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Best tire for driving Alaskan Highway

Millerk1966
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2015 F-150 with a Northstar Vista camper (1,500 loaded) and would like to know what your opinions are for the best tire to have for driving from Texas to Alaska. Your input will be appreciated!
20 REPLIES 20

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Tom/Barb wrote:
It is all well maintained hard top road all the way from the US border to Fairbanks, except 13Km between Watson Lake and Whitehorse and that was very smooth,

So any good street tread should work fine.


^This. If you're just taking the Alcan straight to AK. Road isn't bad (frost heaves are). Only risk is distance between services, not likelihood of puncturing a tire.
You want to gear up for what you do that is NOT on the highway. The Denali, Dalton, Mc Carthy Rd etc.
If funds allow, I'd shoe that 150 with some good E load ATs or Mudders, pick your favorite brand.
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Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

bob_nestor
Explorer III
Explorer III
Dragged my Jeep Wrangler up and down the Alcan behind my RV last year. Then took the Jeep on the Dempster (some gravel) all the way to Deadhorse, over the Taylor/Top of the World Highway (mostly gravel) and up and down the Dempster (all gravel). Stock tires on the Jeep which are Goodyear Wranglers, and didn't have a single problem. Towed the Jeep to Big Bend NP over Christmas and took a bolt in a tire running on pavement.

Have traveled the Alcan multiple times going all the way back to '67 when it was 1108 miles of gravel and have never had a flat on the gravel portions.

bb_94401
Explorer
Explorer
If you plan on taking the Dempster Highway to Inuvik on your trip, you might consider a tire with a cut /chip resistant tire compound.

Approximately 460 miles of gravel, one way from the Yukon Territory Hwy 5 junction east of Dawson, then Hwy 8 once you cross into the Northwest Territories to Inuvik.

An example would be the Toyo M-55 LT265/70R17 tires I run as summer tires. Cooper Tires also have cut and chip resistant compound tires as well.
'05 Ram 3500, 4x4, DRW, LB, 6spd man, CTD, PRXB exhaust brake, Roadmaster bar

'01 Corsair 10'8" - 4,200 lbs., Xantrex XADC 80A, Link 20, 4-Lifeline GPL-4CT, PowerGate Isolater, 2 AWG wire, PI 30A EMS, 2 Honda EU2000i, parallel kit, ext. duration tank.

Tom_Barb
Explorer
Explorer
It is all well maintained hard top road all the way from the US border to Fairbanks, except 13Km between Watson Lake and Whitehorse and that was very smooth,

So any good street tread should work fine.
2000 Newmar mountain aire 4081 DP, ISC/350 Allison 6 speed, Wrangler JL toad.

DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Explorer
Driving the Alaska highway and other northern roads is like driving any rough paved road in the lower 48, and the same as any gravel road. If this were 60 to 70 years ago, the answer would be different. Whatever serviceable tires you have on your vehicle now will be fine.

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
Not to be snarky but... One that don't go flat and not a too aggressive tread because an aggressive tread will pick up gravel and you'll be on gravel roads up there. No point in destroying your paint right off the bat. I'm partial to Michelin's myself but thats a personal opinion.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB