Putting Mabett products to a real test on The Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean!

[BDennis]

I just installed two weeks ago for this trip the following Mabett protection products:

• fender flares
• mudflaps
• underbody cavity shield cover
• rear wheel splash shield covers
• tailgate hole cover

Tomorrow I start the Alaska Highway, but that is not the real test of durability and protection. On Monday, August 24, I start the infamous Dempster Highway all the way to the Arctic Ocean. The Dempster is 550 miles each way dirt/gravel/mud road from just outside Dawson City in the Yukon Territory to Tuktoyatuk on the shore of the Arctic Ocean.

Yes, my Maverick will get filthy like the SUV in the pictures, but I am hoping to minimize paint damage as well as accumulation of mud and dirt under the truck. Quick note, the hood deflector is a Ford product purchased with points.

@MABETT

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[Glen Baker LLC]

Bruce,
That looks to be an epic trip.
Good luck and Safe travels my friend.
P.s. I love the color of your truck.

 

[Waterick]

I am impressed, more ways than one;
First I thought, it must be nice to be young and have all that youthful initiative. Then I saw your picture. That impressed me.
Next I figured a Newish Tremor, FX-4 or at least an AWD. But no, a 2022 FWD hybrid! I know it can take it as I recall a post by GPSMan towing a 3000+ pound trailer up the Alaska highway a couple years ago.
How many miles already on your truck and do you plan to remove any of the protective items after the trip?
Good Luck and safe travels.

 

[Maverick123]

Looks like an awesome adventure!

But isn't it pretty late in the season to start a trip like that, with a FWD truck on what looks like all-season highway tires? That looks like a 20+ day return trip, and it starts snowing REAL early up there

 

[BDennis]

I am impressed, more ways than one;
First I thought, it must be nice to be young and have all that youthful initiative. Then I saw your picture. That impressed me.
Next I figured a Newish Tremor, FX-4 or at least an AWD. But no, a 2022 FWD hybrid! I know it can take it as I recall a post by GPSMan towing a 3000+ pound trailer up the Alaska highway a couple years ago.
How many miles already on your truck and do you plan to remove any of the protective items after the trip?
Good Luck and safe travels.

My truck has 85,000 on it and everything is staying on after the trip.

 

[BDennis]

Looks like an awesome adventure!

But isn't it pretty late in the season to start a trip like that, with a FWD truck on what looks like all-season highway tires? That looks like a 20+ day return trip, and it starts snowing REAL early up there

I am leaving late for a shot at seeing the Northern Lights. Yes, those are brand new Bridgestone Everdrive tires.

 

[Maverick123]

I am leaving late for a shot at seeing the Northern Lights. Yes, those are brand new Bridgestone Everdrive tires.

Be safe, friends who work contracts in Northern Quebec have told me that they can have blizzard conditions starting in September up there

EDIT: I checked weather and Fall seems to be a lot milder out West than it is in Northern Quebec

 

[CribbageGuy]

Hi Bruce. My wife and I did the Dempster in late July 2022 in a 2017 KIA Sedona van. We rode on BFGoodrich Trail Terrain T/A (the All-Terrain T/A KO2s little brother). The Trail Terrain T/A was an XL load rating for the size the Sedona called for as well as being a ‘three peaks snowflake’ rated tread. If you run into the kind of weather that coats a vehicle in mud (like mine...), you might be grateful for the extra grip. It was on the trip from Inuvik to Tuk, as the were in the process of grading the road and climbing the windrow of dirt/mud from the graders was sometimes exciting. Please tell me you have at least one (if not two) fully mounted, ready to install spare tire/wheel assemblies. I packed two, but fortunately needed neither. There are some real lonely stretches of road where help is certainly more than a short hike away and can be pretty expensive. There's more than one story about the unprepared being stranded by flat tires on the Dempster. It is beautiful country with lots of breathtaking scenery. However, please remember to keep a firm grip on your doors when opening them, as I saw a fellow in an older Dodge class C have his drivers door bent around to hit his front fender by a gust of wind at the NWT/Yukon border when he got out to take a picture. Oh, BTW, Fort McPherson is 182 km (113 miles) north of Eagle Plains, but (at least in 2022) was a better value for fuel. Don't forget to stand in the Arctic Ocean (if not swim) so you can say you've been in all three North American oceans. I'll assume you've been to the Atlantic and Pacific... Safe travels. There’s nowhere else on this continent for the views.

 

[Edge Haley]

Great adventure...have done it twice and would love to do it again. We did it once on motorcycles and once in a motor home. An important stop is Whitehorse...big city halfway to AK with a Walmart.

Assume you are doing some camping, etc. Alaskan Highway has camping places about every 250-350 miles. If not camping be prepared for "low budget" motels in the $200+ range for 2 people per night. If you pass a motel or campsite after 6:00PM remember it might be 300 miles to the next motel/campsite....we quickly discovered too many grizzlies to camp just anywhere...some places don't allow camping.

I'd guess 90%+ of Alaskan Hwy is paved but that other 10% dirt can turn to deep mud after a heavy rain. People talk about how bad the roads are, they're not that bad except with rain in maybe 200 miles in total leaving deep mud. Would not hesitate to take my Hybrid FWD and street tires. But bring a tow rope for your and other's benefits. Look for the big carwash in "Delta Junction"...the mud is brutal on paint and under carriage, the "chip seal" can be a bitch to get off paint.... But most important - the mosquito is Alaska's state bird...Sept is the best season for mosquitoes...there's nothing like having a huge mosquito flying up your nose. It's a wonderful trip.

For us, the best part of the Alaskan Hwy is the "Yukon Territory", and a side trips, to Denelli and "Homer, Alaska". In our case from Kalispell, Montana to AK and back to Kalispell was 25 days.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Stay safe

 

[F150 2.7 TT user]

Enjoy your road trip! Cathy and I just returned to WI after a western mountain state MN down to AZ and NV to CO doing mountain passes starting from SE WI and returning, about 6000 miles in Cathy's brand new Tremor. No MABET parts, but other makes. The Tremor did great, came home looking fine as new!

 

[Darthie]

I just installed two weeks ago for this trip the following Mabett protection products:

• fender flares
• mudflaps
• underbody cavity shield cover
• rear wheel splash shield covers
• tailgate hole cover

Tomorrow I start the Alaska Highway, but that is not the real test of durability and protection. On Monday, August 24, I start the infamous Dempster Highway all the way to the Arctic Ocean. The Dempster is 550 miles each way dirt/gravel/mud road from just outside Dawson City in the Yukon Territory to Tuktoyatuk on the shore of the Arctic Ocean.

Yes, my Maverick will get filthy like the SUV in the pictures, but I am hoping to minimize paint damage as well as accumulation of mud and dirt under the truck. Quick note, the hood deflector is a Ford product purchased with points.

@MABETT

Really great post. Thank you!

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Looks like an awesome adventure!

But isn't it pretty late in the season to start a trip like that, with a FWD truck on what looks like all-season highway tires? That looks like a 20+ day return trip, and it starts snowing REAL early up there

I had a neighbor who regularly went to Alaska who said if you were there (wherever he went) on Sept 1st you needed to be prepared to spend the winter if you saw a single snowflake!

 

[BDennis]

I am impressed, more ways than one;
First I thought, it must be nice to be young and have all that youthful initiative. Then I saw your picture. That impressed me.
Next I figured a Newish Tremor, FX-4 or at least an AWD. But no, a 2022 FWD hybrid! I know it can take it as I recall a post by GPSMan towing a 3000+ pound trailer up the Alaska highway a couple years ago.
How many miles already on your truck and do you plan to remove any of the protective items after the trip?
Good Luck and safe travels.

Wait 67 isn't young?

 

[BDennis]

Quick update, now in the Yukon. Most abusive section was 12 miles of freshly laid chip seal and they use rocks much larger than pea gravel.The mupflaps so far have stopped and paint damage. On to the Dempster Highway tomorrow.

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