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
