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M939
M939 Dump Truck (M929)
Overview
Manufacturer AM General[1]
BMY (After 1986 & M939A2)[1]
Production 1982[1]
1989 (M939A2)[1]
Body and chassis
Body style 2-door General Utility Truck[1]
Layout AWD 6x6[1]
Powertrain
Engine Cummins NHC-250 (M939/M939A1)[1]
Cummins 6CTA8.3 Turbo-Diesel (M939A2)[1]
Transmission Allison 5 speed automatic with a 2-speed transfer case
Dimensions
Length 7,890 mm (310.6 in) (M939A2)[1]
Width 2,470 mm (97.2 in) (M939A2)[1]
Height 3,070 mm (120.9 in) (M939A2)[1]
Curb weight 9,027 kg (19,901.1 lb) (M939A2)[1]
US Marine Corps 030224-M-XT622-034 USMC M923 (6X6) 5-ton cargo truck heads a convoy departing Camp Matilda, Kuwait crop

A United States Marine Corps M923 variant of the M939 in Kuwait

The M939 series 5-ton 6x6 truck is a family of United States military logistical transportation trucks which was designed in the late 1970s and has been in service ever since.[1] About 32,000 M939 series trucks are in service.[1] The M939 series is an improved version of the older M809 Truck series of trucks.[1]

Specifications

M923

U.S. Marine Corps M923A1

All models of the M939 share a common basic chassis, cab, and hood/fenders. The basic truck is a 6x6 (three axles, six sets of tires, all six powered) medium truck. Early M939s were rebuilds of M809 vehicle chassis by AM General, with a new automatic transmission, cab, and hood/fender. Suffix –A2 are new production by Bowen-McLaughlin-York/BMY with later model Cummins engine. The vehicles have a wide variety of configurations and weights. [2][3][4]

Note that the motor and tire specifications, along with other improvements, apply to the A2 versions (and A1 versions) of each base model listed below. There is an M928, an M928A1, and M928A2.

Engine

The M939 and M939A1 models use a Cummins NHC 250 855-cubic-inch-displaced (c.i.d.) naturally aspirated diesel engine, producing 250 hp.(685 ft•lbf@1500 rpm). This was the standard engine of the M809 series. The M939A2 models use a newer and smaller Cummins 6CTA8.3 504 c.i.d. turbocharged engine producing 240 hp.(745 ft•lbf@1500 rpm). All models have an Allison 5 speed automatic transmission with a two speed transfer case. [5][6]203-204

Tires

The M939 uses 11:00 R20 tires with two tires per side per axle in the rear (rear tandem duals). The M939A1 and M939A2 series use oversized 14:00 R20 tires and rear tandem singles. M939A2 series vehicles use a centralized tire inflation system (CTIS).

Models

The M939 series includes the following base models:[7]

Model Description Chassis
M923 Basic cargo/transport with dropside cargo area 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase
M924 Same as M923 but the cargo area is not dropside 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase
M925 Same as the M923, but with a 20,000 lb winch on the front 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase
M926 Same as the M924, but with a 20,000 lb winch on the front 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase
M927 Extended-body version of the M-923 215 in (546 cm) Extra Long Wheelbase (XLWB)
M928 Same as the M927, but with a 20,000 lb winch on the front 215 in (546 cm) Extra Long Wheelbase (XLWB)
M929 Dump truck 167 in (424 cm) Short wheelbase
M930 Same as the M929, but with a 20,000 lb winch on the front 167 in (424 cm) Short wheelbase
M931 Tractor-trailer truck 167 in (424 cm) Short wheelbase
M932 Same as the M931, but with a 20,000 lb winch on the front 167 in (424 cm) Short wheelbase
M934 Expansible van body, often used as a mobile command post 215 in (546 cm) Extra Long Wheelbase (XLWB)
M935 Expansible van body, with hydraulic lift gate 215 in (546 cm) Extra Long Wheelbase (XLWB)
M936 Wrecker 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase
M944 Engineering truck with compressor welder etc. 179 in (454 cm) wheelbase

Operators

  • United States
  • Flag of Turkey Turkey
  • Flag of Ecuador Ecuador
  • Flag of Egypt Egypt
  • Flag of Lebanon Lebanon
  • Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
  • Flag of the Republic of China Republic of China
  • Flag of Mexico Mexico
  • Flag of Indonesia Indonesia
  • Flag of the Philippines Philippines
  • Flag of Morocco Morocco

Safety

The safety of the M939 series of trucks has been criticized, especially braking performance and stability when loaded. In 1999 the U.S. Army began refitting anti-lock brake systems to the M939 trucks. Until the trucks were modified, they were limited to a 40 mph (65 km/h) top speed by an Army-wide safety order.

Prior to that improvement, 26% of all Army vehicle accidents and 53% of all Army vehicle accident fatalities were in M939 series trucks. From 1987 to 1998 the series made up 9% of the total U.S. Army vehicle inventory, but accounted for 34% of all fatal accidents. [8]

The problem seemed to be that the torque converter would "lock up" in 2nd gear, and would not unlock easily. When the driver attempted to brake hard, often in a sudden or 'panic' stop, and accidentally locked the brakes (no wheel movement, tires skidding), this would kill the engine; this also killed the power steering, and the driver would suddenly be unable to steer. Too often, the truck would veer sideways and either hit something or roll over.

See also

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 "M939, General utility truck". military-today. http://www.military-today.com/trucks/m939.htm. Retrieved 2013-10-12. 
  2. TECHNICAL MANUAL OPERATOR’S MANUAL FOR TRUCK, 5-TON, 6X6, M939, M939A1, AND M939A2 SERIES TRUCKS (DIESEL), U.S. Army TM 9-2320-272-10, Accessed 2006-05-04
  3. Crismon, Fred W. (1998). Modern U.S. Military Vehicles. MBI Publishing. pp. 91–96. ISBN 0-7603-0526-9. 
  4. Doyle, David (2003). Standard catalog of U.S. Military Vehicles. Kraus Publications. pp. 202–203, 205. ISBN 0-87349-508-X. 
  5. Crismon (1998), p. 95.
  6. Doyle (2003), p. 1.
  7. Doyle (2003), p. 204.
  8. M939 series information page at globalsecurity.org, Accessed 2006-05-04

External links

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at M939 Truck and the edit history here.
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