White_Whale
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Re: Driving the Cassiar Highway in November
Fishhunter wrote: Just drove the Cassiar from Alaska down hauling a TC and pulling a small cargo trailer, road was dry all the way, but I personally wouldn't do it in winter. Don't save but about 115 miles and it's slower going. Headed back north late November or early December and will taking the Alcan. The fact you are doing it late November makes me feel less foolish for doing it early November. :B We do have chains but we have already decided to drive the Alcan back. The unloaded dually (+ 360 pounds to traction gravel bags) did fine with the six Blizzaks coming down, but I have no idea how traction will be with the Bigfoot on board. I'd hate to get halfway up some of those hills on the Cassiar and have a problem.597Views0likes0CommentsRe: Driving the Cassiar Highway in November
crosscheck wrote: List of Gas and diesel stations open in winter: Kitwanga 0km Bell II 249km Iskut 405km Dease Lake 480km Good Hope Lake 628km Junction #37 and Alaska Hwy 727km Remember that stations opperate at different hours(reduced) in the winter. Fuel up before heading to the next place. You might want to carry a 5 gallon container just in case. The only time there was a problem in the hundreds of times I have travelling #37 in the winter over the last 30 years was when there was a warm spell and there was rain or thaws that turned the roads into ice rinks. If you ever have a problem, get out of your vehicle, hold your hand up and you will receive some sort of assistance from everyone who passes. In the past, that was the way of the north. Dave Thank you Dave, We are at the Nugget tonight just short of the Cassiar on the Alaskan Highway. We will head down the Cassiar tomorrow. Looks like some flurries called for but nothing worrisome. We stayed in Beaver Creek last night and left out at 0730 in the dark. Temp was minus 4 F. and dropped to minus 12F for the next few hours. Started warming into the 20's as we approached Whitehorse. I always worry about my fuel gelling at those temps even though I double up the anti-gel. Cheers Jim598Views0likes0CommentsRe: BRIDGESTONE BLIZZAK W965
MORSNOW wrote: I've ran Blizzak tires on my cars and 1500 truck since 2005 (WS & DM series). The W965 is not like the car tires, it has a much harder rubber compound which provides less traction than the lighter tires and very few sizes are available for modern HD trucks. I run studded Goodyear tires on my 2500 due to the unavailability of a Blizzak. The soft rubber was an issue for me, not from a tire wear standpoint, but from a soft sidewall "cushy" feel while under heavy load with the camper on board. Sounds like there may be a traction trade off with the "stiffer" W965. Anyone else running W965's and what is you experience. Thanks to everyone Jim505Views0likes0CommentsBRIDGESTONE BLIZZAK W965
I've run Blizzak tires on my passenger cars here in Alaska in the winter and found them remarkable for traction on both snow and ice. I always ran studded tires on my truck. I was wondering if anyone had personal experience with these tires on their truck especially with a camper aboard. Cheers Jim3.3KViews0likes14CommentsRe: Bigfoot & 2006 Dodge Ram dually & fender flare question
GoinThisAway wrote: White Whale, normally I don't like black vehicles but seeing as you're in Alaska I'd think a black vehicle might not be so bad. In any case, it's going to look awesome with a snow white Bigfoot on board. We already nicknamed the combo "ORKA" (misspelled on purpose) We used to call our last camper the "White Whale" hens my user name. I checked with AK DMV and the customized plate "ORCA" was taken but ORKA was available. Cheers Jim640Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot & 2006 Dodge Ram dually & fender flare question
kohldad wrote: Let us know if you need anything else. But with a 91-1/2 dimension between the tie down points, sounds like they moved them farther apart and solved the issue. Thank you very much for posting those pics and for mentioning the frozen water line. The main reason for buying this Bigfoot is to expand our camping into colder weather periods. I will look at the area of the propane tank as you suggested and insulate the line if needed. Does your front turnbuckle on the driver's side interfere with your fuel filler cap area? Also, what do you have between the camper and the truck bed. I had read that two rubber pads and a sheet of 5/8 plywood may be necessary to increase the height of the camper cabover over the truck cab.639Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot & 2006 Dodge Ram dually & fender flare question
kohldad wrote: Gointhisaway has a 10.4 on a 2008 Ram and had the issue. Torkllift sends an angle bracket (3 pieces each side) that bolts in the existing tie down bolts and moves the connection point rearward so the torklift clears the rear fender. Very easy install except for the drilling the bracket to match the existing pattern since the material is hardened. Just so happens I will see her within 24hrs and should be able to snap a picture if you would like. You could also make your own with a piece of 1/4" angle 8' long. Since your Bigfoot is new, you should check with them as some manufacturers were adjusting for the new fender design and moving the rear point rearward. So the new design may save you some headache. You can consider yourself lucky. My sister didn't find out about the problem until she had driven 2000 miles to pick up her camper from a dealership. She had to wait around a couple of days for it to get shipped and then another couple days for them to get it drilled and installed. Edit: Forgot to tell you the 10.4 is a very nice rig with a great layout for two. Only big issue my sister has had was they ran a water line against the outside skin which caused it to freeze on a winter outing. Once she moved it and put a little insulation between it and the wall, shes has been well pleased. The dealer in Oregon we are buying the 2016 10.4 from measured it yesterday and the rear tiedown eyelet is 91 1/2 inches from the front of the camper. The link I provided in the second post said if you are over 90 inches you should be good to go. I certainly hope so because, like your Sister, we won't know until we try and mount it up at that dealer. Hopefully if there is an issue the materials will be readily available to to remedy the situation since i have alerted him to this topic. I'd love to know where that water line was located exactly so I can be sure we will not have a duplicate issue. Cheers Jim P.S> "Just so happens I will see her within 24hrs and should be able to snap a picture if you would like." That would be great if you could. What year Bigfoot 10.4 was it?209Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot & 2006 Dodge Ram dually & fender flare question
Reddog1 wrote: Nice truck. I have a 2004 DRW Dodge and a Bigfoot TC. It has Torklift frame mounts that were installed be the previous owner. I did not receive the extensions for the tiedowns. I made my own, and made them long enough not to hit the fenders. The extensions are pretty simple to build. Wayne Wayne, Any chance you post a picture of the extensions? Thanks Jim209Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot & 2006 Dodge Ram dually & fender flare question
Reddog1 wrote: Nice truck. I have a 2004 DRW Dodge and a Bigfoot TC. It has Torklift frame mounts that were installed be the previous owner. I did not receive the extensions for the tiedowns. I made my own, and made them long enough not to hit the fenders. The extensions are pretty simple to build. Wayne Wayne, What year is your Bigfoot?210Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bigfoot Truck Camper & 2006 Dodge fuel filler cap
burningman wrote: towpro wrote: I don't think so based on pictures I am seeing. But that's not an '06 dually or even the same body style at all.. The fuel filler isn't in the same place. I agree. That is a Gen II body style made until 2002. From what I have read and been told the Gen III body style is the issue and that would include the 2006.341Views0likes0Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 19, 202544,029 Posts
