Killed my truck :(

From: Dave McGuire (chopped_spinach@mac.com)
Date: Tue Nov 12 2002 - 02:08:39 EST


Haven't posted many times but I thought id share the bad news. It turns
out the Dakota is not designed to carry 3000lbs of mulch in the back.
:D I managed to crack the frame at the front mount for the leaf springs.
The crack runs at least half way up the left rail has at least
centimeter gap at the bottom, not sure how much it sags loaded but its
pretty bad. I beat on my truck pretty hard, both having fun on our farm
roads and hauling 2000-3000lb loads of mulch and water around, but i
never thought id crack the frame. Blow up the tranny or the rear end mb,
already shattered the transfercase, but not the frame.
         Oh well she was a good truck... even if I wasn't a very good
owner... im sorry... :*-(.
        I will try to patch it up mb by welding/bolting more steel in but
she'll never be the same. any suggestions as far as fixing the frame
(reality checks mb? :) ). My boss just got 4 new farm trucks at auction
so ill probably buy one of the 1-ton Ram dumps off him. Not sure what
years and engines they have yet (they are in Las Vegas still) but it
should handle the loads better. Probably be 360s but Im still hoping a
Cummins diesel snuck in somewhere. My boss did the auction with some guy
over the phone so hes not even sure what he ended up with.
        Still bummed about the Dakota tho She was doing so well with the
new springs too. What do you guys thing of patching the frame will I
still be able to race around the farm? Our roads are pretty ruff and you
bounce around a lot at speed :) will a patched frame be able to take it
or will she be purely a street truck. :(

I'll give it a try any way and go easy on her...
Dave McGuire
'93 4x4 cc 3.9L, 5-speed,
Mods: extra springs, new flexible frame ( to absorb bumps ), sheet-metal
sides ( to carry too much stuff )



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