Forum Discussion

VAHillbilly's avatar
VAHillbilly
Explorer
Apr 09, 2014

Tow Vehicle/Trailer Road Damage Protection

We are planning a trip to Alaska this year and will be traveling the Alaska Highway up and the Cassiar on the return. We will be traveling the main roads to Skagway, Haines, Valdez, Anchorage, Homer, Denali, Fairbanks, and return back to Whitehorse and don't anticipate traveling to the more remote areas such as Deadhorse, Dawson City, etc.

It appears most recommend for road damage protection to just slow down and steer to the right as much as possible when approaching oncoming traffic on the rougher sections. Some of the older post suggest things such as bubble wrap or yoga mats on the font of the trailer and screens in front of the TV radiator, tape over lights and other means. Some of the techniques could cause more damage of scuffing paint by dirt getting behind the cover. Some post I have read suggest the roads are not that much different than what one finds in the lower 48.

I will be pulling a small fiberglass camper (Casita 17) with a Toyota Tundra. I have new tires on both.

This is my first trip to Alaska and could certainly benefit from more seasoned travelers knowledge. What precautions will others be taking to reduce the potential for damage? I don't want to get overly paranoid about potential damage but on the other hand I want to take reasonable precautions when appropriate.
  • 2gypsies1's avatar
    2gypsies1
    Explorer III
    May 12, 2014
    uncledavey75 had it right - just take your time and be prepared to wash off the bugs every night. If they set for days they are a lot harder to remove. We used about an inch of windshield washer fluid in a bucket of water and they came off easily with a squeegie.

    We left Arizona with a cracked windshield but decided not to get it replaced thinking we'd just get another on the Alaskan trip. We returned to Arizona with the same cracked windshield! We had no damage to either our motorhome or Jeep and we didn't do anything special.
  • uncledavey75's avatar
    uncledavey75
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    Howdy hillbilly. I live in North Pole and just pulled our new Cougar xlite 5er up here from the lower 48 with my 2010 Tundra a couple weeks ago no problem, just take your time. The frost heaves between Destruction Bay (properly named) and the US border is the worst part. Again, this is the part where you want to take your time. Consider taking a couple 5 gallon gas jugs depending on when you come. Some gas stations are still closed. Be sure to have good spare tires (although I didn't need them) and consider bringing a couple fixit flats. The last tip I'd give is be sure to wax the front of your TV and RV good...makes getting the skeeters off easier. ;-). Happy travels!
  • PA12DRVR's avatar
    PA12DRVR
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2014
    The surest sign of an Alaskan vehicle is a cracked windshield. Of the 6 vehicles between my and my son's household, only 2 have undamaged windshields....DIL's and DW's. Hmmm.

    ...but I digress. The damage to the windshields have all occured driving on paved roads in and around Anchorage with no more extensive trips than either Fairbanks or Homer. In 20+ trips up and down the Alcan, I had 1-2 flats and 2 broken headlights...and this was between the '70's and 90's. Both of the broken headlights were due to following too close to a big rig...once it was my company's big rig, the other time it was just some guy that didn't understand how fast I needed to go. :(

    If possible, I'd put headlight protection on (if they still make those) and I'd second Joe b.'s suggestion about hardware cloth or mesh to keep the bugs out of the grill, but wouldn't do anything more than that.
  • joe_b_'s avatar
    joe_b_
    Explorer II
    Apr 09, 2014
    gypsies has hit it right on the head. The only thing I do to my vehicles is to put some hardware cloth in behind the grill work to stop any road debris or large bugs from getting into the radiator or the oil/transmission coolers. I will at times put a screen over the outside of the grill instead, just for the bugs. This is one of the first things I do to all my trucks, whether a trip is planned to the north country or not.

    If anyone sees some of the home made protection contraptions this summer, please take some photos so I can steal a few of them. Some where in our moves, I lost several thousand of my old slides and no longer have any of the chicken wire cages built by some of the folks. I have only seen these on north bound travelers, never on a south bound as they realize by the return trip, they are not needed and usually cause more damage rubbing on the vehicle than they prevent.

    If a person is towing a vehicle behind their RV, they may want to look into some of the protection schemes available. I broke more windshields in spring time Colorado, after they had sanded (graveled) the roads all winter, than I ever did in Alaska, while living there. Just lots of debris on the highways, no matter where a person travels it seems.
  • 2gypsies1's avatar
    2gypsies1
    Explorer III
    Apr 09, 2014
    We had no protection on our motorhome or toad and no damage.

    The last year we went we had good laughs all summer as we kept seeing a truck/5th wheel with a chain link fence on the front of his truck extending up into the 5th wheel front. I don't know what kind of stories he heard but I'm sure he never encountered the size rocks for that chain link. . . and to think that he was driving and looking through his windshield at chain link fencing while in the gorgeous country. That was the extreme.

    We also saw many with bubble wrap and duct tape holding all kinds of things. I can't imagine what they found when removing all that tape.

    You heard right - drive slow and watch for the frost heaves - usually well marked, but not always but you'll soon learn how to tell them from a distance. Enjoy your trip!
  • hr0082's avatar
    hr0082
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2014
    In 2011, we pulled a 2010 Scamp 16 footer with a 2005 Toyota Tundra V8. In 2012, we went back with a 2012 Tundra and pulled our 19 foot Scamp. We had no issues, other than a blowout which as you know is sometimes a problem with the 5th wheel Scamps and the small tires.

    We usually drive no faster than 57 MPH and in the lower states, we stay off the interstates where possible so we were quite comfortable with the roads. The exception being the really rough spots. We quickly learned to find another RV and try to keep them in view so we could see where they drove and what the action of the RV was. We spent a great deal of time weaving all over the roads to avoids particularly rough spots.

    I think you will do just fine with the new tires, which I would certainly recommend. Also have a good spare and I would also have an extra tire because it is not easy (as we learned in Soldatna) to get tires. We will be returning to Alaska in June and we will have two new tires, plus our spare. It may be overkill, but in the big scheme of things, it is a minor expense.

    BTW, we almost bought a Casita, but the interior height was not high enough for my 6'2" husband. He still has to duck the AC in our Scamp.
  • sue_t's avatar
    sue_t
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2014
    Your planned route is mostly paved, other than the occasional construction zone.

    None of our vehicles have any special contraptions to protect them, and never have had any. We drive every gravel road we can find too, as we like getting out in the bush.

    The paint chips that my car has are from the winter driving, because gravel is used to 'sand' to Alaska Highway. No cracked windshield on my car, but our other car has a cracked windshield, obtained on Vancouver Island.

    I do enjoy seeing the contraptions people use to protect their vehicles though. Maybe I'll make that a photography project this year...
  • traveylin's avatar
    traveylin
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2014
    Roads are great except for the frost heaves and you will notice the first one. Your truck trailer combo will allow access pretty much unlimited. Plan on spending much more time than you currently allow only because its a great place. Bring a tool box with an elect meter and spare fuses. The long road will id the weak links.

    pops

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