Disc brakes...YES! They are the best upgrade of all. I've had them on the last 2 RV's and they have saved our butts more than once. You never know when a bear or a couple of deer are going to dash out in front of you and if you can't slow down quickly, it's a disaster. Kudos to Mr. DIY (Craig) on doing the install! I'm glad to see you're healing well, Victoria. Have fun and stay safe on the roads!
That has got to be one of the most beautiful campsites. Craig is a jack of all trades when it comes to fixing things. He is amazing! Good job, Craig!!!
I loved seeing that you didn't start hammering the rear seal, but evenly distributed the pressure. So many people just hammer it in wonky and will have difficulties in the future. We receive our Z3100 in 2 weeks and this will be the first upgrade that I do! Great job guys!
I agree! It is painful to watch someone do a dyi video that doesn’t know what the are doing. Th commentary was delivered as if we were right there watching and it jut flowed! Great video!
Windshield repair kit - we went thru 2 of them in the 3 weeks in Canada and 10 weeks in Alaska. We also broke our leaf spring hanger coming down off the Top of the World Highway into Chicken.
Brinkley Z3610 here, UNDER PREPARED, Two Items: 1st you need a front winch and a snatch block to be able to self recover, if it gets muddy you will have to rely not only on the kindness of strangers but that a strange will come by in the first place. 2nd mud flaps to protect that beautiful Brinkley from rocks chips from that beast of a truck. Although everyone has different ideas on both of these items. If you want to be an A+ Student then also get a hitch winch for the back receiver on your Z3100. I need both of these but my wife won’t let us get off grid. She is a 50amp hook up or no trip kind of girl but we live in the Dallas, Texas area soooo 😅. Love your channels and great job on the disk brakes!!
I had already watched a lot of your Alaska videos when I watched this one. I Like the way Craig is so self sufficient, I think he could fix anything.You are blessed to have such a handy guy around.
Don’t overthink it. Just finished our second drive to Alaska without any problems. You will get to try out your suspension system with hugh pot holes and frost heaves. Just go slow and enjoy.
Funny you and the other full time couple who RV and UA-cam both did brake videos this week lol… I have to say you win brother, you packed the bearings right.
Wasn’t going to name names but yes… they are a great couple just the guy didn’t do a good job on a couple things during the install so I hope they will be okay.
The best part about DIY is when something does break on the road, you are familiar with how things are put together and have the tools you need to fix or patch things back together. Great video!
Hey guys, couple things….rotate those wheels while you fill them with grease. That makes sure you distribute the grease throughout evening and don’t blow out your rear seal….which I suspect happened prior since you found grease on the drum and brakes. The other….you can tell you have a bad bearing (or a seized brake) by putting your hand on the spindle after driving down the road. If it’s too hot to hold your hand to the spindle, then you have a bearing issue (and/or a seized brake). I do this at every gas station when taking long trips.
We are leaving Showlow Arizona on 29 May headed for Bellingham Washington and we’re taking the ferry to the Alaska with our truck and 35 foot fifth wheel so maybe will run into you somewhere. Have a great trip and a safe one.
I bought lots of things we never used... I think you will be okay. We can only go about 160 miles on a tank of gas so I did have concerns about fuel. Don't overlook the knowledge of visitor centers. I asked one center about gasoline, and she gave me a sheet and said "here is a list of stations for the next one thousand miles. I called every one of them this morning and they are open and have gas."
The reason there's grease all inside your old brake drums, someone used the Easy Lube system using the Zerk fitting on the end of the axle and did not have the wheels jacked up and spinning the wheels while you imply grease. If the tires are on the ground and not spinning, eventually it just blows the seal out as grease is pumped into the axle hub. After watching your video completely, even you did it wrong. When you greased that axle, you should be rotating that hub while you're pumping grease in.
50 gallon diesel transfer tank. Oh and between the frost heaves in AK and Destruction bay, YK, you will have things break. Bear spray, as long as it says bears spray. But we done it on a motorcycle , in a van , and a just a truck.
As to the Milepost...we found the best way to use it was to keep it open on the passenger's lap and follow along as you go, looking ahead a few km. Reading the intro to each area is very interesting too. Don't forget to get a cinnamon roll!
Take an extra spring with! Good luck getting one in Alaska. Also replace the bolts in your shackles with wet bolts. Don't trust the nylon leaf spring bushings go with brass.!!😉
Brinkley Z3100’s have factory wet bolts on the leaf springs, so Craig is good there. That leaves extra money for more duct tape, zip ties and a second shackle 😁
I'm glad to see you are using Blue Def in the box, it's way cleaner than what's at the pump. Cabin filter only gets dirt if you have outside air in, not recirculate 😂
You guys might want to look into getting s Yankum Rope and soft shackles rather than a tow strap and a d-ring. It will make any recoveries you are involved with much better. The Yankum has some stretch so you are jerked around as much.
As someone with a lot of experience in cold weather climate, you will ONLY need the crampons if it is very icy. For regular snow (and not too cold), hiking shoes will be plenty good if you got good lug treads. You two are a lot of fun to watch and I wish you a good trip. Also, remember, no firearms into Canada without proper paperwork. They do allow them for hunters with the paperwork.
You don’t need to upgrade suspension just take it easy! There are tons of great pull outs along the way. No need to spend a ton of money at Rv Parks. Don’t forget to stop over night at laird hot springs for a soak!! When fueling on the Alcan you’ll notice you pull up to the pump, pump your fuel then go inside to pay. You’ll see the most wild life between Watson lake and fort Nelson. Be cautious on that stretch because bison hang out on the road. Anchorage go to the moose’s tooth best pizza ever! Eagle river where I’m from Garcia’s Mexican restaurant, girdwood double muskee and order their famous peppercorn steak!!
You two are quite "a-moosing." The brakes will indeed come in handy in the "moose hot-spots" in Canada and Alaska! As always, great job and proof Craig is not just a pretty face! 😉
Craig, you're spoiled with the Brinkley. Don't you remember the old trailer nightmares. That box of emergency stuff will be great to have. ESPECIALLY DUCT TAPE!!!
Great job on the brakes. We did Alaska and Canada for four months last summer. It was an amazing trip. If you want to really test your new brakes consider driving the sea to sky highway on your way out of Canada. You drive through some amazing scenery and beautiful little towns along the way. There are some very steep grades but between your exhaust brake and down shifting you hardly need the brakes. I promise you will not regret taking that drive. It was so beautiful we spent 9 days in 4 campsites on the 200 mile drive. Lillooet is a can miss mountain town is surrounded by mountains It has a very good winery and a brewery. If you need to get rid of Canadian dollars before you come home use it for your last fill up or two.
I have heard that the Sea to Sky highway is beautiful!! We will have to consider adding it to our route on the way out. Did you do the Dempster Highway? That's another one we were considering on the way out but don't know which would be better... maybe we'll have to do both lol
@@wildrvlife I did not do the Dempster. I figured my wife might kill me if we drove it. I would not be brave enough to take our 28' 5th wheel up it either. The worst road we were on was from Pelly Crossing to Dawson City. When we got to Dawson City every inch of the trailer was covered with fine dust inside and out. The turn off to the Dempster is just prior to Dawson City. The ferry crossing and the top of the world was fun but slow. The Canadian side you drove the mountain tops and then the US side was mostly river valleys. The border was really easy there just pay attention to the open hours and the time change from Yukon to Alaska. We left the SF Bay Area June 1st and didn't get to Alaska until July 7th. There were so many beautiful stops along the way. Sometimes we would only move 50 miles. We didn't have a schedule so we were able to stop where ever we liked and extend a day or two if we really like it. Make sure you get your certificate at the beginning and end of the Alaska Highway. It was free in Dawson Creek and a few dollars in Delta Junction. We had our dogs name included with ours on each certificate. One tip - Some of the campgrounds have oil change stations and car washes or you can just take your oil and filters to a oil change shop like I did and watch them do it for you. Mine was in Fairbanks. I think it was under $50 and you don't have to deal with the used oil and filters.
Excellent job Craig. A job like that one takes time and patience. Victoria I hope you get better soon. You looked like you ate still a little sore. By safe out there and God bless you 🙏 Mary.
Since you guys have been across the border before you probably already know this, but when we went to Canada last year, we had to alert our bank that we were going. They put an exception on our debit card so that it wouldn’t get flagged and shut down due to the fraud protection. They just put in the dates and country we would be visiting and made it so it would allow the charges. We didn’t have to do this with our regular credit cards. Hope you have fun! I’m really looking forward to your Alaskan adventure. My wife and I went there on our 15th anniversary, which was about 17 years ago, and loved it!
When you get to Burwash landing, or about 20 miles before, start being aware of frost heaves, I’ve seen many fifth wheels and travel trailers with broken frames. When you get to just north of burwash landing, more towards beaver creek, the road gets some really bad breaks in it. Sometimes they fix it, sometimes they don’t. Watch the truck traffic too, they rarely slow down and shoulders can be deceptive and soft. Rarely trust local lone travers in the area in Yukon Territory. Safe travels and God bless you both. Ohhh, if I were you, I’d stay on the alcan, I wouldn’t recommend the cassiar, parts of it can also damage your Rv. Bell two to cassiar mine turnoff can be pretty bad, sometimes 10 or 15 miles an hour bad.
Thank you so much for these tips! We have heard about the frost heaves, but it's nice to know of some specific bad areas to watch out for. Our plan is to just go nice and slow and let traffic pass us whenever we can.
Good job! I did Alaska last year on the bike. Take the frost heave signs very seriously!! They can have wicked bad holes in the road. If you see orange signs or cones at the edge of the road that usually means road damage. Speed is not your friend on the road to Alaska. There can be long loose and soft gravel stretches on the roads too. I was on an Adventure bike and did not envy people with the big rigs having to traverse some of the bad roads!!
good to know!! Craig keeps saying he apologizes in advance to anyone who ends up behind us because our plan is to go nice and slowwwww and let traffic pass us whenever we can. Will be on the lookout for any cones or signs!
Yup under prepared as you will need to carry extra diesel and oil as its super expensive in Canada and some places dont have any depending on time of the month Extra water jugs too Bug zappers or a baseball bat for the big ones or tiki candles Tune up the gennie ect and spare water filters
Enjoying your videos. I’m three hours north of Coeur d’Alene in Cranbrook.BC. Wondering where you are crossing into Canada. Be safe and have a great time!
We crossed over at Laurier. The Canadian dude wondered why we were using that one as we’re from Calgary. lol. We stayed at St.Eugene KOA…it’s so amazing being attached to a former residential school.
Great job on the disc brake upgrade. I would only suggest that no "wiggle" for the bearing tightening.........should just have an easy spin but no wiggle. Excellent packing bearings seems like never done correctly but you hit the nail on the head!
As usual, a really good video. One of the things I like most about your videos is that they flow naturally and don’t feel scripted. I believe many would call them ‘organic.’ And Victoria, if you were sniffly, I sure couldn’t detect it. Thanks for a fun video.
Why did you pump grease in? You pack your bearings Every thing else gets a light coat Packing full just leads to a mess. It’s not a boat. Boat trailer bearings get filled. The only moving part of the axle are the bearings. The grease hopefully isn’t getting hot enough to flow or you are having a bad day Actually too much grease can cause cavitation, the extra grease that doesn’t lubricate anything gets hot explodes and causes pitting on surfaces A light film to prevent corrosion The proper use of the EZ lube is to rotate the tire as you pump grease in the bearing channels Not my opinion but per Dexter and Lippert.
Craig, do a search for a half marathon race during your journey. You’ll love it. It’s so much better than running solo. Having others around you doing the same distance will energize you even more.
That was a great upgrade and doing it yourself was a score too! We got the same ones when we got the MORryde IS back in February. Although we already had disc brakes, these are so much better. As you think about getting IS, trust and believe; IT’s WORTH IT!!! You can literally put things on the counter and it is right there with little to no movement when you arrive at your destination. It is a costly upgrade, however we decided to do all we can to help our ridge last. Craig and Victoria break nothing!!! Traveling mercies for you all on your journey. BTW where was that Boondocking spot along that creek? Incredible!!!
When you get back to Costco, hopefully they will have it (not always in stock), the precooked, prepackaged smoked beef brisket...youll be amazed!!! TENDER AND GREAT! Just add some bbq sauce...seriously, very good!!!
Great job guys! Glad Craig was allowed to catch a few minutes in the hammock...lol. I'm sure Craig knows, but the EZ lube style spindles (with the zerks) are convenient to a point, but famous for allowing grease all up into the drum brakes. Looks like it won't be a problem wi5h disc brakes though. Normally they let grease into the brakes, people turn the brake controller all the way up to compensate, and the brakes don't last. So stoked for y'all's trip!
Great video! Great job on the install. I elected to remove my decorative covers on the wheel hub. I had a bearing cover come lose and was bouncing inside. Having the bearing cover exposed would have let me see that on a walk around inspection. Granted, the decorative cover kept me from losing the bearing cap fate it came loose, but I prefer to see things than have them covered.
Good job. It’s good to have skills. I have a hard time washing my windshield on the motorhome. You have to sit the beer down, move the ladder etc. it’s not easy!
We have used a tire plug g kit many times on trips for our vehicle and others including an ATV and a tractor. But for truck tires we don't recommend the plastic handled plug kits. Get a professional all metal tool kit, prep tool and plug tool. We had a plastic handled tool break when prepping a leak and were injured when the handle broke. There are also plug tools that use a mushroom shaped plug which are supposed to be better for long term repairs.
Ohhh man didn’t think about that with the plastic handle! I bet it could do some damage if it broke while trying to put the plug in/out. Hopefully we don’t end up needing it at all…but we’ll see 😅
The changes impact Canadians bringing dogs to the US, not the other way around. Canada never checks anything with dogs, I cross all the time from Washington. Have proof of rabies, and that's all you need, but even that, they dont care about. The only thing Canada cares about is guns. Their absolute terror of guns at the Canadian border is unhinged and knows no bounds. If they are slow, plan on having your truck and trailer thoroughly tossed, I've had it numerous times. It's a big show.
@@wtalberYes it now affects US Citizens returning to the US with their dog. New microchip and rabies requirements. The biggest is paperwork you must fill out before getting to the border. Including a recent vet filled out form.
Such a great project to tackle. Congratulations. And yes Craig, there’s usually not enough room for two people to do mechanic work. But, there’s always a need for a runner to grab all the tools we leave laying around so we don’t have to get up and down 100+ times.
Great job on the disk brake upgrade. As an rv’er myself, I’ve upgraded to disk brakes on my last three rv’s . There is no comparison between the two. I wish more rvs came from the factory with disk brakes or would made it an option. Keep enjoying your adventures and can’t wait to see the next video.
I really hope more RVs start coming with them standard! I know some do, but hoping it will eventually roll out to all of them. They make such a big difference. Thanks for watching!!
Great video on installing the disc brakes. I have wondered for awhile why Brinkley does not have an option for disc brakes. Truth is they should be a standard. If I were you I would pull and replace your truck brakes as well. They were doing triple duty for the past 12 months.
I would want to have a front end replacement bumper because whenever you’re running like that, you’re not gonna be able to stop every time something comes out in front of you. Also check out Yankum ropes and soft shackles.
Kinda curious. Why didn't you guys just upgrade to a Morryde independent suspension with disc brakes? It solves 2 major problems with all RVs. Disc brakes stopping, big safety factor, and road vibration which is responsible for most RV breakage.
Mainly because the independent suspension is a lot more expensive than just disc brakes and it's not something that we could probably do ourselves and so we don't really have it in the plans to put the RV in the shop before Alaska... so just disc brakes for now! We'll see how the suspension holds up. should be a good test for it 😅
Definitely a good idea to do the brake upgrade. I would like to do that to our rig and I’ll be needing to upgrade the suspension at some point too since ours has cheap components…
I notice that you are still packing your bearings the old fashioned way. You could look at a good bearing packer , it does a great job and is a lot less messy.. Amazon has many different kinds.
Great Job. Disc brakes are the way to go. I noticed you removed self adjusting drum brakes. One thing I found out is you need to initially adjust them after they are installed. I just replaced mine, DIY, and they work great with my Ram Cummins set at 6.0. They will skid if I put brakes on 100% with controller. But with that all said, I wish I had your set up- way better set of brakes.
My hubby watch your video and ordered our brake upgrade from etrailer. This will give us peace of mind. Brake controller has been on 10. Thank you for this video. Z3100 0029.
Milepost: someone suggested taking it to FedEx or Staples or other office store to have it spiral bound. It’s a great convenience! Only costs about $8-15.
It looks like you guys are prepared. The only two items I can see that may be needed would be the windshield repair kits and the mosquito head nets. We did a 60 day Canadian/Alaska tour with our older trailer. Luckily, we didn't need the windshield repair kit, but went out and got some of those electric flyswatter's for the skeeters. Be prepared to be amazed at the scenery. Love your brake job. I'll probably be doing that on our Brinkley #1067 next year. Happy and safe traveling.
We bought some 100% deet mosquito spray, but didn't get the head nets. i'm wondering if we'll regret it... we might end up buying those in Alaska if we get up there and end up being swarmed! And we'll just keep our fingers crossed on the windshield 🤞 Thanks for watching!!
The things for your shoe work super for walking dogs if there's any ice. I'm in New England and use them all winter. But not sure how they work on rocks or trails.
😂 goo on both you guys. Prices in Alaska is out of this world. And sometimes those towstraps are abtch to undo. And I want the hat and shirt Craig’s wearing. Be safe please ❤
Good video Craig and Victoria. First, I want to commend Craig on not wearing Flip Flops during the upgrade, LOL. Ok, all joking aside, I upgraded my Brinkley Z3100 to disk brakes as well. Best upgrade I have made to any trailer I have ever owned. Additionally, I added Roadmaster Comfort Ride Slipper Springs and shocks and Morryde X-Factor cross braces (2 of them). All of this gives a lot of the benefits of independent suspension but is much cheaper. They are also pretty easy to install. I would really recommend the extras if time and money make it possible.
We ended up just using zip ties to attach them to the axles and some existing gas lines, but maybe I can create a short video showing it for those interested!
You’ll need them but not for wildlife but for frost heaves in the road and pot holes. Watch out more for that than wildlife. We just got up here to Dawson city, Yukon. Be careful you two. Buck and Donna
Disc brakes...YES! They are the best upgrade of all. I've had them on the last 2 RV's and they have saved our butts more than once. You never know when a bear or a couple of deer are going to dash out in front of you and if you can't slow down quickly, it's a disaster. Kudos to Mr. DIY (Craig) on doing the install! I'm glad to see you're healing well, Victoria. Have fun and stay safe on the roads!
That has got to be one of the most beautiful campsites. Craig is a jack of all trades when it comes to fixing things. He is amazing! Good job, Craig!!!
Disc brakes should be MANDATORY from manufacturer on all medium to large trailers!
That brake job was clearly done by a man who has a lot of experience. That was a pleasure to watch!
I loved seeing that you didn't start hammering the rear seal, but evenly distributed the pressure. So many people just hammer it in wonky and will have difficulties in the future. We receive our Z3100 in 2 weeks and this will be the first upgrade that I do! Great job guys!
I agree! It is painful to watch someone do a dyi video that doesn’t know what the are doing. Th commentary was delivered as if we were right there watching and it jut flowed! Great video!
Windshield repair kit - we went thru 2 of them in the 3 weeks in Canada and 10 weeks in Alaska. We also broke our leaf spring hanger coming down off the Top of the World Highway into Chicken.
Brinkley Z3610 here, UNDER PREPARED, Two Items:
1st you need a front winch and a snatch block to be able to self recover, if it gets muddy you will have to rely not only on the kindness of strangers but that a strange will come by in the first place.
2nd mud flaps to protect that beautiful Brinkley from rocks chips from that beast of a truck.
Although everyone has different ideas on both of these items. If you want to be an A+ Student then also get a hitch winch for the back receiver on your Z3100. I need both of these but my wife won’t let us get off grid. She is a 50amp hook up or no trip kind of girl but we live in the Dallas, Texas area soooo 😅.
Love your channels and great job on the disk brakes!!
I had already watched a lot of your Alaska videos when I watched this one. I Like the way Craig is so self sufficient, I think he could fix anything.You are blessed to have such a handy guy around.
Don’t overthink it. Just finished our second drive to Alaska without any problems. You will get to try out your suspension system with hugh pot holes and frost heaves. Just go slow and enjoy.
Funny you and the other full time couple who RV and UA-cam both did brake videos this week lol… I have to say you win brother, you packed the bearings right.
Happily ever hanks ?
I think it was. I follow them as well.
Wasn’t going to name names but yes… they are a great couple just the guy didn’t do a good job on a couple things during the install so I hope they will be okay.
Hanks and Changing Lanes Recently!
Victoria, you really hit the jackpot with Craig. Good for you, I don’t think there is anything he can’t do!! ❤❤❤
I agree!!
2 rv channels actually doing own maintenance i love it!
The best part about DIY is when something does break on the road, you are familiar with how things are put together and have the tools you need to fix or patch things back together. Great video!
You two are so much fun! I enjoy your sense of humor and adventures.
Me too!
Hey guys, couple things….rotate those wheels while you fill them with grease. That makes sure you distribute the grease throughout evening and don’t blow out your rear seal….which I suspect happened prior since you found grease on the drum and brakes.
The other….you can tell you have a bad bearing (or a seized brake) by putting your hand on the spindle after driving down the road. If it’s too hot to hold your hand to the spindle, then you have a bearing issue (and/or a seized brake). I do this at every gas station when taking long trips.
ahh good tips!! thank you!
Hey moral support is by far the most important part of the job. 😂
I agree. Couldn't do it without her.
We are leaving Showlow Arizona on 29 May headed for Bellingham Washington and we’re taking the ferry to the Alaska with our truck and 35 foot fifth wheel so maybe will run into you somewhere. Have a great trip and a safe one.
Would you mind telling us how much it costs for the ferry?
@@mchris0228 For our truck f350 and our 35 foot Rv and a cabin for 3days was $6800.00. From Bellingham Washington to Haynes, Alaska
I bought lots of things we never used... I think you will be okay. We can only go about 160 miles on a tank of gas so I did have concerns about fuel. Don't overlook the knowledge of visitor centers. I asked one center about gasoline, and she gave me a sheet and said "here is a list of stations for the next one thousand miles. I called every one of them this morning and they are open and have gas."
The reason there's grease all inside your old brake drums, someone used the Easy Lube system using the Zerk fitting on the end of the axle and did not have the wheels jacked up and spinning the wheels while you imply grease. If the tires are on the ground and not spinning, eventually it just blows the seal out as grease is pumped into the axle hub. After watching your video completely, even you did it wrong. When you greased that axle, you should be rotating that hub while you're pumping grease in.
even if you spin the wheels it can easily blow grease onto your brakes. NEVER USE EZ-LUBE!!!!!!
50 gallon diesel transfer tank. Oh and between the frost heaves in AK and Destruction bay, YK, you will have things break. Bear spray, as long as it says bears spray. But we done it on a motorcycle , in a van , and a just a truck.
Tip before crossing borders…phone the border you plan on crossing for up to date info. BTW eggs is a no go right now. We just crossed this month.
As to the Milepost...we found the best way to use it was to keep it open on the passenger's lap and follow along as you go, looking ahead a few km. Reading the intro to each area is very interesting too. Don't forget to get a cinnamon roll!
Take an extra spring with! Good luck getting one in Alaska. Also replace the bolts in your shackles with wet bolts. Don't trust the nylon leaf spring bushings go with brass.!!😉
Brinkley Z3100’s have factory wet bolts on the leaf springs, so Craig is good there. That leaves extra money for more duct tape, zip ties and a second shackle 😁
I'm glad to see you are using Blue Def in the box, it's way cleaner than what's at the pump. Cabin filter only gets dirt if you have outside air in, not recirculate 😂
Craig is the man! You need to be handy if you own an RV. I'm pretty handy myself, which certainly helps.👍🏻🇺🇲
Thank you!! Being handy sure is useful throughout life.
@@wildrvlife definitely LOL👍🏻🇺🇲
You guys might want to look into getting s Yankum Rope and soft shackles rather than a tow strap and a d-ring. It will make any recoveries you are involved with much better. The Yankum has some stretch so you are jerked around as much.
As someone with a lot of experience in cold weather climate, you will ONLY need the crampons if it is very icy. For regular snow (and not too cold), hiking shoes will be plenty good if you got good lug treads. You two are a lot of fun to watch and I wish you a good trip. Also, remember, no firearms into Canada without proper paperwork. They do allow them for hunters with the paperwork.
Ahh good to know about the crampons! And thank you so much! And yess definitely easier to just leave any guns in storage
You don’t need to upgrade suspension just take it easy! There are tons of great pull outs along the way. No need to spend a ton of money at Rv Parks.
Don’t forget to stop over night at laird hot springs for a soak!!
When fueling on the Alcan you’ll notice you pull up to the pump, pump your fuel then go inside to pay.
You’ll see the most wild life between Watson lake and fort Nelson. Be cautious on that stretch because bison hang out on the road.
Anchorage go to the moose’s tooth best pizza ever! Eagle river where I’m from Garcia’s Mexican restaurant, girdwood double muskee and order their famous peppercorn steak!!
this is wonderful advice! I’ll have to screencap this advice for myself!
😊
You two are quite "a-moosing." The brakes will indeed come in handy in the "moose hot-spots" in Canada and Alaska! As always, great job and proof Craig is not just a pretty face! 😉
haha love the moose pun! Thanks so much for watching!
Craig, you're spoiled with the Brinkley. Don't you remember the old trailer nightmares. That box of emergency stuff will be great to have. ESPECIALLY DUCT TAPE!!!
Haha. This new rv almost has me missing a good, never-ending weekend project.
Craig you really are a great handy man.
Great job on the brakes. We did Alaska and Canada for four months last summer. It was an amazing trip. If you want to really test your new brakes consider driving the sea to sky highway on your way out of Canada. You drive through some amazing scenery and beautiful little towns along the way. There are some very steep grades but between your exhaust brake and down shifting you hardly need the brakes. I promise you will not regret taking that drive. It was so beautiful we spent 9 days in 4 campsites on the 200 mile drive. Lillooet is a can miss mountain town is surrounded by mountains It has a very good winery and a brewery. If you need to get rid of Canadian dollars before you come home use it for your last fill up or two.
I have heard that the Sea to Sky highway is beautiful!! We will have to consider adding it to our route on the way out. Did you do the Dempster Highway? That's another one we were considering on the way out but don't know which would be better... maybe we'll have to do both lol
@@wildrvlife I did not do the Dempster. I figured my wife might kill me if we drove it. I would not be brave enough to take our 28' 5th wheel up it either. The worst road we were on was from Pelly Crossing to Dawson City. When we got to Dawson City every inch of the trailer was covered with fine dust inside and out. The turn off to the Dempster is just prior to Dawson City. The ferry crossing and the top of the world was fun but slow. The Canadian side you drove the mountain tops and then the US side was mostly river valleys. The border was really easy there just pay attention to the open hours and the time change from Yukon to Alaska. We left the SF Bay Area June 1st and didn't get to Alaska until July 7th. There were so many beautiful stops along the way. Sometimes we would only move 50 miles. We didn't have a schedule so we were able to stop where ever we liked and extend a day or two if we really like it. Make sure you get your certificate at the beginning and end of the Alaska Highway. It was free in Dawson Creek and a few dollars in Delta Junction. We had our dogs name included with ours on each certificate. One tip - Some of the campgrounds have oil change stations and car washes or you can just take your oil and filters to a oil change shop like I did and watch them do it for you. Mine was in Fairbanks. I think it was under $50 and you don't have to deal with the used oil and filters.
We depart Washington for Valdez in a week! Just heard the Alcan is open again through Fort Nelson. That’s really good news! Safe travels y’all
Excellent job Craig. A job like that one takes time and patience. Victoria I hope you get better soon. You looked like you ate still a little sore. By safe out there and God bless you 🙏 Mary.
You guys are going to be fine AND have so much fun! Stay safe. Love and Light ❤😊
Since you guys have been across the border before you probably already know this, but when we went to Canada last year, we had to alert our bank that we were going. They put an exception on our debit card so that it wouldn’t get flagged and shut down due to the fraud protection. They just put in the dates and country we would be visiting and made it so it would allow the charges. We didn’t have to do this with our regular credit cards. Hope you have fun! I’m really looking forward to your Alaskan adventure. My wife and I went there on our 15th anniversary, which was about 17 years ago, and loved it!
When you get to Burwash landing, or about 20 miles before, start being aware of frost heaves, I’ve seen many fifth wheels and travel trailers with broken frames. When you get to just north of burwash landing, more towards beaver creek, the road gets some really bad breaks in it. Sometimes they fix it, sometimes they don’t. Watch the truck traffic too, they rarely slow down and shoulders can be deceptive and soft. Rarely trust local lone travers in the area in Yukon Territory. Safe travels and God bless you both.
Ohhh, if I were you, I’d stay on the alcan, I wouldn’t recommend the cassiar, parts of it can also damage your Rv. Bell two to cassiar mine turnoff can be pretty bad, sometimes 10 or 15 miles an hour bad.
Thank you so much for these tips! We have heard about the frost heaves, but it's nice to know of some specific bad areas to watch out for. Our plan is to just go nice and slow and let traffic pass us whenever we can.
Good job! I did Alaska last year on the bike. Take the frost heave signs very seriously!! They can have wicked bad holes in the road. If you see orange signs or cones at the edge of the road that usually means road damage. Speed is not your friend on the road to Alaska. There can be long loose and soft gravel stretches on the roads too. I was on an Adventure bike and did not envy people with the big rigs having to traverse some of the bad roads!!
good to know!! Craig keeps saying he apologizes in advance to anyone who ends up behind us because our plan is to go nice and slowwwww and let traffic pass us whenever we can. Will be on the lookout for any cones or signs!
Craig, you did great! I watch tons of videos too and you are crushing it! Also, some great b roll this episode. Keep it up!
Thank you!! We appreciate that a lot.
Best rv bearing video I’ve seen yet. Great job on the brakes also!!
Wow, thanks!!
Yup under prepared as you will need to carry extra diesel and oil as its super expensive in Canada and some places dont have any depending on time of the month Extra water jugs too Bug zappers or a baseball bat for the big ones or tiki candles Tune up the gennie ect and spare water filters
Enjoying your videos. I’m three hours north of Coeur d’Alene in Cranbrook.BC. Wondering where you are crossing into Canada. Be safe and have a great time!
We crossed over at Laurier. The Canadian dude wondered why we were using that one as we’re from Calgary. lol. We stayed at St.Eugene KOA…it’s so amazing being attached to a former residential school.
Just got back from Alaska. Yes. There is snow and regularly 40° in Southern Alaska. YOU WILL LOVE IT
We are so excited!!
Great job on the disc brake upgrade. I would only suggest that no "wiggle" for the bearing tightening.........should just have an easy spin but no wiggle. Excellent packing bearings seems like never done correctly but you hit the nail on the head!
Thank you! It definitely seems like some people don't try so hard when packing the bearings.
As usual, a really good video. One of the things I like most about your videos is that they flow naturally and don’t feel scripted. I believe many would call them ‘organic.’ And Victoria, if you were sniffly, I sure couldn’t detect it. Thanks for a fun video.
Why did you pump grease in?
You pack your bearings
Every thing else gets a light coat
Packing full just leads to a mess.
It’s not a boat. Boat trailer bearings get filled.
The only moving part of the axle are the bearings. The grease hopefully isn’t getting hot enough to flow or you are having a bad day
Actually too much grease can cause cavitation, the extra grease that doesn’t lubricate anything gets hot explodes and causes pitting on surfaces
A light film to prevent corrosion
The proper use of the EZ lube is to rotate the tire as you pump grease in the bearing channels
Not my opinion but per Dexter and Lippert.
Craig, do a search for a half marathon race during your journey. You’ll love it. It’s so much better than running solo. Having others around you doing the same distance will energize you even more.
Great job Craig! I’d let you work in my brakes any day! Mine only weighs 1700 lbs but still! Hope you’re all recovered by now Victoria.
doing all better now, thank you!!
That was a great upgrade and doing it yourself was a score too! We got the same ones when we got the MORryde IS back in February. Although we already had disc brakes, these are so much better. As you think about getting IS, trust and believe; IT’s WORTH IT!!! You can literally put things on the counter and it is right there with little to no movement when you arrive at your destination. It is a costly upgrade, however we decided to do all we can to help our ridge last. Craig and Victoria break nothing!!! Traveling mercies for you all on your journey.
BTW where was that Boondocking spot along that creek? Incredible!!!
Congrats on brakes ... you did a great job. Safe travels. Smooth roads. Good wifi. See you next week.
Thank you so much!
Hey My friend and his dad took their Rv to Alaska, alot happened, the cabinets fell off and a window fell out ,Go slow lol
I can't wait to see your Alaska trip! Hope you are feeling better Victoria!
We are 30ish miles from Blackwell RV park. Our anniversary is the first week of June, and thanks to Ya'all, we are staying there for a few days!
I am at 4:39 talking about Victoria not helping. I do remember she was quite helpful on the installation of the Gen Y hitch. Just sayin.
Yeahhh!! That’s right! 💯👏🏼
I wish you would’ve videoed the wiring more and the bleeding of the brakes
When you get back to Costco, hopefully they will have it (not always in stock), the precooked, prepackaged smoked beef brisket...youll be amazed!!! TENDER AND GREAT! Just add some bbq sauce...seriously, very good!!!
QMY DAUGHTER AND FAMILY LIVE IN SAGLE RIGHT BELOW SANDPOINT THEY LOVE IT
Make sure you visit Valdez, a cruise on the Lu Lu Belle will be unforgettable, worth every cent!!
ooh thanks for the recommendation!
After our 2nd spring break in 4 years, we now carry a spare leaf spring
I feel better for Joseph that you guys are traveling with them. I love those two, but if something goes wrong you can help fix it
Great job guys! Glad Craig was allowed to catch a few minutes in the hammock...lol. I'm sure Craig knows, but the EZ lube style spindles (with the zerks) are convenient to a point, but famous for allowing grease all up into the drum brakes. Looks like it won't be a problem wi5h disc brakes though. Normally they let grease into the brakes, people turn the brake controller all the way up to compensate, and the brakes don't last. So stoked for y'all's trip!
Great video! Great job on the install. I elected to remove my decorative covers on the wheel hub. I had a bearing cover come lose and was bouncing inside. Having the bearing cover exposed would have let me see that on a walk around inspection. Granted, the decorative cover kept me from losing the bearing cap fate it came loose, but I prefer to see things than have them covered.
Good job. It’s good to have skills. I have a hard time washing my windshield on the motorhome. You have to sit the beer down, move the ladder etc.
it’s not easy!
We have used a tire plug g kit many times on trips for our vehicle and others including an ATV and a tractor. But for truck tires we don't recommend the plastic handled plug kits. Get a professional all metal tool kit, prep tool and plug tool. We had a plastic handled tool break when prepping a leak and were injured when the handle broke. There are also plug tools that use a mushroom shaped plug which are supposed to be better for long term repairs.
Ohhh man didn’t think about that with the plastic handle! I bet it could do some damage if it broke while trying to put the plug in/out. Hopefully we don’t end up needing it at all…but we’ll see 😅
Be aware guys, some rules about border crossings with the pups changes Aug 1st this year. Check it out asap. 🐾🐾
The changes impact Canadians bringing dogs to the US, not the other way around. Canada never checks anything with dogs, I cross all the time from Washington. Have proof of rabies, and that's all you need, but even that, they dont care about. The only thing Canada cares about is guns. Their absolute terror of guns at the Canadian border is unhinged and knows no bounds. If they are slow, plan on having your truck and trailer thoroughly tossed, I've had it numerous times. It's a big show.
@@jordancook1668The new CDC law also affects US residents coming back into the US. Dogs must be microchipped.
@@wtalberYes it now affects US Citizens returning to the US with their dog. New microchip and rabies requirements. The biggest is paperwork you must fill out before getting to the border. Including a recent vet filled out form.
www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs-entering-us-after-august-1.html
www.cdc.gov/importation/traveling-with-pets.html
Great job on the brakes! A lot of people would not try DIY while on the road, but you did great.
We went to Niagara before Covid and the gas was so cheap on the sign, we didn’t realize it was in liters instead of gallons, lol
Such a great project to tackle. Congratulations. And yes Craig, there’s usually not enough room for two people to do mechanic work. But, there’s always a need for a runner to grab all the tools we leave laying around so we don’t have to get up and down 100+ times.
Excited to see you guys traveling to Alaska with Joseph & Kalyn!
We can't wait too!!
Great job on the disk brake upgrade. As an rv’er myself, I’ve upgraded to disk brakes on my last three rv’s . There is no comparison between the two. I wish more rvs came from the factory with disk brakes or would made it an option. Keep enjoying your adventures and can’t wait to see the next video.
I really hope more RVs start coming with them standard! I know some do, but hoping it will eventually roll out to all of them. They make such a big difference. Thanks for watching!!
I have disc brakes on both my RVs. I love them.
they make such a huge difference!
Great video on installing the disc brakes. I have wondered for awhile why Brinkley does not have an option for disc brakes. Truth is they should be a standard. If I were you I would pull and replace your truck brakes as well. They were doing triple duty for the past 12 months.
Use Brake clean to remove unwanted grease
Good idea!
I would want to have a front end replacement bumper because whenever you’re running like that, you’re not gonna be able to stop every time something comes out in front of you. Also check out Yankum ropes and soft shackles.
Kinda curious. Why didn't you guys just upgrade to a Morryde independent suspension with disc brakes? It solves 2 major problems with all RVs. Disc brakes stopping, big safety factor, and road vibration which is responsible for most RV breakage.
Mainly because the independent suspension is a lot more expensive than just disc brakes and it's not something that we could probably do ourselves and so we don't really have it in the plans to put the RV in the shop before Alaska... so just disc brakes for now! We'll see how the suspension holds up. should be a good test for it 😅
👍awesome as always thank you guys for sharing and will be anticipating the Alaska trip programs God be with you guys ❤
Have a great time. Be safe too.
It was great to watch and see the brake job from drums to rotors. You definitely had things planned out.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!!
Yes Coeur d’alene is an awesome town and area !
Definitely a good idea to do the brake upgrade. I would like to do that to our rig and I’ll be needing to upgrade the suspension at some point too since ours has cheap components…
Going to disk brakes is a game changer.
I notice that you are still packing your bearings the old fashioned way. You could look at a good bearing packer , it does a great job and is a lot less messy.. Amazon has many different kinds.
Great Job. Disc brakes are the way to go. I noticed you removed self adjusting drum brakes. One thing I found out is you need to initially adjust them after they are installed. I just replaced mine, DIY, and they work great with my Ram Cummins set at 6.0. They will skid if I put brakes on 100% with controller. But with that all said, I wish I had your set up- way better set of brakes.
42:34 You need a light weight floor jack. Great video! I'm looking forward to following you progress.
We did actually just buy a heavier duty bottle jack after this video…still not a floor jack, but a little better 😆
My hubby watch your video and ordered our brake upgrade from etrailer. This will give us peace of mind. Brake controller has been on 10. Thank you for this video. Z3100 0029.
Don’t mess your Beautiful Brinkley up! We wanna see Grizzlies too! Have fun kids!
It is loved but put to good use.
Very impressed with your DIY skills! Disc brake upgrade is a must, it is on my list! Great video and safe travels!!
Thanks! You too!
Hope it goes well for you! Be really careful up there and take care of the doggies!! 💗
Thank you! And absolutely!
We drove Alaska, Northern Canada up the Dempster and with no problems
Niiiceee! That’s what I like to hear!
We are excited for you guys and will be anxiously awaiting each video. Have fun and stay safe from fellow Z3100 owners.
I think it'll work you always do a good job
Milepost: someone suggested taking it to FedEx or Staples or other office store to have it spiral bound. It’s a great convenience! Only costs about $8-15.
It looks like you guys are prepared. The only two items I can see that may be needed would be the windshield repair kits and the mosquito head nets. We did a 60 day Canadian/Alaska tour with our older trailer. Luckily, we didn't need the windshield repair kit, but went out and got some of those electric flyswatter's for the skeeters. Be prepared to be amazed at the scenery. Love your brake job. I'll probably be doing that on our Brinkley #1067 next year. Happy and safe traveling.
We bought some 100% deet mosquito spray, but didn't get the head nets. i'm wondering if we'll regret it... we might end up buying those in Alaska if we get up there and end up being swarmed! And we'll just keep our fingers crossed on the windshield 🤞 Thanks for watching!!
The things for your shoe work super for walking dogs if there's any ice. I'm in New England and use them all winter. But not sure how they work on rocks or trails.
Awesome drum to disk upgrade. Enjoyed seeing this.
thank you so much for watching!!
😂 goo on both you guys. Prices in Alaska is out of this world. And sometimes those towstraps are abtch to undo. And I want the hat and shirt Craig’s wearing. Be safe please ❤
If you don’t break an axle or any suspension parts you will be doing good. Safe travels!
We’ll be keeping our fingers crosssed!
Say a prayer and go!!!🙏
The exhaust brake is also a great assistive device!
Good video Craig and Victoria. First, I want to commend Craig on not wearing Flip Flops during the upgrade, LOL.
Ok, all joking aside, I upgraded my Brinkley Z3100 to disk brakes as well. Best upgrade I have made to any trailer I have ever owned. Additionally, I added Roadmaster Comfort Ride Slipper Springs and shocks and Morryde X-Factor cross braces (2 of them). All of this gives a lot of the benefits of independent suspension but is much cheaper. They are also pretty easy to install. I would really recommend the extras if time and money make it possible.
Thanks for showing so much of the spindle work. I was wondering how you secured the brake lines. Thanks. Safe travels
We ended up just using zip ties to attach them to the axles and some existing gas lines, but maybe I can create a short video showing it for those interested!
You’ll need them but not for wildlife but for frost heaves in the road and pot holes. Watch out more for that than wildlife. We just got up here to Dawson city, Yukon. Be careful you two.
Buck and Donna