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My New Tow Vehicle!

So I drove on about a 2 hour round trip - broke over 100 miles now on the truck! I drove mostly secondary roads, with about 10 minutes of highway each way. Result: 17.2 MPG. Still not particularly good, but it is what it is. On the good side, it rides and drives like a dream, and the huge screen in the center of the dash has some nice features. Still very happy, but hoping the mileage will at least be able to give me within a MPG of advertised capability (which is 17 City, 22 highway, 19 combined).

Hawk
My bet is if you drive it like you're over 40 years old and maintain it, it will just get better.
 
02 Dakota, 4.7, HD 5 spd. manual, HD rear axle, cooling, alt, 2WD, shorty headers, cat back Gibson, A/C, crank windows. 6 foot box. Total package 10,000 lb. Got 15 MPG going from Albany area of New York thru Adirondack Mountains to Canton New York running 55-65 MPH. Gets 21-23 empty ( no load). Turn a quarter 15.2, Blows away 5.0 mustangs, any 5.7 full size, Ford Lightnings, GM full size. can not take a V-10 Ram though. Will make a 100 MPH in third gear. Can not find anything to replace it. Only problem I now have is it has 80,000 mile of bad weather. I ride my Victory rain/shine March 15th to any winter day 35 degrees or warmer. So it sees nothing but salt and snow, unless it is being used as a "truck".

Babes Cafe 9-18.jpg Had to tow Curtis Lumber Sept 2011.JPG
 
02 Dakota, 4.7, HD 5 spd. manual, HD rear axle, cooling, alt, 2WD, shorty headers, cat back Gibson, A/C, crank windows. 6 foot box. Total package 10,000 lb. Got 15 MPG going from Albany area of New York thru Adirondack Mountains to Canton New York running 55-65 MPH. Gets 21-23 empty ( no load). Turn a quarter 15.2, Blows away 5.0 mustangs, any 5.7 full size, Ford Lightnings, GM full size. can not take a V-10 Ram though. Will make a 100 MPH in third gear. Can not find anything to replace it. Only problem I now have is it has 80,000 mile of bad weather. I ride my Victory rain/shine March 15th to any winter day 35 degrees or warmer. So it sees nothing but salt and snow, unless it is being used as a "truck".

The snow won't hurt it, but the salt sure will. Best you can do is carefully wash it each spring and get rid of all the salt and crap. Oh, and make sure all weep holes are clear and not plugged. It's lasted this long, so hopefully it'll keep going awhile longer!

Hawk
 
The snow won't hurt it, but the salt sure will. Best you can do is carefully wash it each spring and get rid of all the salt and crap. Oh, and make sure all weep holes are clear and not plugged. It's lasted this long, so hopefully it'll keep going awhile longer!

Hawk
No such luck. That picture is 3 years old. Have flip phone or 33mm SLR so a project - for me - to get pictures in computer. Now cab corners gone,rocker drv. side started, both box wheel wells 2-3 inches. the metal is starting to go on vacation. Everything full size and new now weighs 5,000 plus lbs. empty. Dakota with full tank only 4004 lbs. Measured on a Cat Scale at local Truck stop.Gave up 15 HP to get the 4.7 instead of the 360, but the stick makes up for it and no stick was available with the 360. Towing capacity for mine 6,000. With the 360 and forced auto only 5200. The closest thing out there to my Dakota is the Toyota Tacoma SR5 Access cab. Everything else smaller, or a half ton heavier in dead weight. All big trucks are 4 doors ( I hate 4 doors !, I'm that far gone yet). and full size are 4 - 4.5 ft boxes? Never owned a "Import" anything. And yes I know all vehicles come from everywhere, Toyota is assembled here. and so on. written many letters to, sent e-mails to, Ma Mopar ( Fiat) where is the Truck in your trucks? Tacoma's are everywhere, sell more than anyone. they have a market, BUT! Have also be on line for 60-96 Dodge full size, 1/2 ton, 2WD. Thinking if I can find a clean one, just drop a 5.7 Drive line in it. But hate to take a nice older truck and turn it to rust. So??
 
No such luck. That picture is 3 years old. Have flip phone or 33mm SLR so a project - for me - to get pictures in computer. Now cab corners gone,rocker drv. side started, both box wheel wells 2-3 inches. the metal is starting to go on vacation. Everything full size and new now weighs 5,000 plus lbs. empty. Dakota with full tank only 4004 lbs. Measured on a Cat Scale at local Truck stop.Gave up 15 HP to get the 4.7 instead of the 360, but the stick makes up for it and no stick was available with the 360. Towing capacity for mine 6,000. With the 360 and forced auto only 5200. The closest thing out there to my Dakota is the Toyota Tacoma SR5 Access cab. Everything else smaller, or a half ton heavier in dead weight. All big trucks are 4 doors ( I hate 4 doors !, I'm that far gone yet). and full size are 4 - 4.5 ft boxes? Never owned a "Import" anything. And yes I know all vehicles come from everywhere, Toyota is assembled here. and so on. written many letters to, sent e-mails to, Ma Mopar ( Fiat) where is the Truck in your trucks? Tacoma's are everywhere, sell more than anyone. they have a market, BUT! Have also be on line for 60-96 Dodge full size, 1/2 ton, 2WD. Thinking if I can find a clean one, just drop a 5.7 Drive line in it. But hate to take a nice older truck and turn it to rust. So??

I will admit to emotional attachment to most of my vehicles. I think most people are. I know this rust issue could be addressed by the OEMs but, they are in business to sell new products. If one manufacturer had the balls to produce rust resistant/proof designs I would think they could capture the market. I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.
Mike
 
No such luck. That picture is 3 years old. Have flip phone or 33mm SLR so a project - for me - to get pictures in computer. Now cab corners gone,rocker drv. side started, both box wheel wells 2-3 inches. the metal is starting to go on vacation. Everything full size and new now weighs 5,000 plus lbs. empty. Dakota with full tank only 4004 lbs. Measured on a Cat Scale at local Truck stop.Gave up 15 HP to get the 4.7 instead of the 360, but the stick makes up for it and no stick was available with the 360. Towing capacity for mine 6,000. With the 360 and forced auto only 5200. The closest thing out there to my Dakota is the Toyota Tacoma SR5 Access cab. Everything else smaller, or a half ton heavier in dead weight. All big trucks are 4 doors ( I hate 4 doors !, I'm that far gone yet). and full size are 4 - 4.5 ft boxes? Never owned a "Import" anything. And yes I know all vehicles come from everywhere, Toyota is assembled here. and so on. written many letters to, sent e-mails to, Ma Mopar ( Fiat) where is the Truck in your trucks? Tacoma's are everywhere, sell more than anyone. they have a market, BUT! Have also be on line for 60-96 Dodge full size, 1/2 ton, 2WD. Thinking if I can find a clean one, just drop a 5.7 Drive line in it. But hate to take a nice older truck and turn it to rust. So??

Ford and GM now have their midsize trucks. The Ford Ranger has a 2.3 liter turbo that makes 310 lb-ft torque and will tow 7500 pounds. It weighs 4150 pounds. I was not in the market for a smaller truck (I wanted to be able to tow at least 10,000 pounds), but it had impressive specs. GM's Canyon is similar. I'm sure both are expensive (all new trucks are nowadays), but that might be an eventual option for you.

Hawk
 
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