Hi Chris
I basicaly have the same truck as you.It was my first diesel,i found this site and fell in love with it.I'v scronged up enough parts and trucks to keep driving it forever.Mine has 4:10 gears and a TH400, i find myself driving in the upper end of rpms,one day it will get the 3:73 axles i have for it,also the 6.5 and turbo.
But it does fine now,i'v been driving it for about 8 yrs as my work truck.It pulls my trailer when ever i have to haul something,i have a S220 Bobcat and i pull it around fine,some big hills i'm down to 30 MPH,but it still makes it up the hill.Parts are cheep,the truck i bought that has the new 6.5 in it was set up for veggie oil,a FAST fuel system and a Veggie system,i forget which.
And this yr i got 88 drums of veggie oil delivered to me with a $1000.00 credit on a loader i bought,so some day i need to experiment with veggie too.
If i keep the speed down i'll get around 17 MPG,but that is the canadien gal.
When i got mine the motor had lost a frost plug.I installed a girdle,timing gears,and a set of rebuilt heads.I'v put about 45k on it.
Thomas