Opinions needed on 72 to 75 D100 or W100 Dodge Truck

-
JoesEdge

JoesEdge

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
1,110
Reaction score
285
Location
Downey, CA
I guess I need a new project and I want a truck. It would be nice to build either a pro touring truck or a nice off-road truck. It would be really be nice to get back to the open desert again actually.

Anyway, I was looking at 72 to 75 D100's and W100's for either of the above scenarios. I just don't have any experience on Dodge trucks.

You guys have any experience that you can pass along? I want to stick to those years because I like how they look and I want it to be smog exempt since I'm in California. What should I look out for? Any websites do you recommend me look at for more information? I found a '75 on Craigslist that I find very tempting.

If I don't go Dodge, I'd probably go Ford...but honestly I think 70's Ford trucks are ugly unless they're for off-road, then they excel quite well especially for the desert (looks aside). Their TTB suspension is hard to beat.
 
I don't know to much about the older trucks, but I don't think there is much aftermarket support of the 70's dodge trucks. Those probably have drum brakes on all 4 corners, if its a 4wd truck its not as big of a deal to upgrade to discs, cause you could get modern axles with disc brakes and swap them in.
With the 2wd truck it would probably be easier to get a chassis from an 80's Ram and swap the 70's body onto it. More parts are still available for the 80's trucks compared to the 70's ones.
 
As far's I'm concerned, the wheel bearing design of the full time Dodges is absolute junk. This is a matched pair of Timken bearings, requiring a press to change them. There is no adjustment as on the older trucks and GM / Ford, and worse, the bearings are very close together, meaning wide wheels put more stress and leverage on the bearings.

Also at some point, Ma's idea of 4wd 'disconnect' was a completely STUPID device in the AXLE which disconnected half of one side of the axle from the other.........leaving the ring an pinion to continue to spin.

This mess. The ring at bottom right is supposed to be "precision ground" making the entire set "a set" you cannot replace just one bearing

!CEt+DiwEWk~$%28KGrHqEOKkUE0TjJF!dMBNSwSFY37!~~_1.JPG


Below is an 85? housing I found on ebay, showing the axle disconnector mount
 

Attachments

  • axle.jpg
    30.4 KB · Views: 222
Nope not a lot of aftermarket support.
75 W100 will have disc. Not sure about 74.
On my 73 W200 I converted the drums to Chevy disc and is an easy conversion. Not real sure about the W100.
The 72-93 trucks are the same platform.
D100 were available with disc starting in 72.
 
moparmarks said:
On the W100 72-4 will be part time 4wd and 75-up will be full time.
Click to expand...

What do you mean part time vs full time 4wd?

67Dart273 said:
As far's I'm concerned, the wheel bearing design of the full time Dodges is absolute junk. This is a matched pair of Timken bearings, requiring a press to change them. There is no adjustment as on the older trucks and GM / Ford, and worse, the bearings are very close together, meaning wide wheels put more stress and leverage on the bearings.

Also at some point, Ma's idea of 4wd 'disconnect' was a completely STUPID device in the AXLE which disconnected half of one side of the axle from the other.........leaving the ring an pinion to continue to spin.

This mess. The ring at bottom right is supposed to be "precision ground" making the entire set "a set" you cannot replace just one bearing

!CEt+DiwEWk~$%28KGrHqEOKkUE0TjJF!dMBNSwSFY37!~~_1.JPG


Below is an 85? housing I found on ebay, showing the axle disconnector mount
Click to expand...

Well, all that does not seem like fun at all. LOL

moparmarks said:
Nope not a lot of aftermarket support.
75 W100 will have disc. Not sure about 74.
On my 73 W200 I converted the drums to Chevy disc and is an easy conversion. Not real sure about the W100.
The 72-93 trucks are the same platform.
D100 were available with disc starting in 72.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can't seem to find much aftermarket parts and information about 70's Dodge trucks. It's a shame because they're very nice looking trucks.

I don't know what kind of suspension 70's era 4x4 use. Is it leaf springs in the front as well? What about transmissions and transfer cases? I don't know where to go to find this kind of info.

Thanks guys for the info thus far!
 
Part time has manual locking hubs on the front axle. Full time the front axle is always locked in.
They have leaf springs front and rear.
72-4 part timers have the NP 205 transfer case. Bullet proof gear driven case and is divorced from the tranny . In 75 they went to the gear driven 203 case and is married to the tranny.
Trannys are the TF727 auto and the NP 435/445 4-speeds. /6 might have the TF904 auto.
In the mid 70's the 833 4-speed overdrive was available for the D100
 
There ARE ways around "things" although I don't know all the secret parts combinations

Guys used to use Ford 1/2 T axles under Dodge 1/2 T because the bolt pattern is the same.

If you can convert the front end there was (at the time) a workaround for the full time box, I don't remember the details.

I don't have the time, money, and energy for that, anymore. I would love to have a "hot" 2WD pickkup, an old "square body" or a Dakota with a SB and OD torqueflite.
 
You can get the Dodge and walk home, or get a Ford and deal with the ugly and never walk.
 
If you are looking for a older Dodge truck find one with a rust free body, the only sheet metal available is front fenders and patch panels like rockers and partial bed sides.
Also the wheel bolt pattern on the 1/2 tons changed in the early 80's.
Mechanical parts are available, they had any motor from /6 to 440's.

I still have my 78 and it is very reliable, 318 4-speed.

1001050q.jpg
 
There's a reason the military and the Border patrol used Dodge 4x4s up until 1980. They were beat to sh*t and kept going. Front end included. The Ramchargers and Traildusters make for great rock rock crawlers. They get crappy gas mileage but they all did back then. And you can buy anything you need for them. Chrysler sold 100s of thousands of those things worldwide. If you look hard enough you may find one a 440 and a 4sp.
 
I had a 75 swb I used for a daily driver for years, most reliable old truck I've had, never should have gotten rid of it. I liked it so much when i saw a 78 d200 in my buddies yard I had to get it even though I need another project like a hole in my head. I found some good info over on moparts.com about lowering and disc brakes, the specific information escapes me it's been a while since I looked it up. I was told they share engine mounts with vans and van based RV's. If anyone can confirm that it would be great since not many people want those things, I picked up a 73 sportsman 360/727/d60 for $200.
 
My '73 2WD D100 has discs in front. They were optional at least that early. I bought it new and still have it, and it's been a good truck. I've restored it twice and modified the engine to improve gas mileage.
DSC00085_edited-1.jpg
 
I've owned several Dodge trucks from '72 -78 most were 2wd but the '72 was 4wd I've had big blocks and small blocks. They are great trucks but don't really have the fit & finish of their counterparts. They are dependable and easy to work on when needed. It's been mentioned that the aftermarket support is miserable, so finding body and interior components can be tough. Drive train parts & chassis parts are no problem. I completely dislike Ford trucks, mostly because of the awful twin I beam suspension. How they managed to keep selling them is amazing to me, but then we keep electing democrats to public office too. Go figure.
 
Dam Gary that truck looks great. I've had a few late 80's trucks and they've been tough, very tough. Have not yet owned the 70's models but will. Good info here.
 
67Dart273 said:
There ARE ways around "things" although I don't know all the secret parts combinations

Guys used to use Ford 1/2 T axles under Dodge 1/2 T because the bolt pattern is the same.

If you can convert the front end there was (at the time) a workaround for the full time box, I don't remember the details.

I don't have the time, money, and energy for that, anymore. I would love to have a "hot" 2WD pickkup, an old "square body" or a Dakota with a SB and OD torqueflite.
Click to expand...

See that's what I figured. For drive train stuff, there's plenty of stuff out there that can be made to fit. Just costs money. Something I wish I had more of.

RustyRatRod said:
You can get the Dodge and walk home, or get a Ford and deal with the ugly and never walk.
Click to expand...

Hahah....That's a good point. Having to walk home sucks.

I had a Ford Ranger that was tough as nails. I put over 200k miles on it and kept going. I abused it in the desert, gone through mountains and stuff and never quit on me. I really abused it actually. LOL I ended up selling it and now I miss having a truck. That's why I'm in this position.

But really, drivetrain-wise....a Dodge truck shouldn't be too much different than my Duster. I do worry about other parts though. Like the interior parts that others say is hard to find.

Dr dan said:
I've owned several Dodge trucks from '72 -78 most were 2wd but the '72 was 4wd I've had big blocks and small blocks. They are great trucks but don't really have the fit & finish of their counterparts. They are dependable and easy to work on when needed. It's been mentioned that the aftermarket support is miserable, so finding body and interior components can be tough. Drive train parts & chassis parts are no problem. I completely dislike Ford trucks, mostly because of the awful twin I beam suspension. How they managed to keep selling them is amazing to me, but then we keep electing democrats to public office too. Go figure.
Click to expand...

You know, the twin traction beam of the earlier Fords is a selling point to me. Those are fabulous for high speed desert fun. You know...industries have been made around the Ford TTB suspension. Companies like Camburg and Giant Motorsports have awesome I-Beam kits. You can get crazy amounts of travel out of them. They do have drawbacks though.

I always wanted a '98 and older Ranger just for the twin traction beam suspension.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top