture. Lines are best dried when hung loosely between two
trees or other objects so that they do not come is contact with the ground
(3) Keep lines clean. If lines become dirty, they should be washed In dean water and thoroughly dried.
Grit from sand, mud, or other materials, if allowed to remain and work into the lines, will grind and
wear the fibers
(4) Protect lines from chemicals. Keep lines away from chemicals or their fumes, especially acids or
alkaline substances. Drying oils, such as linseed oil and paint will also damage lines.
(5) Reverse lines when possible, end for end, periodically, so that all sections of the lines will receive
equal wear. When wear is localized in a short section, periodically shortening will present a new
wearing surface
(6) If line becomes damaged, causing loss of more than 10% of its breaking strength, replace the line
with new one.
(7) Whip ends of lines to prevent raveling (see FM 10-16).
4.18 ADMINISTRATIVE STORAGE.
a. Placement of equipment in administrative storage should be for short periods of time when a
shortage of maintenance effort exists. Items should be in mission readiness within 24-hours or within
the time factors as determined by the directing authority. During the storage period, appropriate
maintenance records will be kept.
b. Before placing equipment in administrative storage, current maintenance services and Equipment
Serviceable Criteria (ESC) evaluations should be completed, shortcomings and deficiencies should
be corrected, and all Modification Work Orders (MWOs) should be applied.
c. Storage Site Selection. Inside storage is preferred for items selected for administrative storage. If
Inside storage is not available, trucks, vans, conex containers, and other containers may be used.
d. In addition, the instructions contained in TM 740-90-1 and TM 38-230-1 apply.
4-17/(4-18 blank)
