Question on taking rig to Alaska

[CFrance]

I am planning a trip from Florida to the Yukon and Alaska next year. I will be driving my 2004.5 towing a 13k 5th wheel. The truck has 176k miles and is bone stock. I have done regular maintenance. Nothing has been replaced on the engine or trans. I will be covering about 20k miles and many of them will be in the boonies on dirt roads with no service or cell phone. So my questions are:

What should I check or change before trip?
Should I have a cylinder balance test done?
What spare parts beside Geno's Boonie Box and spare water pump/filter?

With 176k miles I am concerned about injectors.

Any info and tips greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your input

 

[SnoKing]

I would think about a fresh transmission HD rebuild, TC lock up box and exhaust brake! Chris

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I'd get the injectors swapped beforehand. We were in Wy when mine finally let go at 183k. Only thing available were re-mans and I was stuck paying the shop rate labor. Ended up paying almost $1k more than if I'd done it ahead of time and completely ruined my pre-reserved reservations at RV parks. I was p i s s e d that I let my wife talk me out of changing the injectors ahead of time. I knew they were problematic before we left and they left us stranded in the end.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Carry spare #4, 6 injector lines.

 

[BDaugherty]

Install a new belt, tensioner, and fan hub bearing. Carry a fuel rail cap. I wouldn't go crazy with new parts, but if there is anything starting to show signs of failure, now's the time.

 

[n7gxz]

Carry two spare tires for both the truck and the trailer. Where all are you looking to be going? I've been up there several times with the Alcan5000 road rally.

Kevin

 

[SnoKing]

If you are from Florida and have never towed in the mountains, you may not understand the need for an exhaust brake! 7500-8000 pound truck plus your 13K trailer puts your weight up there! If you start with fresh brakes all the away around, you might make it back on one set, but that is not the real issue. Almost overheated brakes on a hill and then having to stop because the guy ahead of you saw a bear and stopped is where you can find yourself in a pickle. The Cummins diesel has very little holdback on a grade without as exhaust brake. If you have never towed out West in the mountains, then you may not understand the issue of having cool service brakes going down a mountain pass in case something happens that requires a full stop.

Chris

 

[KB0OU]

Take a good attitude and enjoy the trip. Been up to Anchorage many times, it is not a bad trip. All that stuff is no more likely to fail up there as down in Florida . YMMV

 

[DonFitzwater]

I'd install injectors before you go. Change your hoses and water pump and throw a new belt and tensioner on too. Have fun

 

[K5IP]

CFrance,
I've done this four times, mostly for the fishing.
If you do like to fish, it can be world class. The Salmon are great.
I did damage the bearings out of my 95 with a nv4500 and had to drive back using mostly high gear, but it was still a great trip.
I think it is the last "great "America road trip" and I would encourage anyone who likes being on the road to do it. You will remember it forever.
Now about injectors, well maybe.
Rog

 

[JRutledge]

As long as your truck is solid I would grab extra spares for the trailer and hit the road. I live in Tok, Ak and I have driven every road in the state. There is decent availability of parts in both Anchorage and Fairbanks. Also Whitehorse in the Yukon has a good dealer. I have to confess though that I do love my jake brake. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I made the foolish mistake of installing inj's about a week before a trip. It was disastrous. If you get new sticks, put some miles on them before your trip - at least 500~1000 or more.

 

[BDaugherty]

Praire Dog, what problem did you have? Were they too hot towing or did one fail?

 

[Mark31]

CFrance, if my truck started quickly (like it did when new) hot or cold and ran smoothly at idle, I wouldn't worry about injectors. My friend Chris has about 340k on his 03 that runs perfectly. He runs 5 micron Baldwin fuel filters. He knows that the CP3 and injectors should be changed, but with it running perfectly, can't make himself get it done. He ran a Bullydog for years and now a Smarty. I would change the #4 injector line and make sure all the hoses and belt were like new, get a boonie box and be through with the engine. I would have to have a built trans before I left home. Have you ever talked to Suncoast? I wouldn't pull that much weight to Alaska without a Pacbrake for any amt of money! Snoking told it right! We pulled a 4000 lb Woodmizer LT40H sawmill to Palmer, Alaska, and even that could push pretty good! Going around a curve and finding buffalo everywhere was a once-in-a-lifetime thrill (I hope!!!). I am a little paranoid about brakes, stopping. My equipment gooseneck has 3 inch shoes, and with a GCW of nearly 24k, will keep me out of any trouble on flatter land if I "drive 8 cars ahead of me". It is one thing to be inconvenienced because of a breakdown. It is something else to be out of commission because of a wreck because you can't stop! Lock-out front hubs would certainly be nice. XPS ribs and trailer suspension improvements and a Demco or air cushion hitch and you can be off! Oh, if you have any change left out of all your money that I just spent, look at the Mag-Hytec diff covers and some Bilsteins! Mark

 

[SnoKing]

I wouldn't pull that much weight to Alaska without a Pacbrake for any amt of money! Snoking told it right! Mark

Thanks Mark, I thought maybe I had stepped off onto to a distance planet that was perfectly flat and round with no hills!

My trailer weighs in at a little over 12K and combined weight is around 20K+or- and I would not tow it in the Western States or Western Canada/Alaska without my exhaust brake. My DTT valve body and smart controller are set up to include lock up and exhaust braking even in second gear and I have used that on a number of occasions, like Washington Pass on highway 20 in the Northern Cascades and a couple snarly grades on 101 in Northern California.

That is the best money the OP can spend of his truck before leaving, fresh custom transmission and exhaust brake. A transmission failure on the Alcan would be a disaster. A injector line, belt or host could be ordered and arrive in a couple days. Doing a major transmission is another story and one could be hung up for a few weeks. And spend 2 or 3 times the money and not have as good of a finish product.

A earlier Ford or Chevy with grade braking will get by, but the 47-48RE and Cummins just do not hold back on hills, and without the torque converter locked you can generate a lot of heat. I am not that up to speed on the 04.5 and torque converter lock up, but it does not really matter as the Cummins just free wheels!

Chris

 

[goodguys75]

I think just a good service, new tires, fresh batteries and you should be good to go...as long as your truck has been taking care of

 

[Prairie Dog]

Praire Dog, what problem did you have? Were they too hot towing or did one fail?

No, not too hot, just 50 HP sticks but one of them was defective. It didn't really show up without a load but when I hooked up the trailer it would have a pronounced miss as I took off. The trans made a terrible banging noise in conjunction with the miss and I ended up wit a fair amount of aluminum in the pan - probably from the planetary set. The old A518 trans held up but I think I must have put some terrible wear on it.

Scott