Pipsfc
Nevada
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MORSNOW wrote:Good to hear you'll be taking the TT with you, it'll get tons of use up there. Free camping all over the state, I only paid for beach spots in Seward and Homer. Safe travels!
To be honest, I'm both scared and excited. Scared because I've never traveled in the winter with such harsh conditions and a TT behind me but excited for the same situation. The mind is such a strange and wonderful thing... lol.
We bought it here in NV for the purpose of returning to AK and using it for our dip netting adventures on the deep sandy beach we go to. Plus my wife was a bit concerned with camping in the woods inside a tent with bears around. We need this camper there. I just want to make sure I do it right and safely.
Also I've never packed bearings so I have no idea what I'm doing, AKsilvereagle. Whatever advice you can provide would greatly appreciated.
* This post was
edited 01/18/21 11:12am by Pipsfc *
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SideHillSoup
South Eastern British Columbia
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When it comes to the bearings, it’s not that difficult, however if you haven’t done it before and your heading on a major trip in the winter, I would take your rig to a reputable outfit and have them do it for you.
And as for driving on winter roads:
Today we were snowmobiling at the summit of the 5th highest mountain pass in British Columbia. While we were unloading, a truck and what looked like a 30+ ft 5th wheel, as well as a Class A motor home pulling a “hugely” long horse trailer.
This was 09:30 this morning and the roads were wet.
Now the farther north you go and or every valley. Region or area that your drive through on your trip will have different wet heat and road conditions, so it may not be as nice as today.
Hopefully you don’t have a specific date and a “ time allowance “ that you gave yourself for this trip, as road conditions and weather can add days to you journey “possibly” If you watch the weather, watch road conditions ( black ice ) and especially “take your time” you will be fine.
and make sure the camera is ready to “click”
Relax and have fun.
If you need any information on driving on winter roads, with your route, or with or with out a trailer, drop me a line, I’ve driving these roads up here Year round for over 45 years and have also camped during the winter in our camper when snowmobiling.
It sounds like a fabulous trip!
Soup.
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Pipsfc
Nevada
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SideHillSoup wrote:When it comes to the bearings, it’s not that difficult, however if you haven’t done it before and your heading on a major trip in the winter, I would take your rig to a reputable outfit and have them do it for you.
And as for driving on winter roads:
Today we were snowmobiling at the summit of the 5th highest mountain pass in British Columbia. While we were unloading, a truck and what looked like a 30+ ft 5th wheel, as well as a Class A motor home pulling a “hugely” long horse trailer.
This was 09:30 this morning and the roads were wet.
Now the farther north you go and or every valley. Region or area that your drive through on your trip will have different wet heat and road conditions, so it may not be as nice as today.
Hopefully you don’t have a specific date and a “ time allowance “ that you gave yourself for this trip, as road conditions and weather can add days to you journey “possibly” If you watch the weather, watch road conditions ( black ice ) and especially “take your time” you will be fine.
and make sure the camera is ready to “click”
Relax and have fun.
If you need any information on driving on winter roads, with your route, or with or with out a trailer, drop me a line, I’ve driving these roads up here Year round for over 45 years and have also camped during the winter in our camper when snowmobiling.
It sounds like a fabulous trip!
Soup.
Thanks Soup, I appreciate the words of encouragement and advice. I have set hotel reservations but being a Wyndham rewards member i can cancel or change without too much of an issue. I fully anticipate possible delays, but I hope for the best and plan for the worst.
As for the bearings, I will be calling the RV joint I bought my camper at and see what they can do to help me.
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StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
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SideHillSoup wrote:
Hopefully you don’t have a specific date and a “ time allowance “ that you gave yourself for this trip, as road conditions and weather can add days to you journey “possibly” If you watch the weather, watch road conditions ( black ice ) and especially “take your time” you will be fine.
unfortunatly due to Covid and boarder rules, they will have a time restriction, and they are watching it now due to people being caught saying they were traveling strait to alaska and being found on the island or in banff...
Steve
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SideHillSoup
South Eastern British Columbia
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StirCrazy wrote:SideHillSoup wrote:
Hopefully you don’t have a specific date and a “ time allowance “ that you gave yourself for this trip, as road conditions and weather can add days to you journey “possibly” If you watch the weather, watch road conditions ( black ice ) and especially “take your time” you will be fine.
unfortunatly due to Covid and boarder rules, they will have a time restriction, and they are watching it now due to people being caught saying they were traveling strait to alaska and being found on the island or in banff...
Steve
Good point Steve, that’s in the rules for traveling through Canada to Alaska or back to the lower 48, there is a time limit for the passage.
However if road conditions dictate driving slower than the posted speed to ensure your driving safely, which means “ taking your time”, I would hope the RCMP and CBSA would take that into consideration.
I’m going to bet when they cross into Canada they will be given a phone number to call if “something“ happens to slow their journey through Canada, like vehicle breakdown, closed roads because of accidents, avalanche control, road conditions etc. Driving this route in the summer months is a lot different in the winter months.
If I were them I would be asking those questions ( what if?) when they get to the Canadian boarder, just incase.
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time2roll
Southern California
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Stay the course and all will be fine. No detours.
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Pipsfc
Nevada
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Geez!! I was just looking into a local guy who can repack my bearings and he charges $125 per hour. I just learned about ez lube fittings and wondering if mine has them. I'll have to check when I get home.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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MORSNOW wrote:
We just had to provide the required documentation (no quarantine required) at the border and received what I called our "Scarlet Letter" that was placed on the dash for the entire transit (the reflection in the windshield was a hazard in itself), and were restricted to 5 days to cross. We did it in 3 long days crossing back into the US at 11:00pm
So what do they do if you don't make it in time?? Turn you around and send you back to see if you make better time on the return trip? LOL
"Yes Sir, Oct 10 1888, Those poor school children froze to death in their tracks. They did not even find them until Spring. Especially hard hit were the ones who had to trek uphill to school both ways, with no shoes." -Bert A.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Pipsfc wrote:Geez!! I was just looking into a local guy who can repack my bearings and he charges $125 per hour. I just learned about ez lube fittings and wondering if mine has them. I'll have to check when I get home.
Be careful with EZ Lubes or bearing buddys. They're good as long as you dont' overfill and blow out the rear seal.
I'd think any trailer shop would do it, but yeah, probably cost a couple hundo for $4 worth of grease and a couple hours of your time.
Hope you send a trip report, I LOVE that drive. Did one in mid "spring" and only hit snow for maybe 500mi of the trip. Towing a trailer, but driving in snow doesn't bother me.
Chains are good, if you hit some warmer weather and ice. Otherwise, cold weather aint that slick.
Since you're taking the camper, I'd have a small generator and the propane filled. Worst case, you have warm shelter to "camp" in if something happens.
Your truck will be fine. OE block heater is good down to -40 I'd say. All the other stuff, pan heaters, battery heaters, trans pan heaters etc, we used in the Arctic, but it was daily cold starts every day. Change the oil to 5W40 synthetic, other maint up to date and hit the road.
One imprtant thing for traction, figure out your approx axle loads on the truck and don't air up the tires any more than they need to be for the weight.
Good luck!
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Pipsfc
Nevada
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Grit dog wrote:MORSNOW wrote:
We just had to provide the required documentation (no quarantine required) at the border and received what I called our "Scarlet Letter" that was placed on the dash for the entire transit (the reflection in the windshield was a hazard in itself), and were restricted to 5 days to cross. We did it in 3 long days crossing back into the US at 11:00pm
So what do they do if you don't make it in time?? Turn you around and send you back to see if you make better time on the return trip? LOL
I definitely laughed at this! Lol
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