Call me crazy, but with less than 100 miles on the new truck I set out on a road trip; Anchorage to Fairbanks yesterday and then up the Dalton Highway beyond the Arctic Circle and back to Fairbanks today. I'll upload pics and a write up of the trip when I get back to Anchorage tomorrow.

As far as the truck, it's virtually identical to my 2015 that I traded in for it only blue instead of red. 2019 F-150 XLT, 4x4, sport package, FX-4 odd-road package, max trailer tow package, 3.5 gen 2 Ecoboost with the 10 speed transmission.

Love the extra torque of the gen 2 motor. Impressed with the 10 speed transmission. It doesn't hunt for gears, operates almost seamlessly and downshifts for engine braking on downhill grades. Not impressed with the mileage; 17 all highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks yesterday, 16 up to the Arctic and back to Fairbanks today. Same mileage that I got with my 2015 and it was leveled with 33" BFG All-Terrains.

Judging by the photo alone, I’d have guessed the “Antarctic Circle”!

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:

Judging by the photo alone, I’d have guessed the “Antarctic Circle”!

Wouldn't everything have been upside down?

Nice truck, congrats!

I remember my truck being tight for the first 1000 miles or so. It was like a switch was flipped and it went from 18 to 20. Pretty sure it’s in the programming allowing it to run rich during break in. I’ve heard many stories like mine.

Is it possible you refueled with winter blend further north? That stuff wrecks my mileage they switched around here 3 weeks ago maybe.

Alright, you be crazy. Nice truck.
Rod

You're crazy, but only because you may not have followed the break in procedure listed in your owner's manual. Not that I did either when I picked my truck up in Tennessee and drove it back to Florida.

I'd love to see the pictures. My wife wants to go to Alaska, but I don't think she understands the logistics. Just last night she asked me how far from Canada it is and she'd like to go in March next year when the kids have off from school for spring break.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:

Judging by the photo alone, I’d have guessed the “Antarctic Circle”!

Wouldn't everything have been upside down?

Not if the camera were inverted.

I must have missed the new truck thread. Looks good, that 3.5 Ecoboost is a great motor.

I've only driven the stretch between Fairbanks and the Coldfoot Camp area during July. Here is a pic of me at the same spot:



I'd never take a new truck during July due to gravel damaging windshields and body panels. How were the roads in April?

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
I'd love to see the pictures. My wife wants to go to Alaska, but I don't think she understands the logistics. Just last night she asked me how far from Canada it is and she'd like to go in March next year when the kids have off from school for spring break.

How far Alaska is from Canada depends on where in Canada one is. Alaska is adjacent to 2 Canadian Provinces: British Columbia and Yukon Territory (now just Yukon, I think--I'm old school).

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
I'd never take a new truck during July due to gravel damaging windshields and body panels. How were the roads in April?

Roads were, "Sporty". Clear with no snow and ice, some areas with water across the roadway from melt off. Light traffic and I was giving trucks a wide berth. That said, trucks kicking up so much dust that there was zero visibility behind them or when they passed, big potholes, lots of frost heaves, washboarding and varying conditions of asphalt, hardback dirt and loose gravel. The biggest pucker factor was in some areas of the transition from asphalt to gravel. Crest a blind hill and go from asphalt to extremely loose gravel on the downhill side.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
I'd love to see the pictures. My wife wants to go to Alaska, but I don't think she understands the logistics. Just last night she asked me how far from Canada it is and she'd like to go in March next year when the kids have off from school for spring break.

How far Alaska is from Canada depends on where in Canada one is. Alaska is adjacent to 2 Canadian Provinces: British Columbia and Yukon Territory (now just Yukon, I think--I'm old school).

flashguy

No, southeast Alaska does border on British Columbia.

Good thing you got the odd-road package!

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
I'd love to see the pictures. My wife wants to go to Alaska, but I don't think she understands the logistics. Just last night she asked me how far from Canada it is and she'd like to go in March next year when the kids have off from school for spring break.

How far Alaska is from Canada depends on where in Canada one is. Alaska is adjacent to 2 Canadian Provinces: British Columbia and Yukon Territory (now just Yukon, I think--I'm old school).

flashguy

No, southeast Alaska does border on British Columbia.

You misunderstood my parenthetical comment--I was suggesting that the Yukon Territory was just known as "Yukon" now, not that BC was suddenly not adjacent to Alaska. I apologize for not being more clear.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
I'd never take a new truck during July due to gravel damaging windshields and body panels. How were the roads in April?

Roads were, "Sporty". Clear with no snow and ice, some areas with water across the roadway from melt off. Light traffic and I was giving trucks a wide berth. That said, trucks kicking up so much dust that there was zero visibility behind them or when they passed, big potholes, lots of frost heaves, washboarding and varying conditions of asphalt, hardback dirt and loose gravel. The biggest pucker factor was in some areas of the transition from asphalt to gravel. Crest a blind hill and go from asphalt to extremely loose gravel on the downhill side.

Not surprised. If it hasn't happened yet, the spring road restrictions will kick-in cutting back the load limit on the Dalton. Edge of road tends to get real unstable and rollovers unfortunately too common.

For the future, when you're on the Dalton paralleling the trans-alaska pipeline the portions above ground are shit soil (technical term) and the portions buried are good soil. Road damage much more likely in the shit soil portions.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Not surprised. If it hasn't happened yet, the spring road restrictions will kick-in cutting back the load limit on the Dalton. Edge of road tends to get real unstable and rollovers unfortunately too common.

For the future, when you're on the Dalton paralleling the trans-alaska pipeline the portions above ground are shit soil (technical term) and the portions buried are good soil. Road damage much more likely in the shit soil portions.

Thanks for the warning. I was wondering why portions of the pipeline were buried while others were above ground. The shoulders could get real soft and scary. There were a couple of times with oncoming trucks and I was trying to give them as wide a berth as possible and could feel the shoulder getting soft trying to pull me towards the ditch, exactly where I did not want to go!

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
I remember my truck being tight for the first 1000 miles or so. It was like a switch was flipped and it went from 18 to 20. Pretty sure it’s in the programming allowing it to run rich during break in. I’ve heard many stories like mine.

Is it possible you refueled with winter blend further north? That stuff wrecks my mileage they switched around here 3 weeks ago maybe.

Just for grins and giggles, filled up with premium in Fairbanks. Trip back on paper came out to 19.1mpg. Hope I don't have to fill with premium to get that kind of mileage. Also hoping it's breaking in and mileage will get better.