Alcan 5000 Prep: Lights, Heat, and Recovery Gear

We’ve made a second appearance on Tim Esterdahl’s Pickup Truck + SUV Talk, this time to further discuss preparing our 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero for the 2020 Alcan 5000.

Hey, what could go wrong? (We hope nothing!) We’re taking the Terra Tractor, our 4D56 turbo-diesel-powered ’91 Mitsubishi Pajero on the 2020 Alcan 5000 winter rally. This event will take us all the way from Kirkland, WA to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories (along with 40+ other teams), and finishing some 5,120+ miles later this February. And yes, I said February in the Arctic. In this vid, we talk about more preparations. This includes lights, fuel, recovery gear, and more.

Upgrading the Auxiliary Lighting for Winter Driving

Winter in the Arctic can be very dark, so having upgraded auxiliary lighting is important. We used a set of Lightforce Genesis on our ARB bumper and brought blue filters for snow. These will likely work excellently for low visibility at night.

Block Heaters and Engine Thermal Management

When the temperatures up in the Arctic can reach -50°F, an old diesel like our Mitsubishi Pajero will need some help starting. We installed a Webasto Thermo Top Evo coolant heater, and that will assist in getting our old oil-burner started in cold temps. It circulates coolant, warms it using diesel from the fuel tank, and circulates it using the batteries. Additionally, we’ve slapped on an oil pan heater we can plug in at night when the mercury dips well below zero.

Essential Winter Recovery Gear

If we get stuck (or someone else does), we’ll be able to hopefully get out thanks to the recovery gear we’re bringing. Firstly, the Pajero is equipped with an ARB bumper and a WARN M8-S winch. That winch has 8,000 lbs. of pulling capacity. The bumper also has eyelets we can be pulled with.

We’re also bringing a full WARN recovery kit with a tow strap, recovery strap, and shackles. Additionally, we’ll have a WARN shackle receiver bracket. That item goes into our Curt tow hitch for pulling people out of a ditch (or having us pulled out).

Miss our first vid? Check it out here.