Just wondering how people have been going about moving plywood or dimensional 8 ft lumber around in there wood gas converted Dakotas since a lot of the bed is occupied with the gasifier.
Also wondering how many miles (on a single hopper) you can get out of a the Dakota when she’s fully loaded with a loaded trailer (1000+ pounds) and some stuff in the bed (250-500 lbs). with mixed speeds (35-55 mph).
I’m kind of a versatile Swiss army knife vehicle kind of guy, I’m interested in one vehicle with many uses, and am on the fence about getting a working truck for wood gas since I anticipate the conversion may be more challenging for a beginner like me. On that note, also wondering how many miles one could expect to get out of a full albeit larger hopper on the work trucks (such as the d1500 or the like). Thanks!!
If I am fueled with dry hard wood and on good road I expect to get somewhere around 80 miles per hopper load with my dakota . Test at Auburn shows it gets 1.33 miles per pound.
Each year driving from Argos IN to Springville AL pulling a trailer with 500-1000 pounds on board I can expect to go 80-100 miles . Several times I have gotten over a hundred and once 120. This was using Ron Lemler kiln dried hard wood.
Back when I ran pine I could expect somewhere near half this mileage.
As far as working and hauling I have always had work trucks before the dakotas so I don’t ask them to work just go down the road.
I think there are others hear on the DOW that have some 4WD dakotas that work them .
My chevota truck hauls around a lot of wood and with about 500lbs of lumber in the back and running Doug fir and pine mix I was getting about 35-40 miles to the hopperful, but my hopper is a little shorter then others. On hardwood/fir mix 45-50 miles loaded and I have a heavy foot. My system also sticks above the cab a good bit so it catches a lot of wind Wich cause more drag/ less milage
When I am out in the cherry orchard next to the house I fill it higher then the cooling rails on the sides with cherry wood prunings, it is almost on the over load side for the truck with wood. I am not hauling the wood very far just to the wood chunking pile. My Dakota has air bags that have been installed in the back for heavier loads, it is already carrying 400 lbs of gasifers parts.
My next gasifer truck will be a 1995 V-10 Dodge Ram 4X4 for some real heavy duty work like Wayne Keith does with his V-10.
Bob
Hi Wayne, great cattle hauling video. Up here in Washington State the word STOP on the sign stands for Skid Tires On Pavement. What’s the STOP in Alabama mean?
Slow Tires On Pavement. Why stop when there was no traffic coming. Right. Lol. We call it the California Stop. The police call it failed to stop and you are going to get a ticket with a fine.
Thanks for the ride. I liked your camera shooting angles, great view on the back of the trailer.
Bob
SOME folks that dont want too put gasifier in truck,can install on trailer/ might be more versital / you could haul heavy loads on petro, then use trailer while DOWING, or better yet just have an exrtra work truck around for heavy hauling. Driving a dakota not much bigger than an s10 chassie / frame, is somewhat limited hauling heavy loads either way. The dakoita makes a good power, fast off the line , sport run around light loads runabout vehicle most of the time, they haul loads on light trailers when on long trips, With waynes Dakotas v8 trucks, he is able too keep his rpms down around 2000, At 60 mph and at that speed is easy on wood consumption, Compared too useing a full size dodge ram, wood use 30 too 50 percent more wood heavy loaded bed, or light trailer medium load, but as you add all the weight up, you top speed might barely make 50 mph, So thats why wayne uses the 10 cyclinder dodge ram, in order too have enough power too get off the line when hauling heavy loads.
Hi KeremK.
Lower and remove your tail gate.
Stand to the side of the pickup truck and minds eye visualize a straight diagonal sloped line from above the cab down to and across that bed opening.
I’ve hauled 8’, 12’ stuff on the back of a 6 foot bed 2X Ranger pickup.
Hauled 16-20’ stuff on the back of an 8 foot bed 2X F150.
Make up a 2x4, or stood-up shipping pallet frame in the front of the bed to support and clear the cab.
Attach two 2x6’s elled screwed together along and on top that; over across the cab. Angled layed down past the rear bed opening. Cut those back for driveways in-and out clearance. Or you own States maximum legal sticking outs.
Lay 2-3 more 2x6’s down the center to be the sloped loading deck.
At the bottom end box across with a 2x6 flanged standing up. Use metal plumber tape outside strapping on those corners! All of the panels loads sliding down will be held there.
Great thing this the factory edge of bed lights are still visible.
Wanna’ shift forward the center of loaded weight just make up 2x6 famed plywood one side skinned drop in spacer boxes to go against the foot end.
Not speculations. I’ve done this.
Front of bed gasifier and the slope would have to be steeper, shorter. Plenty good enough for 8 foot panels out to your safe weight limits.
Regards
Steve Unruh
Opps. I forgot the crossmembers slide-stop bracing. Under side of the deck boards catching the top of the wheel wells. Underside back edge. With the cross ends (2x4’s; 4x4) extending and catching the inside to the steel beds corner boxes.
Welder-guys. Why not make this out of steel tube and angle stock? Go for it. AFTER you make sure you have an available chain-fall high enough for removals and re-installations.
Me? I’ll stick with wood, thank you. I have no-power off-grid made these up with a hand saw and a pickup battery powered 12vdc drill-driver.
My favorite way to eat ice-cream? In an edible cone.
Wood I do not have to keep painting for rust. Done-with, I power drive unscrew able to re-use most of the screws, and most of the lumber. Have then just more wood-fuel available in the last time useable, lumber.
Paper grocery bags! Corrugated carboard boxes! Multi-use the best.
Steve Unruh
You can make or buy a bed extender that just slides into your hitch reciever. I think HF may even sell one. You can also build a frame that would hang off the side of the bed and carry sheet goods upright like a glass truck does.
Hey Wayne, about how much wood fuel (chunked for gasification) have you been able to cary in your Dakota when running wood gas? Curious how much is safe for trips without having to hook up the trailer. Preciate you taking the time to answer my questions
I think it would be easy to travel around 600 miles . That would be only about 500 pounds of fuel and assuming 50-75 pounds of this could be in the fuel hopper . Considering this nice open roads .
If I am using good dry wood I expect to get 1.25 miles from each pound of wood .
Over the years I have made several round trips of 600 miles or more to Hindersonville NC ,Ashville and Knoxville north Florida ect ,ect with no trailer and was no problem with wood.
The below video we are cursing along but I am pulling a trailer.
I pull a trailer big enough to fit a car. I have probably had 1200 pounds on it. I also have a 12 foot enclosed trailer that I use. The truck is a 1998 Dakota 4x4. I live on the edge of a town of 60,000 people. I usually drive side streets. I have pulled the trailers on two lane roads on 100 mile trips. I haven’t been driving on wood long and prefer to not get into tight situations. The later model truck handles trailers better than the 92-96 square bodies. I wouldn’t try to pick up speed to get on a busy expressway. The truck is pretty sluggish pulling a trailer. Better braking ability than the square body trucks, These later model trucks are heavier and catch a lot more wind. Going 55 is pretty comfortable. Have to hybrid some gas after that. If I pulled trailers on a regular basis or heavy ones I would get a v10. Hope some of this helps answer your questions.
