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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
I am planning on taking my explorer four-wheeling for the first time. Just wondering how capabale it is and how deep of water it can go thru w/o stalling ext.. Thanks
A stock explorer is surprisingly very capable... As for water I wouldn't go into any water above the hubs unless you Extend the Axle breather tubes and remove the air intake located behind the front bumper.. This intake can force water into the air filter and hydro-lock your engine... Once that happens you will be pulling all your plugs and then cranking your engine to expel any water (otherwise you could easily bend a rod/valve)
It will be on the chunk of you front end and you will easily find it on the rear. It is a factory rubber hose from the factory. Yll find it i do not have a picture. Its easy.
You need to extend the following: Front and rear axle breather tubes, Transmission and transfercase breather tubes, and as DeRocha said the air intake for the engine.
extent the breather tubes as far as possible...the one on my front axle goes above my radiator and my other is above my frame in the rear. you will see the stock ones on there just cut off the old and put on some new. and take in some of the old so you make sure to get the right size.... get like maybe 6 or 7 foot and some zip ties.
Axle breather hoses are needed because as your drive the axle shafts and gear oil heat up and expand. The Axle breather hoses allow the axles to vent gas/air which prevents any pressure build up which could blow out an axle seal or cause it to leak.
On your Dana35 front axle the breather is located on the Right (ie passenger side) of the differential. In the pic below the stock breather hose is the 8" long thing with the curved end resting on the 2x4 wood block.
On the rear 8.8 axle the breather hose is located just to the right of the Left (driver's side) sway bar mount (top of the axle tube).