Introduction
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Introduction
I'm Erik and I have a 2001 Patriot Blue Metallic 5.9L Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 with about 123,000 miles on the clock.
Purchased new in 2000. It's got Bilstein shocks, EBC slotted discs and Greenstuff pads, Centric drums and shoes, Airlift load leveling airbags, and 265/75 - 16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02's. It has a grey A.R.E. truck cap I bought used that came with a Yakima rail/rack system. I cranked the torsion bars up so it would sit level and give me a little more clearance for the larger than OEM tires. Other than that, it's stock but I am putting in a new audio system with a back up camera.
In its early life it was used mostly to haul motorcycles to trailheads and race tracks and for hunting and camping trips. Later it became a "ferry terminal truck" for my commute from Alameda, CA to San Francisco. Now I mostly use it for running errands and hunting/moto/camping trips on the West Coast and into Colorado's Western Slope. Now that I have the cap on it, the motos are hauled in a trailer, but I have hauled as many as 4 dirtbikes in the bed before I had the cap - with some creative loading.
Projects I have lined up are; Finish the audio and camera system install (which turned into a bigger project than originally planned and includes running a 4ga aux power line into the cab and bed). Rebuild or replace the steering box. The dreaded heater core replacement. And re-paint the truck and the cap. The paint got pretty roached out from the salt air at the ferry terminal and the shipyards right next to it and the cap could use some help as well. I'll replace gaskets and trim as needed when I re-paint it. I'm also going to build a set of locking drawers for the bed. I'd also like to figure out a way to carry the spare tire somewhere other than under the truck.
Hoping to learn from what others have done, get advice, and to share my progress in the Dakota forums.
Purchased new in 2000. It's got Bilstein shocks, EBC slotted discs and Greenstuff pads, Centric drums and shoes, Airlift load leveling airbags, and 265/75 - 16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02's. It has a grey A.R.E. truck cap I bought used that came with a Yakima rail/rack system. I cranked the torsion bars up so it would sit level and give me a little more clearance for the larger than OEM tires. Other than that, it's stock but I am putting in a new audio system with a back up camera.
In its early life it was used mostly to haul motorcycles to trailheads and race tracks and for hunting and camping trips. Later it became a "ferry terminal truck" for my commute from Alameda, CA to San Francisco. Now I mostly use it for running errands and hunting/moto/camping trips on the West Coast and into Colorado's Western Slope. Now that I have the cap on it, the motos are hauled in a trailer, but I have hauled as many as 4 dirtbikes in the bed before I had the cap - with some creative loading.
Projects I have lined up are; Finish the audio and camera system install (which turned into a bigger project than originally planned and includes running a 4ga aux power line into the cab and bed). Rebuild or replace the steering box. The dreaded heater core replacement. And re-paint the truck and the cap. The paint got pretty roached out from the salt air at the ferry terminal and the shipyards right next to it and the cap could use some help as well. I'll replace gaskets and trim as needed when I re-paint it. I'm also going to build a set of locking drawers for the bed. I'd also like to figure out a way to carry the spare tire somewhere other than under the truck.
Hoping to learn from what others have done, get advice, and to share my progress in the Dakota forums.
