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Larryzv7's avatar
Larryzv7
Explorer
Jan 23, 2014

Truck Tonnage?

Why is a half ton truck called a half ton, or a ¾ ton truck called a ¾ ton? What does the tonnage refer to; is it how much the truck can carry or tow?

I first learned to drive in the army at the age of 17; the first vehicle I ever drove was a duce an a half (2 ½ ton) truck troop and cargo carrier, we also had 5-ton trucks which were rather large.

These army trucks were manual and had a high and low crankcase with 5-forward gears. I never understood why they were called a “duce an a half” or 5-ton truck. I thought maybe that was the weight of the truck but was never really sure.