Rig preparation for Dempster to Arctic at Tuktoyaktuk

[EXSlider400]

Planning a 9k mile round trip from Southeast Louisiana to Tuktoyaktuk via the Dempster Highway. Going with just the wife and no kids on this one…which is rare, but for 25th anniversary.  Looking to arrive at the Arctic ocean sign in mid-late September (yes it is a long time away but a trip like this takes a lot of prep so starting now). Hoping to avoid the mosquitos and have a look at the northern lights. 
 

Truck is a 2019 AT4 6.2 with 75k miles. Have a budget and not looking to go all-out overland with rooftop tent or pull behind trailer. Looking for any useful advice from the forum please. 

Things already done to the truck:

- added additional leaf spring (raised rear 1/2”)

- added 1/4” front spacer to raise front 1/2”

- added “Bambi mode” for all front lights (high, low, fog, tasks) to activate at the same time for high/brights. The AT4 (and Denali) comes with the Brighter HID LEDs and combined with this mode is plenty bright for my needs. May still bring a 12v magnetic spotlight just incase. 
- added leer 100XL camper shell/topper 

- sealed tailgate (both), inner bed, and additional on camper shell (dust on Dempster is crazy) and added blackout curtains. 

- added Rancho RS7MT suspension (dont expect to be loaded down enough for Bilstein/Fox/King), and worried about the washboard and deep potholes. 

- v-bar ice/snow tire chains and skinner Pieerless Auto-Trac chains as extras

- upgraded battery to H8 AGM and keep assortment of extra fuses already

 

Future:

- researching tires but leaning towards Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T or Goodyear Duratrac RT-LT (both tires are 3-ply sidewalls) in 275/65/20 that will leave enough room with the 1/4” wheel spacers I already have for tire chains.  Replacing spare under truck with Milestar Patagonia X/T 275/80/17. 
- thinking about having a 2nd spare on a hitch mount, but not sure if needed. Unsure if I want to use traditional wheel weights or high-quality tire beads so any feedback would be appreciated. 
- adding front and rear larger mud guards (thinking bushwacker) 

Related truck items:

- installed plug-in on camper shell for plug-in camping spots already

- (already use bed plug to power separately when traveling) 350 watt infrared panel heater, presto portable slow cooker, portable kettle for coffee/tea, portable freezer/cooler, and may bring heated blanket
- have NOCO XL jump box and 12V All-top 12.35 air compressor

- rodent repellent to place around vehicle when parked overnight (seen where this was an issue with electrical damage)

- already have traction boards, hitch D-ring, HD tow strap/lanyard and shackles. No winch

- CB radio and satellite communicator and dash cam, downloading Google maps offline and may get another…but it is not like there are a lot of roads to get lost on in the NW territories

- changing all fluids and taking extra fluids, air filter, tire repair (plug and patch) kit, windshield repair kit, bottle jack and 4-way, general tool kit including electrical repair, gorilla tape, serpentine belt and pulley (zip ties to put it on). 
- instead of Jerry cans for extra fuel (since I won’t have a place to put them safely as no roof rack planned), thinking about a couple of the 5-gallon ethanol free fuel from Home Depot or VP fuel and a new funnel. Worried about the distance between fuel stations with a smallish fuel tank with lowered tire pressure and little bit of extra weight. 

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited February 7, 2024 by EXSlider400

[DHBWA]

I have no clue on what to add but I would imagine there are articles available that would help.. 

Sounds like a great trip!!

[EXSlider400]

On 11/20/2023 at 10:50 AM, DHBWA said:

I have no clue on what to add but I would imagine there are articles available that would help.. 

Sounds like a great trip!!

Thank you. Yea researched a lot online and just from experience, looking for anything that may be common on our trucks. Anything I can fix or take extra. Someone sent me this below which is a great idea to improve beforehand: 

 

 

Here is a picture of what mine looks like currently from the factory. 
 

Edited November 25, 2023 by EXSlider400

[Transient]

One way to carry extra fuel is strapping them to the spare tire on the hitch mount.  Jeeps do this all the time.  With the proper setup you might be able to carry as much as 12 gallons (three 4 gallon Rotopax cans).

 

I also recommend water cans in case of engine overheating due to leak, etc. 

 

I carry a tire patch kit in my truck at all times.  Brand is ARB.  What if tires aren't available and you have 3 flats?

 

Do you have any shackles and tow straps/ropes?  What if something unfortunate happens and your help is isn't able to assist you because they don't have a rope or strap?  What if you need to help somebody who doesn't have a rope/strap.

 

CB is dead.  It also has a very limited range.  At the minimum I recommend adding GMRS.  I also recommend you get a handheld Ham radio.  I have a Yaesu FT5DR portable ham radio.  With the scan feature I can find all sorts of stations.  I recently discovered it picks up the same broadcast AM and FM stations truck does.  It also kicks up weather stations.  You don't need a license to listen.  You also don't need a license for making emergency calls (immediate danger to life and property).  The rules in Canada may be different, so you'll need to check with them.  A portable ham radio has great more range than CB, and you can connect to repeaters and net gateways.  Just be sure to program the radio ahead of time.  The listing of repeaters can be accessed via the app Repeater Book.  It gives you the frequency, offset, and audible tone to activate the repeater in that area. 

[EXSlider400]

2 hours ago, Transient said:

One way to carry extra fuel is strapping them to the spare tire on the hitch mount.  Jeeps do this all the time.  With the proper setup you might be able to carry as much as 12 gallons (three 4 gallon Rotopax cans).

 

I also recommend water cans in case of engine overheating due to leak, etc. 

 

I carry a tire patch kit in my truck at all times.  Brand is ARB.  What if tires aren't available and you have 3 flats?

 

Do you have any shackles and tow straps/ropes?  What if something unfortunate happens and your help is isn't able to assist you because they don't have a rope or strap?  What if you need to help somebody who doesn't have a rope/strap.

 

CB is dead.  It also has a very limited range.  At the minimum I recommend adding GMRS.  I also recommend you get a handheld Ham radio.  I have a Yaesu FT5DR portable ham radio.  With the scan feature I can find all sorts of stations.  I recently discovered it picks up the same broadcast AM and FM stations truck does.  It also kicks up weather stations.  You don't need a license to listen.  You also don't need a license for making emergency calls (immediate danger to life and property).  The rules in Canada may be different, so you'll need to check with them.  A portable ham radio has great more range than CB, and you can connect to repeaters and net gateways.  Just be sure to program the radio ahead of time.  The listing of repeaters can be accessed via the app Repeater Book.  It gives you the frequency, offset, and audible tone to activate the repeater in that area. 

Great information exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.  I do have to strap and shackles along with tire and windshield repair kits.  Good point on the water, taking two 5-gallon and a few 1-gallon potable already but did not even consider them as coolant so will make sure they are topped off more often. Will look into getting a portable Ham (did not even know these were available). Thanks again for the good information. 

[Gangly]

Things I always have with me when I'm camping, or doing some remote off road driving, in addition to what you mentioned above:

 

A small impact driver and a portable tool set (wrench roll and socket set).  You never know when you might need some tools to repair a broken headlight, tail light, CV, remove a skid plate for debris removal, etc.  Also, I'm an admitted tool snob, but I firmly believe that you shouldn't cheap out on the tool sets.  The last thing you want to do is be stuck in the middle of the woods/trail/beach with no way to fix an issue because the wrench or socket wasn't correctly tooled and rounded off a nut or bolt.

 

Downloaded or printed wiring schematics, diagrams, and component replacement procedures.  Nobody ever mentions this, but its a good idea to have downloaded, or printed repair procedures for COMMON off road driving/camping issues (broken CV, wheel torque specs, winch schematics, headlight replacement, etc.).  If you need to replace a CV while in a remote area, having a printed repair procedure is a blessing.  Having the proper torque specs for something as simple as replacing a wheel and tire is very handy to have.  A small folder of compiled common repair procedures can fit under the seat easily and is a life saver if its ever needed.

 

Portable Air Compressor and tire patch kit.  I have a VIAIR compressor that hooks up to my battery, as well as a Milwaukee battery powered air compressor incase my truck battery ever dies for some reason.  Being able to patch a flat on your own is crucial, being able to air it up afterwards is more crucial

 

If you don't have a winch, get a come along with extra cable.  Self explanatory if your doing remote solo trips.  

 

Kudos to you for starting your planning this early, it most certainly gives you time to come up with things you wouldn't consider if you waited to the last minute, which I unfortunately do more times than not.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Gangly

[Transient]

20 hours ago, EXSlider400 said:

Great information exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.  I do have to strap and shackles along with tire and windshield repair kits.  Good point on the water, taking two 5-gallon and a few 1-gallon potable already but did not even consider them as coolant so will make sure they are topped off more often. Will look into getting a portable Ham (did not even know these were available). Thanks again for the good information. 

You're welcome.  Here's a picture of one I have.  This one will set you back over $450.  There are cheaper portable radios.  I'm do not recommend the cheap Chinese one like Baofeng.  They are a throw away radio.  If you can get your ham license, I recommend it.  As I said previously, without a license you can only talk if it's an emergency.  You can listen anytime you want. 

 

I've been putting together a to kit of my own.  I'm looking into ways to minimize the weight and size of what I'm carrying.  For example, instead of carrying wrenches and ratchets I only carry flex head wrenches.  To use sockets I have adapters that go into the sockets the wrenches can grab onto.  The following list are things I'm considering or already purchased for my tool kit.  Notice the sockets are impact sockets and not the polished looking ones. 

 

Note:  Think about ways to make as compact as possible to reduce weight and size

Battery powered tools:
     Drill
     3/8" Ratchet
     1/2" Impacted driver
     Charger
     Batteries
     1/2" Impact sockets (string onto loop and tie the loop closed)
     Light
Torx sockets
Allen key sockets
Sockets (universal for metric and standard, for smaller nuts and bolts)
Hammers/mallets
Torque wrench
C clamps
550 cord
1/2" Breaker bar
Gloves
Bit driver
Pry bars
Adjustable Pliers/vice grips/crescent wrench
Ratcheting flex open end/box combo wrenches
Socket adapter for ratcheting wrenches
Cv axle socket
Zip ties
Bailing wire
Electrical wire
Electrical tape
Duct tape
Radiator hose tape
Radiator hose clamp tool
Radiator hose tool
Galvanized Pipes that fit over wrenches to add leverage
2 tire irons
Bolt cutters
Bailing wire tool
Socket extentions
Wobble socket adapters
Spark plug socket
Picks
Grey silicon
Anti seize
Thread locker
Gas soldering iron
Solder
Rags/towels
Wire crimper/stripper
Multimeter
Test light
Fuses
Terminals and connectors
Files
Quick steel
Gasket maker/RTV
Gel super glue
Brake kleen
Stop leak
Spare bolts
Lighter
Radiator hose splice kit (home made)
Radiator hose cutting tool
Small magnetic tray
Telescoping magnet
Punches
Chisels
Double-sided tape
Small tape measure
Drill bits
JB weld
Brake caliper test tool
Red and black markers



Recovery Gear:

Bottle jack platform/short piece of 2×4
Bottle jack cradle
Shovel
Axe
Recovery boards
Air compressor
Air hose
Jumper cables
Snatch block
U joints
Spark plugs
Oil
Trans fluid
Radiator fluid
Transfer case fluid
Liquid wrench
Brake fluid
WD40
Hose clamps
Lugs
Lug nuts
Yankum rope

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by Transient

[gemarsh]

Lot of people carry one, but I haven't for 20 years... a knife/utility knife.

[EXSlider400]

OK so I did buy a scanner and download the wiring schematics along with a couple more items listed above so thank everyone so much. 
 

Also, expecting fine particulate dust (better than the alternative slick roads if wet), looking to do an EVAP canister filter relocation to under the hood before leaving. Basically just 5/8 hose some zip ties and a 5/8 push-in no-oil breather filter (Uni-filter UP124). This is why:

 

 

and I know I don’t have a Yukon/Tahoe so it’s before the rear wheel, but this also helps explain it:

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2024 by EXSlider400

[Transient]

I have been watching Expedition Overland on Amazon lately, and for some random reason started reading this thread again.  One thing Expedition Overland emphasized in their Alaska trip was to have 2 spare tires.  You're in southeast Louisiana.  I'm in Pensacola, FL.  I just bought a 5th Trail Boss wheel and upgraded my spare to the 35s I'm running on all 4 corners.  My OE 17" spare is sitting in my garage with no vehicle it can be used on.  I'll give it to you for free.  Send me PM if you're interested.  I'm willing to drive as far as Mobile, Alabama if you want to meet up, otherwise you pay for shipping and I'll send it to you.  There is a possibility I may end up in Baton Rouge for a few days in a couple months, but that's uncertain right now.

 

Regarding a jack platform, I recently decided to make one out of concern about how the OE bottle jack appears at its limit when used to change a flat tire.  I took a 4"×4"×6' post, cut into 6 12" lengths and attached 3 of them together with 2 1/2"×10" hex bolts, 4 large flat washers, and 2 1/2" nuts in each jack base I created.  I recessed the hardware to avoid accidentally snagging myself on it.  This project gave me 2 jack bases for less than $25 total that measure approximately 12"×10.5"×3.5".  It you lose them or they become damaged you don't have much to worry about.  The 2 combined are slightly larger and a little heavier than a more expensive jack base commercially available, but imo more capable of handling the abuse of lifting and supporting our trucks while on uneven terrain.

[EXSlider400]

12 hours ago, Transient said:

I have been watching Expedition Overland on Amazon lately, and for some random reason started reading this thread again.  One thing Expedition Overland emphasized in their Alaska trip was to have 2 spare tires.  You're in southeast Louisiana.  I'm in Pensacola, FL.  I just bought a 5th Trail Boss wheel and upgraded my spare to the 35s I'm running on all 4 corners.  My OE 17" spare is sitting in my garage with no vehicle it can be used on.  I'll give it to you for free.  Send me PM if you're interested.  I'm willing to drive as far as Mobile, Alabama if you want to meet up, otherwise you pay for shipping and I'll send it to you.  There is a possibility I may end up in Baton Rouge for a few days in a couple months, but that's uncertain right now.

 

Regarding a jack platform, I recently decided to make one out of concern about how the OE bottle jack appears at its limit when used to change a flat tire.  I took a 4"×4"×6' post, cut into 6 12" lengths and attached 3 of them together with 2 1/2"×10" hex bolts, 4 large flat washers, and 2 1/2" nuts in each jack base I created.  I recessed the hardware to avoid accidentally snagging myself on it.  This project gave me 2 jack bases for less than $25 total that measure approximately 12"×10.5"×3.5".  It you lose them or they become damaged you don't have much to worry about.  The 2 combined are slightly larger and a little heavier than a more expensive jack base commercially available, but imo more capable of handling the abuse of lifting and supporting our trucks while on uneven terrain.

I do appreciate it the offer, but happenstance I have a second spare rim already.  I also like the XOverland (Lifestyle Overland is another good one) and I think they’re going to Africa soon, which is going to be great to watch.  Watching those is what convinced my wife to agree to the trip. In addition to the factory Jack, which I don’t expect much out of I do have a good bottle jack and I’ve seen people just use the traction boards for base plates that work fairly well… but what you have sounds interesting to. We went to Rocky Mountains including Winter Park and Mesa Verde a few weeks ago as a sort of test run and truck did great (I did use some extra seat cushioning for lower back). 

Edited January 14, 2024 by EXSlider400

[Mr.IMAPCMD]

I have been thinking about making a similar trip.  If you haven't already, check out https://www.alcan5000.com/ They run this every couple of years and there are maps, and some good videos of what to expect.

 

Please keep us updated when you make the trip and when you get back.