Kidoo
Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
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Joined: 03/27/2004
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mabynack wrote:Donh1 wrote:I'm new to this but I have an important thing that is a must do before leaving home. Make yourself very familiar with your jack and spare tire. If you have aluminum rims be sure that they are properly greased between the rim and Axle. The aluminum and steel tend to corrode together and are almost impossible to get off at roadside. The best thing to do is to physically satisfy yourself that you are able to do the tire change both for your truck and trailer. You may discover that you will need an extentsion on your lug wrench just to undo the wheel nuts. Better to sort this out in your driveway rather than on the side of the Alaska highway.
One of my tires leaked down while in my driveway. I decided to pull the tire myself and take it back to the tire store rather than drag the FW. The store is on a narrow side street with a very small parking lot.
I couldn't get the lugs loose. I was a mechanic for many years and I'm a big guy. I used an impact wrench and when that didn't work I tried a breaker bar and a three foot long pipe. I bent both the pipe and the breaker bar. I finally gave up and took the FW back to the shop. I can't believe they managed to tighten the lugs that tight without damaging the stud.
I bought a Torque Multiplier, cheap and well worth the money. I easily unscrew my 22.5 wheel nuts torqued to 500 Lbs on my motorhome, I mark it and I can torque it back to original until I can get to a shop for a torque wrench. I also bring a spare tire chained under the MH. These tires can easily, well sort off, be installed with the wheel on the MH, they use big pry bars with lots of lubricant and just get the tire off, tire on. If it is the inner tire on a double wheel, you have to remove it obviously. If it is the out tire on a double wheel, you run your inner tire on a piece of wood thick enough to raise the outer wheel the replace the tire without removing the wheel, for the front one, I use the front MH jacks.
https://www.amazon.com/Tenive-Saving-Torque-Multiplier-sockets/dp/B015PFORAS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482277201&sr=8-2&keywords=torque+multiplier+lug+nut+wrench
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.
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ppine
Northern Nevada
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Joined: 07/04/2016
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Read the Milepost and then go do your own trip. You are not going to miss anything.
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swind
Virginia
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Joined: 01/15/2017
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I am planning to take a RV trip to Alaska via Canada Yukon in 2017 summer and fall starting from VA. I am going to be there for a over 9 months. Any advise on the tow behind vehicle? How useful it is or not?
Thank you.
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2gypsies
Enjoying the West!
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Joined: 04/02/2003
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How long is your RV? For 9 months a toad would be great especially if you have 4x4.
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel
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ppine
Northern Nevada
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Joined: 07/04/2016
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I have made more than 10 trips to AK and am planning some more. The people are a great resource in Alaska and a lot of fun. It is easy to find places to camp everywhere if you know how to boondock. Take advantage of every opportunity to get on the water. Bring binoculars, because wildlife are always around. Plan on some hikes off the beaten path. There are a lot of fun obscure towns.
I will never get to most of the tourist attractions on the lists above. To each his own.
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ppine
Northern Nevada
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Joined: 07/04/2016
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For a lot of visitors Alaska is about cruise ships, the State Ferry, or driving the highways to get there and Milepost. To me the essence of Alaska is the bush, not the transportation to get there.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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To tag onto the reccomended repair shops, S&P auto in Eagle River is great.
I'm a skeptic, to put it mildly, about repair shops and typically do most all my own work.
Had occasion to use S&P a couple times when we lived up there for a diagnoses and also a major repair and both times were quality work, exceptional service and fair prices. The owner is the kind of guy who reccomended I buy my own parts (because I was putting in aftermarket parts, partly) becasue "I could buy them cheaper than he'd have to charge me." That's fair I'd say.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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swind wrote:I am planning to take a RV trip to Alaska via Canada Yukon in 2017 summer and fall starting from VA. I am going to be there for a over 9 months. Any advise on the tow behind vehicle? How useful it is or not?
Thank you.
If you want to get off the beaten path on wheels I'd say it would be very useful. Not a lot differnet than anywhere else you go though.
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Powerstroke2000
Surrey, B.C., Canada
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Joined: 03/30/2002
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Grit dog wrote:swind wrote:I am planning to take a RV trip to Alaska via Canada Yukon in 2017 summer and fall starting from VA. I am going to be there for a over 9 months. Any advise on the tow behind vehicle? How useful it is or not?
Thank you.
If you want to get off the beaten path on wheels I'd say it would be very useful. Not a lot differnet than anywhere else you go though.
Much depends on what you can afford, and where you might possibly want to go! A car with 'all wheel drive' may be good if the areas you go are not too bad, but a Jeep or similar vehicle with 4 wheels drive (plus Jeeps can be towed 4 wheels down behind a motorhome) would work best in all conditions. There are many vehicles that 'can't' be towed, so do your homework on which will work for you, and you should be good to go! I'd also add some kind of device to keep the rocks, dust/dirt/rain from consuming your tow vehicle as well.
2008 Tiffin Phaeton 36' Class A Diesel
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roadtrek44
Stevens Point, WI
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Joined: 01/21/2020
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My wife and I drove to Alaska 3 years ago and making a return trip this year. Difference is we have since purchased a Class B RV and of course this time will be camping. Traveling early June to mid-July. Question: Are reservations necessary ahead of time for campgrounds along the Alaskan Highway?
Thank you for any and all advice!
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