Will Air Suspension strand me?

[HummerMann]

We are planning a six week adventure from New York to Anchorage, Alaska this summer. I've gotten route information from the Canadian Government on traveling through Yukon Territory and what extras to pack. My question is, if the air suspension fails, will the H2 be driveable with a list or slope to the failed side, or will I be stuck in the middle of nowhere with the body down on the tire? I'm taking extra tools, an extra set of wiper blades, two extra five gallon gas cans, an extra mounted tire lashed to the roof (for a total of two), extra headlights, duct tape, extra radiator hoses, engine oil and coolant, and an extra engine belt.

[HUMTECH]

Worst case you will be riding on the bump stops, tires if factory size wont hit the body but it will be a very bumpy ride

[SMITH23H2SUT]

Changing tires in the cold? Not for me. I have air suspension also, and the rear air compressor built into the cargo area. I believe all H2s with air suspension have the compressor. Why not take the spare off the roof and throw two more 5 gallon gas cans up there instead. Go to Pepboys or Autozone and get some tire plugs. Actually get a couple of those kits, if you get a flat just plug it while tire is still on vehicle and use your compressor to inflate your tire. I've done this both times my tire has been flat. My spare hasn't been removed from tire carrier ever. Good luck. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime.

[jsbihn]

I will agree with Smith here
I have yet to patch a tire, but if you consider the weight and fuel.... you are probably better off carrying a little weight as possible and saving your gas while also.... carrying more if needed.
Yes a flat will keep you from getting home, but thats an easy fix with a 15 dollar repair kit that weighs about a pound.
Compare that to a carying probably an additional 100 pounds of tire on your roof..... you will need the extra gas you are carrying just to make up for the extra weight.
Now the gas you are carrying (whether you carry what you have in the tank, or the extra cans, or you get more cans and put them on the top), will get you further in.

[HummerJim]

I made the trip in my old H3 in 2005 to Dawson. I agree about not taking the extra tire, but a plug kit and extra gas. While you are going up that way you will find all the road work is done May through September in the Yukon, so be prepared for some slow going in mud and rock and some real offroading around the construction.
You HAVE TO visit Kluane National Park in the Yukon. It's on your way and it is one park where you can drive around two days and not see another person and some of the most breathtaking scenery you will ever see. You will get plenty advice in Whitehorse in where to go and what to do in Kluane. I made it as far north as Dawson and it was the trip of a lifetime. I still get Christmas cards from two of the couples I met on the trip. I made several posts from the Yukon on here. One last suggestion, take some rain gear along! Some of the nicest people I ever met in life were in Yukon Territory on that trip.
http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/s...ghlight=kluane

[HummerMann]

I've got one side of the garage filled with the things we're taking to the Yukon. The wife keeps adding things like blankets, classic CDs, a cell phone charger, and pillows. They tell me in most areas of the Yukon and Alberta, Canada a cell phone is useless. I'm thinking the GPS should have no problems as long as we stay on main roads. It's at times like these that I wish I had a regular H2 instead of an SUT to store STUFF . I'm figuring the roundtrip distance will be around 5700 miles and I hope to average 12 mpg for the trip. It's getting close and we are both excited about our "little adventure."

[HummerMann]

After a false start and turning around to go home after 5 miles, because we left our passports on the workbench in the garage after loading, we're on our way on our adventure to Dawson City, Yukon Territory.
Drove long and hard yesterday covering the 737 miles to Chicago and averaging 12.1 mpg at 70 mph. Couldn't believe the lie-o-meter on the dash actually agreed with my tabulations of 12.1. We're going to take our time and enjoy ourselves on this trip. It's going to be a trip to the Chicago History Museum this morning, Gino's deep dish pizza on Rush street for lunch and I'm going to fulfill a lifelong desire to see a Cub's game at Wrigely this afternoon. Only setback has been the H2 won't fit in the garage here at the Palmer House, so it's at their alternate parking site. We're going to walk and do the bus today and then take the hotel van to the game.

[dvl57]

sounds like a fun trip...take alot of pics and share a few w/us.

always wanted to watch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. (heard that stadium is "below par" in amenities vs. all the modern ballparks, but just to experience it would be sweet)

safe travels.

[HummerMann]

Had a great time at Wrigley and my age might be showing, but I liked it more than some of the newer parks. We met several other couples from around the US there that just wanted to see a game at Wrigley too. The hotel van dropped us right off at the gate, so no parking hassle.
Because of the flooding in Alberta and Calgary, we have altered our itinerary to take in the Bad Lands, Deadwood SD, Glacier National Park and on to Spokane and Seattle to cross into Canada at Vancouver BC and then on up through Prince George. We plan on hitting Banff and Calgary the end of next month when we return.
The H2 has been running great. Last night the bugs were so thick I had to stop every 60 minutes to clean the windshield and headlights. We all know how those flat up and down windshields splatter bugs. I hope to finally use my golf clubs tomorrow. They take up a lot of room in the bed of the SUT and the wife thought I should have left them home. If we buy stuff I can always ship them home. Yesterday was our best gas mileage day of the trip, 13.1 running in the high 60 mphs. My H2 has never burned a drop of oil and it's living up to its reputation. Hope to submit some pictures from Glacier National Park when we get there.

[iwillnc]

Very Nice, do post pics!

[HummerMann]

Visited the Deadwood Cemetery yesterday and saw Buffalo Bill's grave. A short area by Hot Springs with 12" of water on the road was no problem for the H2 and the highway patrol let us through while they held others. Making a slight change in our itinerary to visit Yellowstone to appease my other half, although I know it's going to be crowded.

[HummerMann]

We bypassed Yellowstone and went straight to Grand Teton National Park, since neither one of us had ever been here before. One word - BREATHTAKING! Had a problem getting a room, so we broke out the tent, but spent most of the night in the Hummer. We met another couple in an H2 from Canmore, Alberta and they said the flooding has subsided in Calgary and Banff was untouched by it all, so we are back to our original itinerary up through Clagary and Banff as we head north. On this mountainous leg we averaged 10.8 mpg in the H2.

[HummerMann]

Grand Teton Park was great, but crowded. There was a backup crossing into Canada at customs that took us two hours. We made it to Banff and the Banff Springs Lodge. I could stay here forever, with gorgeous views out of every window. The elk and moose are everywhere here and you have to be very careful driving to avoid the wildlife. We have yet to see a bear, which is just fine with me.
Met a retired couple here from New Mexico that are going to Homer, Alaska in an RV and they've estimated it will take them 5000 gallons to get there and back. He's a retired airline pilot and his wife loves driving the RV so they take turns at the wheel. Met an interesting couple from Eagle, Alaska that invited us for dinner if we make it that far. The Hummer has run great with 2800 miles down and 2300? to go before we head back in August.

[iwillnc]

Insane, I envy you.

I've heard it's so beautiful, stay safe and keep us updated!

[HummerMann]

Got to play golf here in Banff yesterday in perfect weather. Yes, that shot sliced into the water If you like golf, you'd love Banff. I was told you can crop and resize your pics on your IPhone, but I'm having problems with that. We are heading out to Lake Louise tomorrow and then up to Whitehorse. So far the weather has been great.

[HummerMann]

We made it to Dawson City in the Yukon and the scenery has been incredible. This is the high season up here and tourists are so plentiful we had a hard time finding a hotel room. The rest of the Yukon has been just the opposite with not even a another vehicle for miles. We stayed at a mom and pop hotel 300 miles south of here two nights ago and the mosquitoes were as thick as the black flies in Maine in the summer. By far you will find some of the nicest and friendliest people you will ever meet in the Yukon. Everyone drives some kind of 4X4 SUV or pickup up here. Milly is a RCMP, originally from Whitiehorse, and we talked roads and four wheeling yesterday in Dawson and the best route to Eagle. Having a ball!

[KT2T]

I've been talking to my wife about your overland adventure and am excited to have an update to share with her today. Please stay safe and keep us updated as often as you can (preferably with pictures ).

[HummerMann]

FINALLY made it to Alaska today and had a some of the best muffins I've ever eaten in Chicken, AK. Came around a bend and almost tagged a moose this morning. They don't move much for vehicles I've found out. Had our best mpg leg ever on this 307 mile leg today that constantly descends from 5800 msl to 400 msl at 55 - 60 mph on pavement and hard packed dirt, 14.6 mpg, which is way above our 11.7 to 12.8mpg average. Hummers still create a lot of attention up here. Added my first quart of oil last night and hope to get it changed in Anchorage before we set out for Denali. You have to get used to this daylight 24/7. Even with the blackout curtains in the hotels, it seems like you should be up doing something at 3 am with the twilight. Tried to send a pic of Chicken but the Internet is VERY VERY slow here. This is one of the first places my cell phone has worked in 400 miles.

[HummerMann]

We LOVED Eagle, Alaska. 80 degrees here yesterday with thunderstorms. Nothing goes to waste here and everyone has a rain catcher and vat of rainwater in the shed behind the house. This is small town America at its best. I had two serious offers to buy the H2 here for much more than KBB value. When they told us at the diner it would take 24 hours to drive the 508 miles to Anchorage on highway 1, the Glenn Highway, I thought they were talking about in the winter time - they weren't. Lots of summer road construction and blasting. There's gravel roadway and hard packed dirt and not a lot of pavement on this section. The windshield took it's first big gravel chip yesterday. We have seen at least 50 bald eagle in the last two days.

[HummerMann]

We are enjoying Anchorage at the Captain Cook Hotel. A very nice hotel with great blackout curtains for that summer extended daylight up here. The H2 has run great without a single hiccup except for a chipped windshield. We are 6033 miles into our adventure and tomorrow I'm taking the H2 to a fast lube place for an oil change. The H2 is a VERY comfortable road trip vehicle and I hope to post some pictures of the H2 on A1 as we head to Homer, AK, 247 miles to the West. They say this stretch of A-1 is one of the most beautiful drives of any highway in the US. We could take the ferry, but we want to enjoy the drive instead.
Gas prices in Anchorage are some of the most expensive on this trip at $4.09 a gallon for regular. I haven't reset the lie-o-meter since we left NY and it says we're averaging 12.8 mpg - not bad. This reminds me a little of those old days, because Hummers still draw attention in Alaska. We've seen a lot of lifted H3s in Anchorage. I can't even tell you how many offers we've had to buy the H2 between the Yukon and here!