VEHICLES, CAMPERS, and BOATS > Build Threads
2001 Excursion Alaska Overlander
stlaser:
Ok Phil, let’s dive a bit deeper on a couple items.
First the double spare tire thing. Is two really necessary? Are you cutting sidewalls? Reason I ask is I follow a you tuber and he actually lives in Alaska and drives all over. He has one spare and it’s not even close to the correct size. Granted he drives a Ford so maybe it’s a Dodge thing? :tongue: In all seriousness I carry a plug kit and compressor. What was your actual experience?
Broken windshield, carry stone chip repair kits would be good idea I assume.
Spare parts, thinking new belts, rad hoses and maybe idler. I’ll get plugs swapped again before I go (triton engine bs). I did it 40k ago but it’s been a couple years now and they loosen up and tend to build up on threads exposed in combustion chamber. Toss in a spare alternator and starter? Service fluids and carry extra. These V10 do eat some oil between changes so I do carry extra oil already.
I’d say I’m not the normal vacationer to such places. With off road racing back ground and recreational wheeling in some remote places I’m used to cobbling things together to get back home or at least to a pit for a real repair.
Flyin6:
I want to encourage you two to share some of this general information over on the "Alaska Adventure 225 thread.
Loads of good discussion here. You have me thinking. I was going one spare/compressor/tire plug route. Try and squeeze in some extra fuel, but I already have scads of range with that sippy Cummins. Having said that, with a big draggy camper on the back my MPG's will be less.
My Wyoming shakedown run this summer will teach me much of what I will need going forward.
http://real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com/index.php?topic=5486.0
Flyin6:
S: What sort of MPG do you think you'll get?
Big gasser, and draggy, I am thinking 12MPG.
Mine has a 30-something gallon tank. I get almost 17 unladen on 37's. I think for the trip I may go down to 35's, since with the addition of the 37's over stock, I dropped nearly 3 mpg's. Either that or regear to 4.10 and keep the 37's. But the 37's may well overwork the transmission...hmmm
Anyway, I can see me getting 13 MPG in my heavily weighed-down 3500 Ram.
stlaser:
Don, prior to kids taking it to college it was 10-12 regardless if I pulled a small trailer with it or not. I’m going to 37’s on it and 5.13 gears which will be almost spot on to the tires and 4.30’s I have now. So I’ll assume 8 and may be surprised? At 8 with 44 gallon tank I’m 350 miles, if I can add 4 cans to rear rack like Phil did then that gets me to 500 miles maybe more. Obviously stop and go cuts the mileage considerably.
I’m hoping one spare tire unless Phil comes back saying he gutted sidewalls like it was his job.
Sammconn:
I’ll add my two cents on tires.
I travel 200 miles of what I will assume is similar to the Alaska highway.
I used to carry two spares.
I was running “cheap” house brand 10 ply tires.
I was not all about 500 dollar tires.
I used two spares at times with the cheap rubber.
Twice in fact. Once was on my way for new tires.
I learned my lesson and now run Good Year duratracs.
Toyo M55’s prior, but they were somewhere between terrible and dangerous on ice.
I now carry one spare, a plug kit and good 12 volt compressor.
Economy tires and less than 1/4” - 3/8” tread are a recipe for flats.
Just what I’ve found over the last 23 years of the road I travel.
I did however cut a Toyo Open Country bead to bead one spring in some terrible road conditions. Read foot deep ruts. I suspect I found an old burried grader blade or the edge of a sharp boulder.
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