Taking Travel Trailer from Texas to Alaska?

Folks,

Got my 2012 Tacoma DC SR5 V6 4X4 (spruce mica!) with towing package and couldn't be happier with it so far. Just found this site; great wealth of experience and knowledge. Any comment/suggestions on my senario would be appreciated:

Plan on getting travel trailer (looking at Lance 1985). 3670#DW, 375#HW. Getting a good hitch with sway control, additional brake for trailer. Possibly adding suspension support or air bags. I hope to get some good info from the dealer on the set-up, and will be taking some short trips around the San Antonio area to get familiarized with the set-up. I drove farm equipment, hay trailers, and medium size trucks (26') in my youth, but nothing like that in the last 30 years.

However, in about 16 months I am heading back to Fairbanks, Alaska. I will travel in June, so weather is not a big issue. 4400 miles from here to there-no hurry to get there. Researching route for best trail now. I think I will be OK weight-wise and drive-wise. Understand low MPG, plan on gas cans.

Doable? Any issues jump out that I am missing? Suggestions on the set-up? Learned a lot just scanning this forum, but want to get as prepared as possible for the retirement (Army/29 years) adventure.


Any input greatly appreciated-sorry for the long first post! Thanks in advance for the help!

Jim

 

Thank you for your service!

You might want to consider air bags or Timbrens (if you don't want to mess with air hoses). Otherwise, plan your weight out with everything you're packing, you can easily add over 1,000 lbs just in 'stuff'. A good brake controller and weight distributing hitch with sway control can make a big difference.

Enjoy the trip!

 

Your dry weight will not be what it weighs after options, heater, water heater, awning. Things you think are standard. My Trail Blazer dry weight listed in the brochure at 2900 and ended up being 3250. Finally load came to 3960. On flat highway it wouldn't stay in 5th. Your truck will handle that trailer, but it will work it's butt off doing it. Since I have a full size Chevy with diesel I decided I wouldn't tow it with the Tacoma anymore. That's a nice looking trailer btw. Nice interior layout.

 

Sounds like an adventure trip. Post pics of the trailer. I am doing research on them too.

 

^^^Agree with this. For such a long, rugged trip you may want to consider biting the bullet and upgrading rear leafs to OME/Dakars or equivalent if it's in your budget. Your truck will thank you in the long run if you plan to do extended RV trips.
Suggest you check out the "Alcan drive" thread for info on heading to AK. If pulling a load in remote areas I'd make sure to bring several gas cans and never pass up a station without topping off.