I'll get a pic if I go that way again,I too havent seen anything but Dakotas with 6 logs, I could be wrong thongh I might be 5 I pass by it once in a great while and it very could have been a shadow

 

The early ones used the old 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern. When they went with the Magnum engines, they went with 6 lug wheels. I think the third generation Dakotas went back to 5 lugs.

 

I have a coworker who's husband has 2021 with 8 lug and a magnium v8,
I was told by a tech at Rocky mount dodge that the only reason they had 6 log in teh olod ones to the second generation was those had the magnium angines, which explains why I had eth ONLY 6 lug dakota in 4 counties with 6 lugs
Accordiing to Discounted wheelwarehouse's site my 93 had 5 lugs, but I must beg to differ, I drove it for 6 years and truck me I rotated the tires every 6k and there were 6 lugnuts on each wheel LOL
But at least they have my 2500 right

 

I think the '92 was the first with 6 lugs. I know the '93 had them as I bought a Dakota Sport that year and it had 6 lugs.

 

I've got a '96 Dodge Dakota with a 3.9 V6 and it has 6 lug wheels...

 

Was the six lug an attempt to coordinate wheels, brakes, axles and hubs with Jeep, as Wagoneers and J trucks of the period were six lug.
The Dakotas were replacing the Might Max and it had six bolt rims.

 

I looked at the one down the road today I was incorrect it IS a 5 lug rimed dodge

 

I remember going to the Mopar Nationals back around 1994 or so in Indianapolis and met some of the engineers from Chrysler. One mentioned the wheels needed to be changed for some reason from earlier ones and they went with 6 lugs in case it turned out the wheels needed more clamping power with the upcoming Magnums. Exact details from a casual conversation 30 years ago are a bit fuzzy.

The full sized 1500's have always had 5 lugs to my memory and the heavier duty 2500 and up use 8 lug wheels.