Driving to Alaska

You absolutely positively can legaly run a spread axle in British Columbia. I've taken my reefers through there several times on my way up to Alaska and back. Both my reefers were '48 with 10' 1" spreads with 24" kingpins. If you can take it into kalifphornya you can take it through BC but you're limited to 20,000 pounds. I have also taken these trailers though numerous Alberta coops, for anyone who found this thread googling up "spread axle trailers in canada"

I am speaking of spread axle trailers with a wheelbase of 41' or less.

Have an awesome trip. I have driven a tractor trailer in 49 states plus most of Canada and can tell you the ALCAN highway thru northern BC and Yukon is the most scenic trip anywhere in North America hands down. Post pics here when you get back

 

Sorry, my statement was not very clear. You can run the spread axle, but like you mentioned they will only allow 20,000lbs. Basically one axle. I am not sure if they have a law like in the Yukon. In the Yukon you can get them recognized as two axles if they are spread far enough, but the gal at the scale was not quite sure what distance that have to be when I asked the last time. We are buying some 53' reefers that can be spread and run as a tandem to get the best of both worlds.

 

Also some of the worst road conditions in North America. The frost heaves are brutal between Burwash Landing BC and Beaver Creek YT. Watch out for the critters in the road too. The bears are finally out as well and I enjoy seeing them especially when they are not trying to run in front of me.

Furthermore when you see a guy walking South on the Alcan pushing a hand cart say "Hi" to Andrew. I have been watching his progress since he has been heading South from Anchorage. I gave him some food and filled up his water bottles on my last trip home.

 

I was wondering what you all think of my planned route:
Cross at Osoyoos on 97, 97C, 5A, 8, 97C, 97, 1, 97, Braden RD to 97, AK2, AK1 to Anchorage.

GVW is 53000# on 5 axles. I didn't see any frost laws to hinder this route at http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighways/loadrestrictions/detail_se.htm

I'll fill up at the Flying J in Prince George and will have just enough to get to Tok, AK. I don't like the idea of running on "just enough" and will stop to fuel for more of a margin for error, somewhere. Where is the best place to buy fuel between Fort Nelson and Whitehorse? I prefer TCH card or EFS(I guess EFS is the new name). Or I can pay with Ben Franklins, if they like those.

 

Another question is: Where are the truckstops in Anchorage? All I can find on google maps shows fuel stops. No food, no shower, no parking! WTF!

I'm betting on a long layover there, so I need to plan out where to park and shower at least. And, no, parking at a pullout and bathing in a 34 degree stream isn't an option!

 

The route looks good. I just did that with a heavy seed load going South a while back. Pretty windy and narrow road from Merritt to Spences Bridge. You can take Hwy 29 out of Chetwynd to Fort Saint John and you will come out in Charlie Lake past Ft. St. John by the truck scale. That route is about 20mls shorter than Braden Rd. or you can take HWy 16 out of Prince George and go up HWY 37 also known as the Cassiar and that is about 95mls shorter than your route. Watson Lake has a Petropass, North 60 card lock and some other smaller gas stations. There are some lodges that sell fuel as well. A lot of guys buy fuel in Teslin at the Nisutlin Trading Post. I use Petropass cardlocks.

You might want to get the hundreds with the Queen on them for Canada.

 

There are none. The Anchorage truck stop was the parking lot in front of Sports Authority which has now no truck parking signs since they got tired of dropped trailers. Also do not drop your trailer anywhere in Anchorage they might tow it and impound it. The municipality has strict laws about dropped trailers. If you are lucky you can find a spot behind Walmart of Old Seward Highway by the Dimond Center Mall.

You can fuel at the Tesoro in Sutton they have a shower there, but that place is tough for a non smoker. I usually fuel at the Tesoro in Palmer on my way into Anchorage. No showers there, but we have a terminal in Anchorage. You might as well plan on finding a motel if you will be there for awhile. Fairbanks has one Tesoro truck stop and that place is a dump. Get the extra towel for a buck so you can throw it on the nasty floor if you should end up there.

 

I called BC to ask about needed permits. A tractor with wheelbase over 244" needs a 30 day long wheelbase tractor permit with any length trailer, not just trailers over 48'. A spread axle weighing less than 9100kg(20000lb) on trailer axles does not need a spread axle permit like in AB, SK, MB. There is a permit available for a spread that needs to load over 9100kg, but the freight must be non-divisible and you can't double permit. So you couldn't do this with a tractor over 244".
Also, with the long wheelbase tractor permit, the trailer kingpin to rear axle distance is shortened: up to 248"wbis allowed 41' trailer wb; 252"/40'8"; 256"/40'4"; 260"/40'4"; 264"/40'; 268"/39'8"; 272"/39'8"; 275"/39'4"; 280"/39'; 283"/39'.
Same thing here as AB, SK, MB.

This would appear to be overly restrictive and unnecessary for the bulk of the vast area of these provinces, especially for heavy haul operators who need a long wheelbase tractor to distribute weight and be able to make turns without the load hitting the tractor cab. Lift axles, typically used on heavy haul tractors, are illegal in BC. Tridem drive tractors have been used in BC up to 267", but there is some argument, or back and forth, on whether this will continue. I can't see a 4 axle tridem drive tractor with 244" wb being very useful. I think BC has painted itself in a corner with their senseless regulations. The only real intent for these length restrictions is to prevent damage to curbs and sidewalks in towns. So why mandate these restrictions province-wide? Why not let the individual towns establish proper truck routes and set their own restrictions and permits for going off those inter-provincial routes?

As far as their fear of 10'1" spread axles having more than 20000lb loaded onto them: The U.S. has been doing it and eastern provinces have been doing it for decades with no ill effects. The argument that you don't know whether one of the axles on a spread is over 20000lb is wrong. I have an air bag weight gaufe on the rear axle which tells me when I reach the max. The front axle will always be equal or less, usually less, because of the trailer arch putting more weight onto the rear axle.

FYI, for you guys running super singles, BC also sets a lower allowed load rating than the tire may be designed to carry. I can't remember the weight. It's in the BC commercial transport regulations covered in the Commercial Transport Act.
Again, here we have another regulatory agency pulling numbers out of a hat and ignoring engineers and testing done at global tire manufacturing companies. Oh well, it's there loss, really. They will have a smaller pool of available tru ks to supply there citizens, at higher cost.

 

Well crud! Knowig how high summer motel rates get, I guess I'll bounce back out as soon as I get there if I don't have a load booked by the time I get there. I don't suppose Lisa would let me crash at her house in Wasilla?! LOL

 

Check the bulletin boards at the Yukon scales when you buy your permits there are some loads posted at times. When will you be up there? I am loading out tomorrow night and will be there Saturday evening, but don't know which stores I will have to deliver to.