Four automatic weapons, sonmetimes 5 or 6, and a main gun with a hydraulic recoil system to maintain, each with their own maintenance requirements [and recordkeeping] if they're going to work, a 750- 1200 horsepower engine fed through a cross-drive transmission to three tons of track on either side, each link of which needs its end connectors checked every 50 miles or so, plus center guides in the tracks that require similar attention, which keep those tracks on the support rollers. Those rollers/road wheels themselves require frequent greasing, and the torsion bars on which they're suspended also require checks and replacement if/when they break- as they do during operation over rough terrain- that's 50 tons they support, sometimes at speeds reaching 50 MPH.
The power pack [engine/transmission] itself, needing oil as much as fuel, plus hydraulic fluid level checks [it's an automatic in an M48, easy to work] and constant checking and cleaning of the air cleaners. And, of course, the linkage and fuel lines requiring checks to make sure they're tightened correctly- there's a lot of vibration to work EVERYTHING on board loose. Oh, and the lines for the two fixed fire extinguishers, as well as two portables usually carried aboard, one in the turret and one in the driver's compartment- just in case there is a fuel leak, or a splach on a hot engine deck while refuelling.
Then there's the electrical system, keeping the sights and rangefinder in alignment with the main gun and coaxial machinegun, driver's lights and night vision gear, the tank commander's cupola equipment and the radios, all of which has to be worked on while pulling routine radio watches and keeping watch on the portion of the security perimeter or *laager* that's the crew's responsibility, refueling and rearming the guns, keeping fuel, water and supplies aboard, fixing broken fenders and front and rear blackout lights, maintaining 4 heavy-duty 24-volt batteries, antennas [they break hitting overhead tree limbs],the intercom system and 4 crewman's CVC helmets and several dozen other duties that escape me at the moment....
But if you take care of your vehicle, it'll work for you and cause the other people a considerable headache...and if there are several of you the effect is multiplied considerably....
