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Old 11-18-2011, 01:09 AM
 
Location: Interior alaska
6,381 posts, read 14,566,245 times
Reputation: 3520

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Well if you are worried about the studs, drive til the snow is gone, and then spend an afternoon with a set of needle nose pliers or 1/4" flat blade screwdriver and pry them all out. Stop at a tire shop and have them rebalanced. Then run the tires till the tread is gone and replace them with local type tread.

Only takes about forty min's a tire for me to pull them out, faster if you pull each tire off and do them.

What Warp said about night driving is good advice, or invest in some really good off road lights to help see down the road and keep the speed down. Lots of big dark things in the night to really mess up your day!
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Old 11-18-2011, 11:49 AM
 
6 posts, read 10,680 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks all for the kind words and advice. I've read all that advice already on this forum and have committed it to memory.

This will actually be our 4th trip down the Alcan, but first in winter. I can't even imagine how many animals we'll see on the roads based on the number I've seen in the past trips when there wasn't even snow to drive them onto the roads. I will be very careful and keep my eyes open.

As far as driving at night... I definitely do not plan to do so, especially where you all mention not to, but I did some shopping yesterday at a local truck accessory shop and made a deal for a light bar and 4 lights so that if the sunset doesn't cooperate with my destination arrival plans, I can at least make my own daylight until I get to the next stopping place.

We've made this same trip, about 4500 miles, in just over 4 days in the past. I can drive 16-18 hours a day with no real problem, but that won't happen this time. I'm allowing up to 5 days just for the first 1600 miles to Dawson Creek just to be safe. Once I get down to the lower 48 and clear roads, I'll maybe pick up the pace. If I can make 9 days total, I'll be happy. If it's more than that... so be it. I'm not in a rush this time around.
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Old 11-20-2011, 12:38 PM
 
92 posts, read 142,050 times
Reputation: 27
I had the studded tires installed in AK and carried the regular tires with me stacked in the back seat. Drove all the way to Vancouver to switch them out at a tire shop. Then, drove the regular the rest of the way down in the lower 48.

But, I would look into each state or even the province you plan to cross before you go to see if they allow studs or not. If you can keep them on longer, that would be great.

Have a safe trip!
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Old 11-20-2011, 06:09 PM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,834 posts, read 17,098,118 times
Reputation: 11535
If anyone ferries Discount Tire in Bellingham is a good stop. Took care of me well in my last trip here in January. Jeez one year....all kinds of changes all of them nice...
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Old 11-20-2011, 07:01 PM
 
Location: Bethel, Alaska
21,368 posts, read 38,123,667 times
Reputation: 13901
I've bought tires from Les Schwab a couple times in Bellingham. They do take good care of you and rotate your tires for free every 5,000 miles.
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Old 11-24-2011, 12:53 PM
 
6 posts, read 10,680 times
Reputation: 10
Just following up on what I've decided to do about these studded tires...

I called around and found a used tire shop in Casper, Wyoming that will take them off my hands and put my other tires back on. I'm not sure what sort of deal I'll get yet, but I think that will be less costly than trying to sell them in South Carolina and paying to ship them where a buyer would be.

Thanks for the help and advice!
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