front-end cover/gravel protection February 28, 2001, 12:10:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2325Soon after we pick up our new LD we are off to Alaska for 6 weeks. Can anyone suggest what type of front-end bra, cover, or shield we should purchase (and sources for such items) so that we can protect the front-end from gravel, etc. We will mostly be travelling paved roads, but would like the extra protection offered by a front-end bra or another type of cover. Thanks.-Robin
front-end cover/gravel protection Reply #1 – February 28, 2001, 04:22:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2329Uh OH.This might require more discussion than the group can tolerate.We bought our LD specifically to go to AK. Members of the LD Caravan told us horror stories about flying stones, so we armored our rig pretty seriously. It was not enough.We put on a brush guard (ordered from JC Whitney's catalogue) on the front, installed screens over the headlights and added mud flaps.We broke the cab-over front glass (not a problem with the new rigs --no cab-over front window), and plut 3 craters in the windshield.More experienced Northern BC, Yukon travelers had small-mesh screens supported on frames to keep rocks out of the windshield.We got no hits from the big trucks, who seemed to be running good mud flaps. Most of the tossed rocks came from small cars --probably tourists w/o mud flaps. We got to the point where someone in a little Subaru scared the devil out of us, and we'd give them as wide a berth as possible.Note, frost heaves in paved roads make them much less comfortable than well tended gravel.Be sure to get a copy of Alaska Mileposts. There are a lot of very, very interesting places along the gravel road routes north. The Cassiar Highway, Nass Road.bob phillips
front-end cover/gravel protection Reply #2 – February 28, 2001, 04:24:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2330By the way, 6-weeks is not enough.It is good to be unhurried in AK, so you can wait for the weather to clear and show you the wonderful places you can't seen when the clouds are low.bob phillips
front-end cover/gravel protection Reply #3 – February 28, 2001, 06:04:33 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2332Bob,Thanks, we have our copy of the Milepost at the ready. We plan to stay on paved roads, except for the old Denali Highway. But we will look into getting some of the items you mentioned.-Robin
front-end cover/gravel protection Reply #4 – February 28, 2001, 06:59:10 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2334Robin/Bob, how does one obtain the Milepost?Regards, Straf14
front-end cover/gravel protection Reply #5 – February 28, 2001, 09:01:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 2337Many good book store have copies of Mileposts. Probably available on Amazon.com.bob