Hey i am looking at going on the ACT 2003, and i am wondering what kind of tires you think would work best. I am willing to try anything from tractor tires to Military to Swampers. Right now I am running 33" BFG's and i am looking more in the 35-36" range? any advice/suggestions? Thanks.

Well, I haven't been on any of the other ones, but I plan to go on this one as well.

I was talking with Mark Whatley about it, and he was kind enough to kill the idea that I would need a lift and larger than 33" tires to take the scenic route. I'll be getting 33" BFG MT's. There are a couple of people that will be running just el cheapos.

Basically, whatever you plan to run anywhere else should work fine here. Well, maybe not MTR's or Krawlers. But if it will clean gumbo, it will clean our silt and tundra. Wider is better, though :-)

There's going to be 2 routes, though, and the harder of the two will definately need larger than 33" tires. I think you will want to ask about that on the LCML, since the people who would know exactly what to expect are on there. That said, I think the main thing with that route is that the water will be a lot deeper, as will the mud.

The tallest and most aggressive mud tires you can tolerate would be my recommendation. (Wider is better than skinny.) If that's a 33-12.5 mud terrain, fine, go for it.

Sometimes 38 inch Michelin military tires won't be enough:
http://www.realcruiser.com/act2001/eureka/p1010098.jpg
Sometimes 305 70R16 MTRs won't be enough:
http://www.realcruiser.com/act2001/eureka/p1010106.jpg
Sometimes nothing is enough and everybody gets stuck:
http://www.realcruiser.com/act2001/eureka/p1010107.jpg
But, it's all FUN ;-)):
http://www.realcruiser.com/act2001/eureka/p1010124.jpg

BTW, the MTR's did fine. Airred down, my measly 305 70R16s left a nice clean pattern 20 inches wide. The side lugs really helped in the ruts. Considering we drove 11,000 miles with speeds up to 75mph in the heavily loaded wagon (zero flats) I'd recommend them. Currently the same tires have over 25K miles on them and still plenty of tread left. I do consider them a "street" tire, but they will work fine in Alaska.

Basically, bring what you got and wheel what you bring.

Well, then, I apologise, I had gathered that they didn't clean very well.

Originally posted by TheDragoneater
Well, then, I apologise, I had gathered that they didn't clean very well.
No problem. As I said they are not bad for a "street tire".
I was feeling a little left out of the "hood and roof completely covered in mud" club but only becuase I had still functioning fender flares.

Super Swamper.

Anything else is an all terrain. :D

Seriously, don't skimp on your tires up there. Get some good fresh tread and as big as you can fit.

Getting the diffs out of the ruts is way more important than articulation, so if you get larger tires and restrict uptravel with bumpstops you will be better off than planning for tons of flex.

Listen to the man! After recovering from reading Nolen arguing *against* more articulation, I gotta agree. On the famed "Manapiare" run to the gold mines of San Salvador de Paul on the Venezuelan Amazonia(I've posted pics here before), the guys who supply the miners with food/equipment run FZJ75's with several extra leaves and rearched springs, a VERY stiff ride but one that allows them to run 9.00R16's, the *smallest* tire you can run on the trail. I've ever seen them stuff logs in their shackles to prevent them from pivoting and letting the axle bottom out, thus allowing them to carry more gear! Life expectancy of an FZJ75/79 on this run is just two years, after that they're ready to be parted out!

Unca Boopie made a great point about suspension on the LCML. This was on my mind in Alaska too.

I remember facing my "personal limitations" on speeding into and through a bumpy bog. There were several steep banks on the exits where only momentum would carry you over the top. But it's hard to speed into a bog when you're looking at a 4-foot vertical bank on the other side. You know it's going to slow you down fsat, but it's easy to chicken out on the throttle at the last minute.

Often the question was how fast to enter the mud hole without breaking suspension parts. I kept thinking about how well a desert racing truck would do. You know the kind of truck that can accellerate right through the 4-foot whoops. I'll agree that articulation isn't important but a plush long travel suspension could be very nice.

Often simply hauling ass will get you across, the trick is to survive the abuse. (Remember, you're heavily loaded for a week long expedition too.) I was trying to imagine how this technique could work on the river crossing too. Can you say hydroplanning. :D

I bet with aggresive enough tires, enough of a skid plate, and an empty rig, it might just be possible to do that :-P

On a side note, anyone ever heard of the snowmachine races we hold up here in the summer? Same concept :D

Even though I have not been to a Trek yet, from what I see on the Alaska terrain, marsh and glacier silt, Swampers will be the best bet.
Wide and the biggest you can fit.
I would have to say a winch is manditory also.
Will find out next summer, hopefully my Cruzah will be done before then.....:skull: