I have a 2013 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor with 115,000 miles. I live in Plano, TX and in the next summer or two I would like to take a road trip through the Midwest into Canada (Alberta, and NW Territories) to the Arctic Ocean, then on to Alaska and back home through the Yukon, British Columbia, and the Pacific NW and the Intermountain West. I have been up to date on all scheduled maintenance over the last 6 years, and I am the only owner/driver of this vehicle. What would you suggest I do for this vehicle to try and mitigate against any foreseeable breakdowns given the age and mileage of this truck. Aside from being quite thirsty this truck has performed admirably both on and off road. Thank you. Phil Graehl
There really is nothing to change pro-actively on a truck of this vintage if it is well maintained. The best course of action is a well charged cell phone so you can call for a tow if something happens. Maybe a membership to AAA.
Just make sure the tires are in good shape including the spare, carry an extra quart of your favorite oil and give the truck a check over each gas stop.
Enjoy the trip.
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And plan on a couple of oil changes on that long of a trip.
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I concur with both above. I’d have five good tires with me. I think the Raptor has a full-sized spare, right? I’d also have my AAA platinum card polished up and ready for presentation. That trip sounds amazing!
It doesn’t matter how old or new your vehicle is, you can have trouble on the road. Even a brand new vehicle can slide into a ditch, hit a rock or be disabled by some other unforeseen event. Keep up the maintenance and do not overlook the cooling system.
In my experience tires are the most common reason I see vehicles by the side of the road. I would take a battery powered pump and a tire plug kit. People have their opinions on tire plugs but if you are stopped by the side of the road with a tire puncture 200 miles from the nearest tire shop, you’ll be glad you have it. If you don’t think you can do this, then a can of tire sealer and air will do. I don’t like them BUT.
Cell phone of course but also a sleeping bag for each person and drinking water. These two things can keep you alive for several days if you get stuck somewhere outside of cell phone range in a wilderness area.
It is also a good idea to have a base camp if you are going into a wilderness area. By base camp, I mean someone you call before you enter a wilderness area, give them your itinerary and when you expect to return to civilization. Call them when you return. If you don’t call within a reasonable time after you said you would return, they can call authorities to search for you. It might help also to check in with local ranger stations and let them know and get a point of contact for the person at your base camp.
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You seem well prepared so far. I assume the trip is in the summer with maximum daylight hours.
If you drive up the Dempster Highway (unpaved)to Inuvik, North West Territories, expect lots of stones thrown at your windshield from trucks ahead of you. My neighbor has driven this route in the past and he recommends you carry 2 spare tires, not the small doughnut types. Several flats is not uncommon.
The Alaska Highway is mostly paved now but still full of trucks which will throw gravel at your windshield.
There are a lot of bugs in the summer and experienced drivers I know install a bug screen/gravel guard over the front of the car. A couple of spare headlight bulbs would be a good investment as well.
Make sure your jack is in good operable condition and I carry a cross wrench to loosen the lugs; it gives better leverage. I also carry a plug-in inflator tire pump.
As recommended, carry a cell phone as several credit cards as well as an AAA membership.
Have a wonderful trip; I had always planned something like that myself but alwys ended up flying in and spending a little time in a rented Jeep.
When in Inuvik, try the arctic char and the caribou steaks; taste awesome!
Thanks. I’m a long time AAA member. Standard cell phone suffices? No satellite phone needed?
I can’t answer that. I don’t know what coverage is available. If you have any doubt, look into a sat phone for the trip.
If you are really adventurist, you may want this.
Service runs about $64/mo
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I doubt you’ll have any serious problems. Keep up the routine maintenance per schedule and about a month or two prior to departure date you might want to purchase and bring along some easily replaceable parts, stuff that might fail along the way, like the alternator, water pump, and starter. I expect all those items are available where you are going, but having them in your truck might save you some time if one of them fails. I was driving across highway 50 this past summer, northern Nevada, remote area, might well go an hour before seeing somebody else on the road. Some of the towns along the way have an auto repair shop but nothing much in the way of auto parts stores. When their customer needs a starter motor say for an F150, they call over to a Reno warehouse and order one, and the warehouse puts it on the next UPS truck going east. But that process can take 8 hours or more to get it there, and often longer.