Alaska Cruiser Trek 2010

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Some spots stop you so completely that you do not even try to claw out once you break through the root mat on top of it. Doing so just sucks you deeper. Time for the winch when you hit one of these.

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Mark...
 
Thanks Mark. :cheers: The water doesn't look too unnerving, the swampy stuff....... looks interesting. I bedlined my floors last week so I won't have to worry about getting skunky carpet from water intrusion any more. I should get a hole cut in my fender to inspire a bit more urgency on building and testing a snorkel.
 
Here are a couple that Jim Brantley took on a couple of different trips up here with us. He has a lot more, some from back in 2001. The link to his site is,

realcruiser.com

Look at the Alaska Trek 2001 and the Talkeetna Mountain Scouting trip (2007). A lot of easy stuff shown there and some tougher spots too. Easier to browse there than for me to tie up space in this thread :)

Here are three that I shamelessly stole from his site :)


Still trying to find some shots of water crossings that are not pedestrian and boring.

:)


The second two pics show times where we failed to keep things under control well enough. The mulitiple stuck as various people rushed on to be the one to snatch the others without a coherent plan overall... and the 4runner in the silt was foolish playing without "adult" supervision :)

Mark...
boggerjim.webp
3stuckjim.webp
timjim.webp
 
Seeing your military fuel cans reminded me that you posted you like them over the Nato style cans. Would you say it's worth seeking them out to the exclusion of all other types? (I have a couple Wedco Nato style that I love, but would like to pick up a couple more cans....)
 
Nato cans are okay. Since no one will be shooting at us the 3 minutes to drain instead of 30 seconds is not important :)


I have gone to 15 gallon drums over the 5 gallon jerry cans.Resized my racks to carry 4 15 gallon drums with coolers and toolboxes on to

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And I am now rearranging my load out. Building large tanks under the seats in the '40, and under the body, and a removable 40 gallon that will fit between the rear fenderwells. Keep my gas low and beteen the axles
My racks will now be slated for high volume, low weight stuff. Tents, clothes (in waterproof totes), coolers and stuff like that.

The Spectre pastic cans are THE BEST jerry cans out there. But they are getting hard to procure new. Surplus is abut the only avenue now.


Mark...
 
When you have a min can you take a couple of pics of you rear bar, more so how its mounted to take the weight.

Also your spare tyre?

Tks Matt
 
Pictures might not show you much.
I have a piece of 5 inch C channel fit over the rear cross member. It does not fit flush but snugs up with about half an inch left before it contacts the rear face of the cross member. (This creates a nice box effect too :) )It is welded full length, top and bottom all the way from the two longitudinal frame rails.
I have a piece of half inch plate laid flush against the rear face of the cross member outboard of there. Again, fully welded
The bumper is fully weled to these pieces with through bolts for the Pintle and reinforcing of the cross member in this area also. I have 3/8 inch thick tabs which extend forward from the bumper alongside the frame rails about 10 inches and are welded completely.
I took this overkill approach after the weight on the racks and the leverage of the extended pintle that I was using with a low/heavy trailer, tore the back of the bumper loose from it's original mounting tabs to the frame rails and bent the rear cross member.

The bumper and it's mounting is now bullet virtually proof. :)
But... under much too vigorous rallying with a full load on the rack, I snapped the spindles holding the swing arms.

The assembly worked fine for several years with 40 gallons of fuel on the back
but increasing it to 60 and tossing a few more tools on the top that I have been carrying before pushed it past the limit for the smaller spindles I was using.

I will be installing heavier duty spindles (these were only 1 tons) and I will not be carrying as much weight on the rack.
It makes more sense to load the fuel between the axles and lower... so... in built in tanks. The rack will be used for everything else BUT fuel :)

I do not carry a spare. With tires this large it is problematic to say the least. Instead I carry everything I need to repair a tire. (Stitch up a torn sidewall or whatever may be called for.) I am seriously considering moving to 1400x20 XLs under this rig, since it sees little road time any more and I have other rigs that are much better for running roads and trails together, leaving this one for use only on the long distance trails that we are seeing more and more of. Since the XLs of this size can be run with 0psi under a '40... well :) no more tire concerns at all... IF I could damage one :)

Actually... I WILL try the 1400x20s. The question is if I will stick with them :)


Mark...
 
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Tks Mark,

I suspected as much that kind of weight has a lot of leverage when in motion.

RockDoc tks for the links.

I need to get a larger fridge as my weekender will not suffice. Then to figure out the best way to carry the load with as much weight inside.

I think I may mount the fridge and 2 jerry's on the rear bar, 2 jerry's inside along with the spare. My rear lights mean I can't run such a wide rear carrier either. But I travel light been a bit of a minimalist. This set up will suit trekking further afield here too.

I may also make a new single rear door that will swing open with the carrier itself, the spare tyre mounted to the inside. This way it will all swing out as one but the weight of the tyre supported inside the back.

Spare set of Bobby's 30's are inbound, once they land I will pull the front 3rd and have the new crown and pinion in 4.11 fitted the match the rear. New wheel bearings and seals all round too.

Fridge hmmmm I think a 32-40ltr will suffice.

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D'Animal said:
Matt

I may have some room for a few cans for ya. No need you spending time building a bumper with extra fuel can holders, unless you want too.

I run diesel and have two 22 gallon Con Fer tank in the rig. I plan on taking 1 extra can on the trail in case a make tank gets punctured, etc.
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Tks D I may take you up on carrying a couple for space, I will be having shipped a 30 spline long side Longfield axle to you at some point. I have in bound a complete new set, one of which I need (long side) to replace the one Marin snapped at comp, which I'll fit when I'll replace the 4.56 front third. So I'll have a BL short side complete and a CV. I would have had an extra axle shipped with my incoming order but it goes over the limits of importation tax :doh:
 
D'Animal said:
Ship what ever you want to me and I will bring it with me or send it to Mark. You will be there before me and will have time to wrench on your rig before hitting the trail.
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I aim to hit Anchorage around 4 days before just to check the truck over and get supplies and shake off the jet lag. The truck will get there late May. It looks like a days drive out to the trail head near Tok. Then 8 days of R&R, followed by 3-4 days to prep and clean for its return to Oz.

Then NY&NJ with friends for a week followed by Hawaii for a week on the way home.

That will pretty much see out my years annual leave. Then BACK TO THE RAT RACE. Hmmm actually I think NY will be back to the rat race.

I just have to be careful I don't get stuck in Alaska :D
 
Matt, you're always welcome to toss some of your bulky stuff in the back of my wagon if it helps in organizing your truck. I'll have a Norcold 60, so if you want to drop some long term stuff in it for later in the trip.....
 
RockDoc said:
Hey Mark,

Do you have any pics of some of the more challenging aspects of the trip? The types of expected water crossings and mud holes we'll encounter? Sun blocked out by swarms of bugs..... ;)

edit - I see some good shots in Gina collection, but would love to see more if you've got some handy.
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Uhm, do you know the story behind Mark's avatar???
 
Off to overfly the area tomorrow morning. Gonna check out a pass we are hoping to get through to allow us to cross from the north side of the Alaska Range to the south side. We do not think this route has even been traveled before by any vehicle... it may not be navigable, but we should know this time tomorrow. Also inspect a connector trail that is known to be marshy, but may have a drier alternate on the other side of the hills. Need to scope out a couple other alternate routes that exist on paper (RS2477 rights of way), but may not be locatable on the ground.

Should make next season's pre-run much more efficient.


Mark...
 
Don't forget extra batteries for the camera.

:cheers:

Mark W said:
Off to overfly the area tomorrow morning. Gonna check out a pass we are hoping to get through to allow us to cross from the north side of the Alaska Range to the south side. We do not think this route has even been traveled before by any vehicle... it may not be navigable, but we should know this time tomorrow. Also inspect a connector trail that is known to be marshy, but may have a drier alternate on the other side of the hills. Need to scope out a couple other alternate routes that exist on paper (RS2477 rights of way), but may not be locatable on the ground.

Should make next season's pre-run much more efficient.


Mark...
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After seeing how big Mark's 40 is, my 70 on 35s looks realllllllly small. I'm thinking of trying to stuff the 37s on my heep under the 70!
 
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