Greetings everyone,

I'm driving from Atlanta to Alaska in about a week, and I want to bounce some ideas off you folks, get some advice, etc. I'm a bit more of a lurker on the forums, but I have found the advice, DIY articles, and general conversations here to be indispensable to any diesel MB owner.

I'll be driving my 1985 300TD all the way up. My cousin lives up in AK, and he’s a huge MB diesel enthusiast. We will be rebuilding or swaping-out my motor (I have poor compression in 2 cylinders), doing an auto-to-manual conversion, and plan to restore my wagon in general. Also, it’s a great opportunity to go on an epic road trip! Anyways, I'll be performing some pre-trip preventative maintenance, and also taking some pretty essential spare parts, and I would love some advice from you all. I'd hate to get stranded in the middle of the Yukon!

First, the PM:
- Change the oil and both fuel filters
- Check and top off tranny fluid, diff fluid, coolant, SLS fluid, etc.
- Repack front inner and outer wheel bearings

Spare parts:
- Extra oil filter and fuel filters
- High pressure hydraulic hose for the SLS
- 4 spare belts (2 alternator, 1 a/c, 1 p/s pump)
- Extra radiator hoses

Other stuff:
- Duct tape
- Zip ties
- Extra washer fluid, tranny fluid, oil
- Brake cleaner (for periordic ALDA/turbo line cleaning)

Would you all recommend any other preventative maintenance before embarking on the trip? Should I take any additional spare parts with me? I am particularly concerned with the SLS. Mine slowly leaks, but holds pressure just fine when the motor is running. I'm hauling a 617 motor in the trunk for an engine swap. Should the SLS be able to handle that weight (+ the weight of camping gear, luggage, etc.)? That is my primary concern.

Finally, has anybody here ever done this trip? Do you have any general advice?

Thanks!

Ted

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-1985 300TD - 324k mi on chassis. MB "Tauschaggregat" 617 motor + 4-speed conversion
Alaska Roadtrip 2009
-2002 E320 Wagon - 197k mi
-1998 E320 Wagon - 310k mi - retired

Air filter!

Bring a can of fuel also, road house (fuel stations are a long way in between!) At least in the summer they should all be open, when I went up there in winter I was lucky to find 1 in 4 open!

Also pack plenty of bug repelant!

Maybe these are obvious, but hydarulic fluid, antifreeze, water (for drinking and mixing with antifreeze) and basic tools. I've also heard of people carrying extra voltage regulators too. AAA membership. Maybe a radio, too, I don't know how empty it gets up there, but it's probably safe to say you won't have cell phone coverage. Fuses.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

a towel.. you never know when you will need to hail and intergalactic space carrier

I have heard that the Alaskan Highway can be brutal on your car in terms of slinging gravel up and chipping your hood. Ask your cousin about it. He should know. Maybe some protection for your hood.

Call your cell phone carrier and ask about reception where you are going. Consider a satellite phone.

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85 300D 75K Anthracite Grey 0-60 in 13 seconds **For Sale**
84 300D 333K Black (The Velveteen Rabbit) 0-60 in 14 seconds
00 Toyota Sienna 208K (Sold)
15 Subaru Outback 43K
11 Subaru Outback 67K
98 Ford Taurus 100K (Gertie - Was Grandma's - drove it to church and shopping - really) Daughter's car now.
30 Model A Ford 2 Door Sedan (Sold) 0-60 in . . . Never reached 60

I'd pick up an extra voltage regulator. That is a wear item that could rear its head on a trip like this and may be hard to find underway. I'd take along some golf tees, in case you have a vac problem and need to disable part of the system.
I'd hate to travel that far with a hard shifting transmission.

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1985 300 TD 448K
1984 300 TD 278K

1983 240D euro 240k
1994 f-250 idi turbo 330K
1986 f-350 IDI
1987 F-350 IDI

1985 JD 1050 4wd
1965 IH 3660

maybe an extra tire or 2.i've heard that road is hell on tires and windshields.

I have driven several times in 1970's, and the best time was in the March time frame. Everything was frozen solid, and it was brutally cold, but the road was smooth as, well, ice. Road repairs for potholes consisted of filling them with water. In general it was so cold the ice was sticky. Under normal conditions ice, under the pressure from the contact patch under the tire, turns to water and thus the slickness. When it is cold enough that does not happen and the ice is not instantly slippery. Go too fast and lose traction though and it is not easy to recover.

But, you are traveling in the summer and this time of year the road used to be overrun with loggers. If it is still gravel it is truly brutal on the car, as the trucks turn the road into washboard that just shakes the car to hell. You find it difficult to pass trucks (nothing rumored about them chucking rocks at you as you get close enough to pass - it is constant) and the speed they travel does not coincide with a friendly frequency for your car.

I would get some good quality tires, and not load the vehicle down with extra weight on the off chance you are going to ruin a tire. If you get really bad mileage, you might want to bring some fuel. But if you get 350 miles to a tank, I would not worry. I don't remember but I think almost every station on the road carries Diesel.

Now if you have a few bucks, take the road to Prince Rupert and catch the Alaska State Ferry to Haines. Cuts a lot of wear and tear off the car and the trip is spectacular. You will stop a dozen times at small towns along the inland waterway and see mountains that fall to the sea all around you. Beautiful forests and just unreal scenery. The trip from Haines to the Alaska border is a few hundred miles and some, or most, should be paved by now.

The ferry system used to allow you to camp out on the deck, which was great. You claim a folding chair in the early evening and kind of camp out. I did this with buddies going up, and then years later with my wife and dog coming back (dog had to stay in the car, but you get to go down and take the dog for a walk at every port, which is usually about every 4 hours). The scenery was spectacular. Did I say the scenery was spectacular?

I also found the cost was worth not wrecking the undercoat, door panels, hood and windshield - an actual bargain.

Take your time. If you are going alone, really take your time. Good luck and I am envious.

Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Install the new voltage regulator now as part of your pre-trip maintenance and carry the old one as a spare. That way, you have a known new part in the alternator rather than discovering on the road that someone put the wrong part in the box. And, should you have to change it during the trip, you'll have had recent practice and will know that the screws will come out, 'cause you just put them in.

Similarly, since you'll be changing the coolant anyway, consider installing the new hoses at that time and for the same reason.

Ditto belts.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

A fishing pole!

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warm clothes, and emergency food.

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All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

Keep a Sleeping Bag in the Car incase you stall somewhere where, where it is Cold. Some food for emergency use that will not freeze like Penuts or Trail mix or Granola Bars.

Matches and a Good Pocket Knife. Targent and Walmart sell the real Swiss Army knives at a resonable price.

Extra Glow Plugs and that hard to find Injector Fuel Return hose. I saw the Duct Tape but I do not recall any Wire steel wire tie up exhaust pipes and some electrical wire.

While I have bought mine from various stores; Harbor Freight sells an less than $10 12 volt Tire Inflation Pump. I have one of those Inflation Pumps in each Car.
There has been several times in my life where having a Tire Inflation Pump (I carried a manual one before the cheap electric ones came out) have allowed me to drive home and not have to ruin my clothing taking off a tire on the road sid.

Two 1 foot square pieces of 3/4 inch Plywood nailed, glued, or screwed togeteher to put under your Jack in case you pull off into the Dirt to do a tire change (at least 2 Wheel Chocks to block the Wheels).
In fact the Billinstin type Jack can be unstable. You might think about also bringing another type of Jack with you and some Plywood of the correct size to go under it.

Something to lay on if you have to get under the car; could even be some big gree Trash Bags (hand to have along any way, cut holes in it and you have a rain coat).

A Tubless Steel Belted Tire Repair kit (plugs) is also handey. Ofter you can pull the object out and insert the plug in the Tire while it is still on the Vehicle.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Best advice in the entire thread IMHO. I've not done the ferry, but I've taken a cruise ship from Seattle on the inside passage. Spectacular!

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Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=296386

Nothing I can add to the advice, just a request to post pics or updates here as you go and during your restoration. Two of the best weeks of my life were spent in and around Juneau/Douglass island fishing and crabbing. I did not take enough pictures. Your epic road trip is something many of us would like to do but will likely not be able to for various reasons. Good luck.

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Kevin

1978 300D
1979 240D

The road was only about 200 - 300 miles left of gravel back in 90, I went back up it in 92 for the 50th anniversary of it opening and it was paved the whole way!

Still an adventure . . .