Protecting one's TV and TT while driving the Alaska Hwy

[YankeeBP]

While driving the Alaska Hwy, how can one reduce stone damage to their TV windshields/grills; TT fronts/undersides? In the rough sections of "The Hwy," besides driving slow and with care, is there anything else one can do to reduce the chances of TT suspension damage? Will be towing a 24-foot TT with a F150 3.5 Ecoboost.

[93Cobra2771]

If I was doing it, I'd coat the first couple of feet of the nose is sprayable "plasti dip". It's basically a rubberized coating that peels off when you want to remove it. That would help minimize rock chips on the nose of the tt.

[GordonThree]

YankeeBP wrote:
Thanks, All. Appreciate your feedback. I probably shouldn't laugh, but I couldn't help it when I read "petendoll's" post, telling about the guy in a Class_A towing a pickup truck who, while driving too fast over the frost heaves, passed him only to have his pickup break loose and peel-off into the ditch. I can't believe the Class-A driver didn't notice that something significant had happened to the handling of his RV's handling. That had to be quite a sight to see. I am LOL as I write.

I'd believe it. I was amazed as I sat on the side of the road changing a tire on my 20ft trailer... Class A's and 1-tons PUs towing huge fifth-wheels roar down that worst stretch of road as fast as any expressway. Similar for the Denali Hwy (not paved) - PUs and 5r's towing at 50-60 mph, I was white knuckled at 30.

[YankeeBP]

Thanks, All. Appreciate your feedback. I probably shouldn't laugh, but I couldn't help it when I read "petendoll's" post, telling about the guy in a Class_A towing a pickup truck who, while driving too fast over the frost heaves, passed him only to have his pickup break loose and peel-off into the ditch. I can't believe the Class-A driver didn't notice something significant had happened to the handling of his RV. That had to be quite a sight to see. I am LOL as I write.

[dbbls]

Just slow down when you meet another vehicle. It is not there speed that breaks your windshield, it is your speed. The other vehicle simply throws the rock up, your speed is what hits and breaks things. I never had one thing get damaged on my trip up and back.

[NanciL]

You don't have to worry about it.
We towed our travel trailer with a Ford F-150 and never had a problem

If you come to any sections that are under repair you just need to watch the Motor Homes coming in the opposite direction. they are not courteous like the big eighteen wheelers are and will just fly right by you kicking up lots of gravel. If you see one coming just pull way over to the right as far as you can.

Same thing if you decide to leave your Trailer behind and take the Dempster Highway or the Haul road.

Jack L

[petendoll]

The Alaskan Highway is great. We cruised right along until Destruction Bay north of Haines Junction. From Destruction Bay to Beaver Creek it is pretty much just gravel. If you go early in the season as we did, no repairs had been made yet. It was very very bad. We drove 20 mph for 80 miles and still sheared two bolts on our sway bar. People flew by us bouncing madly. One Class A towing a pickup hit a frost heave so hard it broke his tow bar. The truck went over the bank and he kept on going. We wondered what he thought when he stopped that night. We flashed the lights trying to get his attention but he was gone.

Later in the summer, August, that section is all filled and graded. It was very good traveling then. Flying rocks from passing vehicles are a hazard. We had a large one hit our windshield.

My son towed a enclosed trailer up there in February. The rocks on the road beat the daylights out of the front of the trailer. I am assuming the rocks were from material that was spread on the road because the road was ice and snow covered all the way. He wished he had some diamond plate on the lower two feet of the trailer front. You might want to be sure to have some good mud flaps or a rock guard on the front of the trailer. Our motorhome had a mud flap across the whole rear of the vehicle and we had no damage to the toad.

Have fun. It is a great trip. Try the Cassier Highway coming back down. You pick it up near Watson Lake. Really remote but beautiful and lots of bears. Pick up a Milepost. Great and valueable info in that.

[Ivylog]

Until after Whitehorse I would not worry about it other than at bridges where you may need to slow down... the road is that good. After WHorse make someone pass you so you have a rabbit to follow and if they bounce through a rough area you slow down, if not keep your speed up. In the gravel repair sections slow down and keep as far right as possible when you have opposite traffic. Stop worrying and enjoy your trip... the horror stories are from 20 years ago.

[hehbr]

We made the trip last summer pulling our Windjammer trailer. No problems encountered. The Alaska Highway was better than I was led to believe from talking with others that have made the trip. The road was paved for the entire length but you do need to watch for holes, bumps made from filling holes, and the frost heaves. The worst section was the last 200 miles before the Alaska border. I kept the speed down to about 40 mph so I could enjoy the scenery and keep an eye out for any damaged sections of road.

The best advice I received about avoiding vehicle damage was to stop for oncoming trucks if you are on a gravel section of road under repair. That way you do not have any forward speed if the truck throws any gravel in your lane. We did not get hit by anything and had no damage to the truck or trailer while on the trip.

Take it slow and enjoy yourselves as it is a great trip.

[GordonThree]

Take the same precautions you would driving any heavily potholed road in the lower 48. Most the Alcan is in great shape like most of the highways here in the lower 48, but parts of it are terrible, just like the roads down here...

Best advice is to GO SLOW, VERY SLOW when driving on the damaged sections, the roughest part is between Whitehorse and the Alaskan border. By slow, I mean, 25-30 MPH, not "slow" as in 60mph when you'd normally go 80.

[2oldman]

Maybe ask in the Alaska forum.