Should I replace my TRUCK tires before Alaska trip?

Error:
They are not Trail Cats but are Open Country
Toyo Open Country

Start with new, or as suggested because of the exchange rate for the CDN$, get some new rubber in Canada.

The chip seal, poor mans asphalt, used on northern roads is hard on tires. A flat 53 miles NE of Nowhere because of a tire replacement delay will be inconvenient at best, very expensive at worst.

outwestbound wrote:

sue.t wrote:

outwestbound wrote:
Hi. Thanks. Which Wranglers did you go with?

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wrangler-silentarmor

http://www.goodyear.ca/en-CA/tires/wrangler-silentarmor

They've taken us up the Dempster Highway towing the fifth wheel, and all over Yukon and northern B.C. on the Alaska Highway. No flats on any of the gravel roads and been good enough for winter driving too.

Biggest issue with winter driving is the rear-wheel drive when there's no load in the box.

This looks like the replacement for your tire: https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wrangler-all-terrain-adventure

Looks like a good tire. Good reviews.

deleted..post error

enblethen wrote:
1/4 inch tread is not much.
I would be looking at replacing them before your trip. Maybe carry one of the old tires as an un-mounted spare.
I would get some thing like the Toyo Trail Cat II LTs.
A single spare should be no problem.
Your trailer tires could be more of an issue along with a spare or two for it. Seems we saw more trailer flats then TVs and MHs this past spring.
There is many tire stores in the major cities in Canada and Alaska.

Can you provide a link to those Trail Cats, can't locate them on the Toyo web site, I am a big fan of Toyo Tires.

outwestbound wrote:
Hi. Thanks. Which Wranglers did you go with?

https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wrangler-silentarmor

http://www.goodyear.ca/en-CA/tires/wrangler-silentarmor

They've taken us up the Dempster Highway towing the fifth wheel, and all over Yukon and northern B.C. on the Alaska Highway. No flats on any of the gravel roads and been good enough for winter driving too.

Biggest issue with winter driving is the rear-wheel drive when there's no load in the box.

Some additional comments from someone who did live in AK and will again in 86 days, 4 hours, and 15 - 20 minutes...but who's counting:

- I've made 20+ round trips on the Alcan, but it's becoming aged history as the last trip was in the '90's. On the first several, one had to look up what "pavement" meant after getting on the Alcan...back then, one also had to really evaluate if the road from Northway on in to Tok counted as pavement even when it was allegedly "paved".
- As others have suggested, replace the tires. Your remaining tread depth doesn't inspire confidence....particularly if you want to explore the backroads (i.e. gravel) in AK and Canada.
- All-Season tires suck, particularly for the winter, IMNSHO. Get a good set of M&S and go with those. Choose your poison on the brand: I've never had much luck with Michelins, but suspect they're just as good as anything else. My rigs that reside in Alaska run on Firestones, Goodyears, and Toyo's. The two rigs that get switched for winter run on Blizzaks and Hakkapolitas (sp?).
- As pointed out above, for the "banana belt" around Anchorage, studded tires are the bees knees...but I'd go with good M&S. Studded tires aren't really required anywhere, but where they shine is at the polished ice intersections in Los Anchorage and environs.....that's such a small part of your likely driving that it certainly doesn't justify a special purpose purchase.
- Strangely enough, I never had a flat on a passenger vehicle on the Alcan. I had somewhere between 4-5 flats on large truck (duece-and-a-half on up to 18-wheelers) tires. Having dealt with a wide spectrum of resolutions on those (patching, dismounting, putting on a spare, waiting for the service truck etc), I learned that mounted spares are beautiful things. Had a brake line freeze up one time and it burned up a tire outside of Watson Lake. By the time I resolved the brake line issues (at circa -35 f, IIRC, but it was a long time ago), switching the wheel/tire was a comparative breeze....hate to think about the situation if I hadn't had a mounted spare.
- Lastly a bit of gratuitous advice, but (since I'm told that Los Anchorage is having another non-winter and next winter might be the same) remember that 4WD doesn't help at all when stopping on ice.

sue.t wrote:
We replaced the tires on our F-250 4x4 a couple of winters ago. Went with Goodyear Wranglers, 10-ply, load range E. These stay on the truck year-round and do fine in winter.

We tow trailers year-round (fifth wheel RV or the car trailer with a load of construction materials or firewood) and also have a truck camper that is used throughout the year.

We have snow tires on our cars in winter but keep the same set on the truck all seasons. Haven't needed chains for anything yet.

Been happy with the Wranglers.

If you're planning to drive the gravel roads with your RV, then a good set of tires is important.

Hi. Thanks. Which Wranglers did you go with?

We replaced the tires on our F-250 4x4 a couple of winters ago. Went with Goodyear Wranglers, 10-ply, load range E. These stay on the truck year-round and do fine in winter.

We tow trailers year-round (fifth wheel RV or the car trailer with a load of construction materials or firewood) and also have a truck camper that is used throughout the year.

We have snow tires on our cars in winter but keep the same set on the truck all seasons. Haven't needed chains for anything yet.

Been happy with the Wranglers.

If you're planning to drive the gravel roads with your RV, then a good set of tires is important.

Something else to consider. Winter in Alaska means studded tires. Oddly, the further north you are, Fairbanks for example, the less you need studs. Colder temps give better traction. At 50 below ice is just like dry pavement (I drove school bus when I was in college in Fairbanks so I've thoroughly tested that statement). South of the Alaska Range most vehicles have studs. That means another set of tires. But, on the bright side, less wear on your summer tires.