Do you keep original tires on rv when going to Alaska?

[Glenda2014]

We're planning a trip to Alaska in 2017....we bought a new Outdoors Creekside last June, have put about 5000 miles on it. Our first TT and we love it and can't wait to head out in May. My question is would you change out the original tires before heading to Alaska? Thanks in advance and I love reading about all of your experiences!

[2gypsies1]

Glenda2014 wrote:
Well it happened. ....our first blowout!
On our way back from GC.....about 6000 miles on tires, they look like new.....but one came apart.....they're 205 75 R15 Goodyear Marathon

Is your trailer within it's carrying capacity weight? Have it weighed to be sure.

[PA12DRVR]

Couple of FWIW's

- Summer 2016: Snatch and tow in Los Anchorage (in-law locked keys in car): $225 to winch onto flatbed and drive across town (maybe 30 minutes all told)
- Summer 2011? 2012? Flat on Jeep Cherokee around Tok area. Subsequent flat on spare just a little further around Tok area. No right size spares in Tok. Fix-a-flat on the spare (a newer tire overall) and pump up with small 12v compressor. Repeat 2-3 times on the way to Glennallen. No right size spares in Glennallen. Repeat pumping exercise 2-3 times back to Palmer. Trip cut short based on tire problems. Granted, unusual to have two flats immediately but...
- 2014: Bad driving (ahem) puts pickup in soft snow on the side of the road near Homer. $175 trip fee for wrecker, $150 snatch cost, and $250 if towed back to Homer. I decide I can live with the bent panel until I get to Anchorage...but the better part of a day is lost chasing down and waiting for wrecker service for the snatch.

Point is that if you have tire problems, the money that might have been spent to get new ones will be quickly overshadowed by the cost (certainly if one needs to be towed) and the time / frustration (certainly) if you can't fix the problem with a simple spare/wheel swap. And all of the above (surprisingly for the Tok exercise) happened in good cell coverage. The balance of the time/frustation problems gets further skewed if one is not in good cell coverage.

[fulltimedaniel]

colliehauler wrote:
I would probably replace mine if they are the cheapest Chinese tires available with the best one I could find. Tire trouble is no fun wherever you are, especially on a trip to Alaska. The cost of tires would be such a small expense compared to the cost of the trip.

4 good tires for a trailer say Goodyear or Carlisle are going to be about $200 each Balanced installed and mounted with all taxes.

That is $800

Cost of Fuel for a 4000 mile (one way)...at 12.5MPG (my average)= 320 gallons of fuel @ an average cost of $2.53 (my average including a trip to Alaska)

=$809.60

Not what I call small in comparison to the overall cost. It is basically the cost of fuel.

There is no need to replace the tires unless they are worn badly.

I have run my current set over 24,000 miles including the Baja and to Alaska with not a single flat or tire problem...and they are what some would call "China Bombs".

Save your money for better things. Like the high price of Fuel along the Hwy.

[tinner12002]

I would also recommend 2 spares and installing a good TPMS system so you can monitor the temps and air pressure of your RV tires while your driving. I'd even pick up a small 12volt air comp also just in case or a 110volt if you have an onboard generator. I have a 5gal 110volt Dewalt comp I carry when we go camping or traveling, some say 2 spares and a comp is overkill but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've had 2 flats on a tri axle toy hauler before within 50 miles of each other and its not fun but I just happened to have 2 spares. Then all new tires and wheels with TPMS system when we got home. Oh and I would also take a battery Dewalt 1/2" drive impact too! Don't forget a good jack and or Trailermate also.

[Glenda2014]

Well it happened. ....our first blowout!
On our way back from GC.....about 6000 miles on tires, they look like new.....but one came apart.....they're 205 75 R15 Goodyear Marathon

[Glenda2014]

Wanted Maxxis st225/75 R15 E, but
Couldn't find any close so went with
Carlisle st225/75 R15 E 10 ply....these should work for our 4500 lb tt.

[Glenda2014]

Well it happened. ....our first blowout!
On our way back from GC.....about 6000 miles on tires, they look like new.....but one came apart.....they're 205 75 R15 Goodyear Marathon

[MORSNOW]

If you have a generator, I also recommend a 120 volt 1/2" drive impact wrench with sockets to fit your lug nuts.

[fanrgs]

We went to Alaska with only 5,000 miles on our OEM tires and the factory spare on our travel trailer. We had one trailer flat on our 10,000-mile trip and that was due to a screw through the sidewall just above the tread. Therefore, it couldn't be repaired and I had to buy one new tire in Wasilla.

We came back via the Top of the World Highway and had no problems with those OEM tires despite traveling over a section under construction that was covered with 6" chunks of broken rock. However, about 5 miles after crossing the border into Canada, we had two flats on the rear axle of the truck. I replaced one with the spare and the other was plugged and filled by a wonderful lowboy driver who stopped to offer his assistance. We drove all the way to Whitehorse on that plugged tire before getting two new Goodyears at Walmart.

I wasn't quite as helpless as this makes me sound because I had a full set of tools, a 12v compressor, a partial set of tire plugs (I had unsuccessfully tried to use some of them on the trailer flat), and a can of Fix-a-Flat. But the time it would have taken me to plug and fill the tires with my equipment was shortened considerably by that truck driver.

However, I highly recommend that everyone going to Alaska take a compressor, Fix-a-Flat, and a plug kit whether you have new tires or not. In fact, I still carry that equipment with me on every RV trip in the Lower 48 in our new 5th wheel.

[JohnG4706]

3oaks wrote:

explorenorth wrote:

TenOC wrote:
The roads in AK are no different than the roads in the lower 48, but the distance between towns is much greater.

Many of the roads are different in that they use chipseal rather than asphalt. It's much coarser, and although it's not obvious on car/truck tires, on my motorcycle, I get FAR less mileage on tires on northern roads.

Obviously you are our out of touch with rural America in the lower 48 states. A lot of us still travel on "chipseal", crushed gravel and shale roads even down here.

I went to Alaska in 2015 and up PEI and NS last summer. Over 20k miles. My tires still look good and the wear is even. These are the original Chinese tires that came standard with the trailer.

I have a TPMS and monitor TP and heat constantly. Proper TP and monitoring is very important.

As a strong suggestion, I would carry both a spare tire, making sure it fits, etc., and a bottle jack that fits and capable of jacking your TT. While it is good practice to have a road assistance service, there are areas that don't have any cell service. Worst case scenario would be to unhitch TT and drive for either tire repair or cell service.

I had a great time the sights and memories will last a lifetime.

[tegu69]

We went to Ak in 2011 with our 2010 Denali fw. The tires were over a year old, but less than two, so I figured I might as well get the use out of them. I started noticing wear on inside edge of left rear about 2/3 of the way to Glacier np. I bought two new tires, keeping the better one. I later noticed that the tires on the left side were about 1/4 inch further apart than the right side. I rotated the tires several times on our trip to try to make them last longer. When we were in Tok on our way back, one of the tires looked worse than the others and I had the one tire that I kept from the tire sale mounted on the rim. Guess what? That tire blew in the area of Destruction Bay.
Bottom line, those tires on the trailer are probably relatively cheap. If they came with the coach and are 3 years or older I would replace.

[Lancslad]

I put new tires on our motorhome and toad truck before our Alaska trip last year. We had no issues the whole trip. I would put new tires on for your trip and upgrade the quality by 2 levels. If yours are C go to E.

[Grit_dog]

Nothing magically bad about the drive up there vs any other rugged country down south. But for an extended trip I'd want 2 spares anyway so I'd go new heavy tires and keep 2 of the China bombs for spares.
That said, knock on wood, I've driven it a few times, heavy and pulling trailer and had no flats.

[Blazing_Zippers]

Funny... We were having dinner tonight with our buddies, and this exact subject came up due to our upcoming trip to Alaska.
We have a 1 year old Keystone Cougar fifth wheel, and plan to put new Maxxis tires on before we leave. They have a higher capacity, and we never had a problem with our old unit with Maxxis. This is NOT an add for the brand, but for the $600.00 investment, it might be worth it.