📌 M54 Mack 6x6 5 ton Cargo Truck (Dodge WC56 Command Reconnaissance Vehicle) Bypass, Attleborough.
The American M39 (G744) series was designed as a 5 ton, Three-Axle All-Wheel-Drive Off-Road Truck to replace the World War Two-era trucks such as 4 ton and 6 ton 6x6's built by Brockway, Diamond T, Mack, and White. Rushed into production by International Harvester in 1951, soon Kaiser (renamed Kaiser-Jeep in 1963) also became a major manufacturer, with Diamond T and Mack building smaller numbers. The M39 series evolved into the M809 (G908) series in 1969, which followed, but did not replace, it. The M809 Series was then improved into the M939 series.
The standard M54 Cargo Truck version of the series, had a 7ft x 14ft low-sided box with a bottom-hinged tailgate, side racks, troop seats, and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard, the front-mounted winch was optional. The standard body sides could secure a load but could not be loaded from the side by forklifts, so a body with drop sides was standardized as the M54A1C.
M54 Cargo: Wheelbase: 14ftin 11in / Length: 26ft 2in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 9ft 8in / Unladen: 8.9 tons / Laden: 13.3 tons.
ENGINE:
The M39 series were originally powered by a Continental R6602 engine, a 9.9 litre overhead valve inline 6 cylinder petrol engine developing 224hp at 2,800 rpm. The -A1 upgrade had a Mack ENDT-673, a 11.0 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder diesel engine developing 210hp at 2,100 rpm. The -A2 upgrade had a Continental LDS-465-1A, a 7.8 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder developing 175hp at 2,100 rpm. Petrol engine models have a down-swept exhaust exiting from under the body just ahead of the righthand front set of rear wheels, the diesel (-A1) and multifuel (-A2) models have a vertical exhaust stack and air cleaner on the right fender, however a very small number of the earliest -A1 models and some -A2 gas/multifuel conversions are seen with the same style of downswept exhaust as on petrol models. A2's with a factory build date prior 1964 originally were petrol engine models. Most of these conversions received the overdrive 5th transmission found in ''pure'' -A1 and ''pure'' -A2 models. However, some converts retained their original petrol model direct 5th transmission which gave closer gear ratios but a top speed of only 45 mph with a multifuel due to the lower top rpm allowed on that engine compared to a petrol engine.
DRIVELINE:
All M39's had a Spicer 5 speed manual transmission, petrol trucks had a ''low'' 1st gear and direct 5th. Diesel and multifuels trucks had a different model with a ”low” 1st, direct 4th, and overdrive 5th. A 2 speed transfer case engaged the front axle automatically if the rear axles slipped and moved faster than the front axle. Timken axles were used, Gas models had a 6.44:1 final drive gear ratio except for the M129 C/D, which had a 10.26:1.
CHASSIS:
The M39 series had a ladder frame with three live beam axles, the front was on leaf springs, the rear tandem on leaf springs with locating arms. There were three wheelbases (measurements are from the centerline of the front axle to the centerline of rear tandem) the short, used for tractors and dumps, is 13ft 11in, the long, used for cargo and wreckers, is 14ft 11in, and the extra long, used for long cargo and expansible vans, is 17ft 11in. There was also an extra heavy duty extra long chassis for extreme service. Many M39 series were equipped with a front-mounted 8.9 ton Gar Wood winch, intended for self-recovery. A winch weighed 0.3 ton and added 15 1⁄2in to the length of the truck.
The M39 series had both single and dual rear tyre models, very few single rear tyre trucks were built. Most models had 11.00x20's with dual rear tyres, tractor wreckers had larger 12.00x20's. Bridge trucks and all M139 chassis based trucks had 14.00x20's. A standard military cab, designed by REO, was used. It had hinged doors with roll-up windows, a folding windshield, and a removable canvas roof. Cargo trucks and tractors could be fitted with a ring mount for a M2 Browning Machine Gun. A hard roof could also be fitted if required.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: 5-ton 6x6 Truck
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎Designer: International Harvester
▪︎Manufacturer: Diamond T / International Harvester / Kaiser / Kaiser-Jeep / Mack
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1965
▪︎Weight: 8.9 tons (empty) / Length: 24ft 11in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 9ft 8in
▪︎Powerplant: Continental R6602 224hp. The -A1 upgrade had a Mack ENDT-673, 11.0 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder diesel engine developing 210hp at 2,100 rpm / The -A2 upgrade had a Continental LDS-465-1A, 7.8 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder developing 175hp at 2,100 rpm
▪︎Transmission: 5 speed X 2 range transfer case
▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles on leaf springs
▪︎Operational Range: 280 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 52 mph.
Dodge WC56 Command Reconnaissance Vehicle link flic.kr/p/2iqPkkH
Sourced from military-history.fandom.com/wiki/M54_5-ton_6x6_truck
📌 M54 Mack 6x6 5 ton Cargo Truck (Dodge WC56 Command Reconnaissance Vehicle) Bypass, Attleborough.
The American M39 (G744) series was designed as a 5 ton, Three-Axle All-Wheel-Drive Off-Road Truck to replace the World War Two-era trucks such as 4 ton and 6 ton 6x6's built by Brockway, Diamond T, Mack, and White. Rushed into production by International Harvester in 1951, soon Kaiser (renamed Kaiser-Jeep in 1963) also became a major manufacturer, with Diamond T and Mack building smaller numbers. The M39 series evolved into the M809 (G908) series in 1969, which followed, but did not replace, it. The M809 Series was then improved into the M939 series.
The standard M54 Cargo Truck version of the series, had a 7ft x 14ft low-sided box with a bottom-hinged tailgate, side racks, troop seats, and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard, the front-mounted winch was optional. The standard body sides could secure a load but could not be loaded from the side by forklifts, so a body with drop sides was standardized as the M54A1C.
M54 Cargo: Wheelbase: 14ftin 11in / Length: 26ft 2in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 9ft 8in / Unladen: 8.9 tons / Laden: 13.3 tons.
ENGINE:
The M39 series were originally powered by a Continental R6602 engine, a 9.9 litre overhead valve inline 6 cylinder petrol engine developing 224hp at 2,800 rpm. The -A1 upgrade had a Mack ENDT-673, a 11.0 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder diesel engine developing 210hp at 2,100 rpm. The -A2 upgrade had a Continental LDS-465-1A, a 7.8 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder developing 175hp at 2,100 rpm. Petrol engine models have a down-swept exhaust exiting from under the body just ahead of the righthand front set of rear wheels, the diesel (-A1) and multifuel (-A2) models have a vertical exhaust stack and air cleaner on the right fender, however a very small number of the earliest -A1 models and some -A2 gas/multifuel conversions are seen with the same style of downswept exhaust as on petrol models. A2's with a factory build date prior 1964 originally were petrol engine models. Most of these conversions received the overdrive 5th transmission found in ''pure'' -A1 and ''pure'' -A2 models. However, some converts retained their original petrol model direct 5th transmission which gave closer gear ratios but a top speed of only 45 mph with a multifuel due to the lower top rpm allowed on that engine compared to a petrol engine.
DRIVELINE:
All M39's had a Spicer 5 speed manual transmission, petrol trucks had a ''low'' 1st gear and direct 5th. Diesel and multifuels trucks had a different model with a ”low” 1st, direct 4th, and overdrive 5th. A 2 speed transfer case engaged the front axle automatically if the rear axles slipped and moved faster than the front axle. Timken axles were used, Gas models had a 6.44:1 final drive gear ratio except for the M129 C/D, which had a 10.26:1.
CHASSIS:
The M39 series had a ladder frame with three live beam axles, the front was on leaf springs, the rear tandem on leaf springs with locating arms. There were three wheelbases (measurements are from the centerline of the front axle to the centerline of rear tandem) the short, used for tractors and dumps, is 13ft 11in, the long, used for cargo and wreckers, is 14ft 11in, and the extra long, used for long cargo and expansible vans, is 17ft 11in. There was also an extra heavy duty extra long chassis for extreme service. Many M39 series were equipped with a front-mounted 8.9 ton Gar Wood winch, intended for self-recovery. A winch weighed 0.3 ton and added 15 1⁄2in to the length of the truck.
The M39 series had both single and dual rear tyre models, very few single rear tyre trucks were built. Most models had 11.00x20's with dual rear tyres, tractor wreckers had larger 12.00x20's. Bridge trucks and all M139 chassis based trucks had 14.00x20's. A standard military cab, designed by REO, was used. It had hinged doors with roll-up windows, a folding windshield, and a removable canvas roof. Cargo trucks and tractors could be fitted with a ring mount for a M2 Browning Machine Gun. A hard roof could also be fitted if required.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: 5-ton 6x6 Truck
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎Designer: International Harvester
▪︎Manufacturer: Diamond T / International Harvester / Kaiser / Kaiser-Jeep / Mack
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1965
▪︎Weight: 8.9 tons (empty) / Length: 24ft 11in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 9ft 8in
▪︎Powerplant: Continental R6602 224hp. The -A1 upgrade had a Mack ENDT-673, 11.0 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder diesel engine developing 210hp at 2,100 rpm / The -A2 upgrade had a Continental LDS-465-1A, 7.8 litre turbocharged inline 6 cylinder developing 175hp at 2,100 rpm
▪︎Transmission: 5 speed X 2 range transfer case
▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles on leaf springs
▪︎Operational Range: 280 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 52 mph.
Dodge WC56 Command Reconnaissance Vehicle link flic.kr/p/2iqPkkH
Sourced from military-history.fandom.com/wiki/M54_5-ton_6x6_truck