Crane needs right rope.

Buying a new wire rope for the crane on the Patriot's M985E1 guided missile transporter (GMT) is not a time to try to save money.

Some Patriot units have local purchased wire rope that was non-metric strand cable instead of the correct metric strand type. The wrong rope is more likely to kink and bird cage when a load is put on it. That could be a disaster when you're loading or unloading missiles. You could damage a missile or your fellow soldiers.

So when you find the crane's rope is kinked or broken and needs to be replaced, order the correct rope, NSN 4010-01-197-8303. It's Item 15 in Fig 27 in TM 9-2320-355-24&P. Check the rope during PMCS like it says in Item 4d in Table 2-1 of TM 9-2320-355-10.

When you get a new rope, lubricate all of it with GAA to help it last.