M939 Series 5-ton 6x6
Introduced in 1983 as a general-purpose vehicle designed primarily for tactical, off-road use, the M939 series of 5-ton trucks was essentially a Product Improvement Package upgrade of the M809 series of 5-ton, 6×6 trucks. While initially augmenting the fleet of M809 tactical trucks and visually looking quite similar, the basic M939 possessed some major upgrades, including an automatic transmission; improved power steering system; complete air brake system; improved cooling and electrical systems; a wider, three-person cab, tilt-hood, and a simplified test equipment/internal combustion engine diagnostic connector. While all models of the series share a common chassis components, cab, hood, and fenders. Unlike the M809 series that had PTO-powered, mechanically-driven winches, the M939s have hydraulic winches.
From 1983 to 1989, AM General Corporation built the M939 and M939A1 trucks in five body styles: Cargo, dump, wrecker, van, and long wheel base cargo. The M939 series chassis consists of a ladder frame with 3 axles. The front axle rests on semi-elliptical leaf springs while quarter elliptical leaf springs cushion the rear tandem axles. Original M939s used rear tandem dual 11.00-20 tires. The brakes were full air — an upgrade from the air-over-hydraulic drum brakes of the
