Alaska bound after the rally!

[Fox hunt]

i am heading to Alaska this summer my truck is a 2017 and my 5.0 is a 2017. I'm thinking I should get new tires for both since both sets are 5 years old and I'm going on this adventure. What tires would you recommend i buy for my 5.0?

[Vermilye]

I've been pleased with Goodyear Endurance tires on my 21C.

[Fox hunt]

what size do i need for a 5.0?

[cpaharley2008]

You should probably stick with the same size as the factory tires and wheels, different tires but same size.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by fox hunt

what size do i need for a 5.0?

st 205/75 r15

[Eggscape]

I would keep 2 of the best used tires from both the truck and the trailer to take along on the trip just in case. You don’t want to wait for one of the correct size to be shipped in if they are out of stock…supply shortages etc. I am sure tires are extra pricey up there as well.

[camperwa]

Headed to Alaska as well June 1. We outfitted our trailer with Goodyear Endurance as well....so far a great tire. Carrying 2 spares for both the trailer and the truck (probably overkill but we have the space). Will have the wheel bearings greased as well before we leave. Using Milepost we hope for smooth sailing. Keeping our fingers crossed that no new covid border crossing testing will be required.

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Kate,
In the upper Midwest where I live, the base price on the new Goodyear endurance tire you need is $138 per tire. Of course all the rest of the add ons add up. I had them install full metal stems this time. Had rubber before.
“Costs money to go racin’.” Boge Johnson Knoxville, Iowa.
Iowa Dave

[skiman]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I would keep 2 of the best used tires from both the truck and the trailer to take along on the trip just in case. You don’t want to wait for one of the correct size to be shipped in if they are out of stock…supply shortages etc. I am sure tires are extra pricey up there as well.

Just ordered a steel rim for a second spare for Alaska trip. I was cautioned by Centex to make sure that I had a set of open end lug nuts because the closed ends on my aluminum wheels may not be able to tighten all the way down. Valuable advice! This is why I read the forum every day.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by skiman

Just ordered a steel rim for a second spare for Alaska trip. I was cautioned by Centex to make sure that I had a set of open end lug nuts because the closed ends on my aluminum wheels may not be able to tighten all the way down. Valuable advice! This is why I read the forum every day.

That's probably good advice for those that only get four aluminum wheels on the original build too. They may need to use the steel wheel spare!

[Deva]

I don’t have a trailer so can’t speak to that. I drove my camper-van up to Alaska in 2019 and got new tires before I left. My van was bought new in 2017 and I had the stock tires. Spoke to a mechanic it Tacoma about my plans and recommended the Cooper All Terrain 10 ply tires. They did me good and I had nary a problem. I did go off the beaten path a couple times and I think these tires are the only reason I was able to make it back to civilization with my huge, heavy 2WD chevy extended van. I did find a couple people in trucks who has stock tires and had gotten flats, both in areas not conducive to changing a tire. I still have those tires on my van and they continue to serve me well. Highly recommend them.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

That's probably good advice for those that only get four aluminum wheels on the original build too. They may need to use the steel wheel spare!

The aluminum wheel option gives you a matching spare or 5 total./

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The aluminum wheel option gives you a matching spare or 5 total./

That's a change then. Because I remember when it was just the four.

[Marty]

Sounds like several Escapes will be on the road to and within Alaska this early summer. We are heading north too hopefully by mid May. Should be up there 4 to 6 weeks. It is my forever home so very glad to be going back and seeing family as well as all the beautiful scenery. I even got us spots inside Denali National Park for 4 nights right before the solstice. Will be leaving the trailer behind just north of Fairbanks and heading up the Dalton Hwy in the truck.

We should be on the lookout for each other and give a wave!

[Great Eggstrications]

Originally Posted by Marty

Sounds like several Escapes will be on the road to and within Alaska this early summer. We are heading north too hopefully by mid May. Should be up there 4 to 6 weeks. It is my forever home so very glad to be going back and seeing family as well as all the beautiful scenery. I even got us spots inside Denali National Park for 4 nights right before the solstice. Will be leaving the trailer behind just north of Fairbanks and heading up the Dalton Hwy in the truck.

We should be on the lookout for each other and give a wave!

We were up there in 2019, July-September, but obviously things may well have changed since then. Went up to Deadhorse on the Dalton Highway - partly paved and partly not-too-bad dirt and gravel - but sans trailer since didn't want to beat it up. Dalton really wasn't too bad but watch out for the potholes - might even see some bears hiding in the bigger ones. But always stay alert cuz the potholes often jump out right in front of you. The trailer was happy sitting for a few days at the "Northern-Moost RV Park" just north of Fairbanks. Plus we really wanted to take the opportunity to spend $220 per night at the luxe "motels" up there - twice at Coldfoot and once in Deadhorse. Can't take it with ya. Too cold and too old to car-camp in the SUV.

Then over to Dawson City with the trailer via the Top-of-the-World-Highway - partly paved and partly good dirt/gravel - no problems with the trailer. Then a day trip up the Dempster sans trailer as far as Two Moose Lake. Swung through the Tombstone(?) Campground and saw the Love's Nest Escape in a site, but it looked like nobody was home, so just saluted and drove on. Believe it was their trip report that was posted here, and I seem to recall that they mentioned some stretches of the Dempster that had sharp spike pieces of rocks on the road that would kill tires in short order.

Originally Posted by camperwa

Headed to Alaska as well June 1. We outfitted our trailer with Goodyear Endurance as well....so far a great tire. Carrying 2 spares for both the trailer and the truck (probably overkill but we have the space).

S'anyhow, would suggest maybe "regular ST tires" and one spare for Dalton, Top-of-the-World, and the plentiful road construction areas; "regular" and two spares for Dempster or anything like it or worse. And I suppose all the better if they're All Terrain / LT tires.

Maybe carry one mounted spare and one unmounted bare spare-spare tire-only so you'll at least have a backup spare available so not have to look for one. Save some weight and easy to hoist up onto a roof rack.

[Fox hunt]

thanks for all the advice. i was thinking i have my regular spares on my truck and trailer and then carry a second for each. I'm hoping my 2017 F150 has a normal spare tire not a toy one. I've never seen it. I think my 5.0 has an aluminum wheel /rim I'll check.