bikinkawboy
Well-Known Member
Just got signed up a couple of days ago. Looks like a pretty neat site here. At present, I have a 2002 Caravan, my mom has a 2008 4-door Dakota (with V-8, very quick and great gas mileage) and the farm truck is a '74 D300 my folks bought new in '74. That was in addition to a new D100 in '73. Presently restoring my '77 D150.I've attached a photo of the '74. 318, New Process 4-speed, 4.88 rear axle and 12" Knapheide bed with hoist. It's a heavy bed, 7,200 lbs without the grain sides, that's 3,000 more than the 150 weighs. When I row crop farmed, I added a tag axle behind the rear one, allowing me to haul 12,000 lbs of grain, 2,000 more than without it. Even though a 2-wheel drive, with its weight, 4.88 and the high ratio 1-3rd gear tranny option, it will pull like a tractor, literally. I replaced the old 16" split rims with 1-piece wheels from a Ford, letting me run tubless radials. Much better traction on ice than the OEM 8 ply bias tires, where it was pretty much helpless on ice and snow.Combining the weight of the truck and axle ratio, it's hard on gas, getting around 9-10 on the highway. When hauling grain, 5 tons of gravel or the grain sides and stock racks raised up (LOTS of wind resistance)l, more like 6 mpg round trip. Well, forget the photo. The upload thing never worked.
