DocData3D
Starke, FL
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I've heard about the rough roads in Alaska and all the damage that gets done to the front of campers or towed vehicles. When we go to Alaska we will bestowing a 5vr and I'd like some suggestions on how to protect the front end, especially the lower section.
Dave
* This post was
edited 01/17/12 06:27am by DocData3D *
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joe b.
Florida
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Over the almost 50 years I have been driving the Alaska Highway, I have never had what I would call a serious problem with the road. Back in the days before the highway was paved, I did break an overhead window from a rock my tires threw up into the air. An I broke a spring shackle on my popup camper by hitting a big pot hole too fast. It had the little tiny tires that belonged on a wheel barrow. LOL
Some of the previous travelers have put a covering on the lower part of the 5th wheel, where the tow vehicles tires can toss up debris. Others have put diamond plate aluminum on the front of the underneath surface. I have only used my 5th wheel on the Alaska Hwy one time and didn't put anything on it. No damage that I can remember. Haven't had my current 5er up there yet as we take our truck camper, on the last 4 round trips.
Make sure you have a good set of mud flaps that are properly set for height off the ground so they don't throw loose gravel up. For the most part the highway is a good paved two lane highway and is not the gravel road of past stories still being told by some, usually those that haven't been to Alaska since the road was paved or those that have never been to Alaska by the highway.
I do like the clear plastic film made by 3M company to protect paint. Makes it easier to wash bugs off the front and is thick enough to keep paint chips from occurring if small gravel hits the fiberglass.
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
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"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Roads in Alaska are no rougher or more apt to damage an RV than roads in most any other state. Gravel is gravel wherever you find it but MOST of the highways in and on the way to Alaska are paved just like in the US.
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SideHillSoup
South Eastern British Columbia
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Tire Pressure, daily walk about inspections, drive to road conditions, and the only thing I do that is out of the ordinary is I wax the front of my 5er often. Last trip down to Oregon I wash / waxed before we left, at My Cousin house in Oregon and when I got home.
I use Nu Finish wax and when I wash the front of the 5er with a Simoniz brush on a pole, there is no scrubbing to get the bugs off. Trick is to do the waxing frequently.
Have fun........
Soup
2006, Komfort 261FS
2007 Sierra SLE, 2500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Transmission
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DocData3D
Starke, FL
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Just attended a seminar by Ron Jones about the trip. He had pulled a small SUV behind his Monaco and had a full sweep installed at the rear. He talked about most roads being paved but did talk about a constant stream of construction sites and a lot of gravel. He said he lost all the paint of the from of his SUV.
I was thinking about cheap carpet held on to the lower from to the 5vr with snaps.
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sue.t
Ibex Valley, Yukon
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We've towed a fiver here for years.
If you plan to stay on the main roads, no problem. These roads are paved with the occasional gravel/dirt construction zone through which you can tow slow.
If you plan to drive the backroads, as in the remote gravel roads that are one lane goat tracks with occasional widenings for passing, then you may want to consider some type of protection. Perhaps the checker metal plate over the front ... but that is a LOT of work.
We do all the roads, have had to 4x4 through some areas while towing a fifth wheel, and haven't taken any extra steps to protect the fifth wheel. It's good.
Having said that, though, if you'll be extremely upset by a chip, or a small ding, then this might not be the trip for you.
sue t.
Pictures from our many RV Adventures to Yukon & Alaska
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sue.t
Ibex Valley, Yukon
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Just noticed your note about "cheap carpet". Wouldn't recommend that.
The dust in the north is a fine silty sand that gathers together. It will settle between your RV and the carpet and rub, and rub, and rub, and rub. And you could end up with a sandpapered spot on your rig.
Plus the mud will collect and rub.
Likely not the best solution if you really wish to protect your rig.
Note ... none of the folks who live here do anything extraordinary to protect their trailers.
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joe b.
Florida
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The people that report the most problems are those with full width mud guards on the rear of their RVs, especially the big DPs. AS the suspension moves up and down on some of the dips and bumps, the flap will drag the ground and any gravel there will be thrown up on anything behind it. Many of the DP users report good success with a tow guard that covers the area between their TV rear bumper and the front bumper of the toad.
Carpet sure wouldn't hurt anything to have on the front of your trailer. Just follow sue's thoughts and mount it out away from the painted surface of your rig. I have see folks put plywood there, lexan type plastic sheets, cardboard, etc. On my current 5er, the lower front is some sort of poly plastic that I can't imagine the gravel having any effect on.Do keep in mind though that many of the preventive measures done to protect the vehicles, end up causing more problems than they solve.
Not sure who the person is that presented the seminar you attended, or his trips or his experience at driving secondary roads. I have met a number of one or two time travelers that seem to feel confident to write a book, produce a video or lead a tour on the Alaska Hwy themselves.
The only "bad" section of the Alaska Hwy is the approx 100 mile stretch from Burwash Landing YT to the Alaska border. Much of that stretch was repaved last summer and when I came back south on it, it was in the best condition I have ever seen it. Sure there are spots of construction, just like any other highway in North America. Most of the construction zones will have pilot cars and one way traffic at a time. By the time most RVs make it to Alaska, the color of their rigs has turned to a "mud brown" one. LOL They love to water the construction zones. Speed is the key to not having problems on the highway. Slow down and then slow down some more. Very few people have a set time they have to be in Alaska, most of us are on vacation. Slow down some more when you meet other vehicles, if you feel there is enough loose gravel on the edges of the road to be a problem.
The Alaska Hwy is no longer a wilderness highway but is a good, two lane paved highway through a beautiful wilderness.
One of the construction zones:
.JPG)
The large majority of the Alaska Hwy is this good, probably 90% of it. Because they use "chip and seal" for paving, there is often times loose gravel along the edges. Not far from the White River crossing
.JPG)
Here is a stretch of highway down by Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park and shows who has the "right of way". The large truck or Mr. Bison. Mr Bison usually wins, if seen in time, so again slow down.
.JPG)
* This post was
edited 01/17/12 09:41am by joe b. *
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lenmarstelly
florida
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Joe B. ....you have given us some food for thought on planning our 2013 trip to Alaska in our new 43' DP. We would love to know where we can get the tow guard you describe above. We are big on planning and will also look into books from folks who have "been there and done that!" On that note, can you recommend any literature or videos?
Thanks
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2nomads
Newberg, Oregon
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lenmarstelly - We have a friend with a DP and he has a shield he calls his "skirt" which attaches to the hitch/tow bar between the motorhome & toad. It is flexable mesh material and when attached is parallel to the ground and stops rocks from flying up & hitting the front of his towed vehicle. I don't know the brand name but it is a commercially available rock shield device available thru RV supply stores like Camping World. Information probably available online. When we drove to Alaska we covered the headlights of our motorhome with thin plexiglass to prevent broken headlights.
2 Nomads
2006 Itasca Sunova
  and dachshund Harley 
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