crossing deep water

[Blake D]

I wanted to see if there were some tips for this out there. If I wanted to cross some water how deep is too deep. (I know it depends on if you have a lift but that is not what I am asking) If you want to cross water how high can it go on the truck before there is a problem? Some say go with a KKM new air intake to get the air intake that much higher out of the water, other say drill the airbox so splash water doesn't get in and any that might drains out (also the holes will keep teh origional intake from creating too much suction) Don't we need to be concerned about the exhaust as well? If its underwater will it still push fumes out? What else to look out for? Water in cab etc.

Any suggestions or thoughts are helpful.

 

[spiper]

I don't know for sure if there is a rule on this, but I won't cross anything deeper than the bottom edge of my doors. I usually as a rule try to stay under my running boards.

 

[Blake D]

I got the question from the pic of the ex in the water on the page when you enter into the chat room, the one in teh left corner. Looks like pretty high on the body!

 

[Brian1]

I am a stocker and I wont do anything deeper than the front bumper. I have raised my axle and t-case breathers so I dont suck in water while crossing streams. I have seen a stocker go through water/mud up to the top of the front fender and make it out still running with only a drilled airbox. I was quite surprised.

 

[spiper]

I have'nt seen that. I just play it safe.

 

[espnfreak]

If you get a snorkel that should help, if your planning to forge a lota rivers. But anywhere above the doors is risking it and asking for some problems IMO

 

[zensius]

The air intake on 94 and earlier is just above the bumper so I wouldn't go any deeper than the top of the bumper. But there are ways to cross deeper water. The most common method is to take it ast such a speed as to create a wake in front of the truck. This causes a lower area behind the wake wchich means you can go through deeper water. To a point. Then you're gonna suck in water and kill your engine.

 

[SteveVB]

Hub deep unless you move some vents

If your only worried about the air intake you are in for some trouble. On the stock trucks its not the air intake you should worry about, its the breathers for the trans, axles, transfer case and gas tank. They are not much higher than the frame rails, and in the case of the auto trans, the breather tube is much lower than the bottom of the door.
Do a search on relocating the vent lines for the axles, trans, and transfer case. Also the gas tank has a vent that should be extended also. The tank vent is on the pump assembly, which is still below the door.
I would say unless you have done some prep, hub deep is probably the safest for any length of time.

Remember if you have been in water or mud, that it's a good idea to check wheel bearings, and pull the drums and clean them out.

Have fun.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Auto hubs and water don't mix do they? I thought sinking an auto hub really messed them up.

 

[Brian1]

Originally posted by Mbrooks420
Auto hubs and water don't mix do they? I thought sinking an auto hub really messed them up.

No. I dont think so anyway. Besides they should have a rubber o-ring to keep dirt and water out. I have gone through water crossings numerous times with my autos. It never effected them. Rocks broke them for me, not water.

 

[ok89]

You only need to worry about the exaust pipe if you are going to stall or turn it off. With it going there is enough pressure to keep the water out.

 

[Blake D]

breather tubes

OK I now have a drilled air box with a K&M filter ( I might cut larger hole later but not sure) This will help me go through water and not suck it up into the engine. Now I have read some about breather tube relocation but after exhaustive searches have not found any straight foward instructions. There was one site but teh link no longer works. For those of you that have done this could you please help?! This would help others planning on doing this as well.

Thanks Blake.

PS I changed my diff fluids and t-case fluids, when doing this I noticed teh rear breather hose (located on the driver side about 6-8 inches from teh diff housing, easy to get to if you remove the spare tire.) had dry rotted and broke off. I pulled teh mounting flange off with an adjustable wrench and cleaned it out with a paper clip. Then bought some hose the same size and routed it behind the driver side tail light held there by zip ties. I don't know where to locate teh hose for tranny and tcase, if they are broken off too where do I fine the holes? and why put a filter on them even after extending them, they wern't done that way during manufacture and once they have been relocated is it really necessary for the filter?
Thanks again

 

[Blake D]

anybody wanna help with the breather question?
Tell me where to find teh breather hoses and access them and I do a wwrite up of how I did it, but I just need to know the locations and how to access them.

 

[ok89]

using the search feature on this site i came up with this.
Dead Link Removed

 

[Brian1]

That link was probably mine because i had a write up on it but my website is no longer there. Go to the new location of my website which is Dead Link Removed - that is a direct link to my install of my k&n breather filters and the pic link doesnt work, i need to update my page.

 

[xwhaler]

About a year ago....my friend and I were driving around in the rain when we came upon a low lying area with a river on one side and a lake on the other. Now, being that it had rained for like 3 straight days, this section of the road was compleately washed over. When we got to the site....it had not been blocked off by the police yet. Before we started this little adventure we watched a tow truck pull a 300 zx sports car out (that guy made it about 10' in before he got stuck while only in approx. 1' water!) OK, we talked to the tow truck guy..he said he dint reccomend it but really didnt care what we did, probably figuring that he could soon make some money on us and tow us out. Started up the X, and started plowing through at a decent clip so as not to get stuck. When we got about 1/2 way in of this 50' section the engine shut off. Fearing the worst, I got out and discovered that the water was up to the doors and definately up to the bumper, almost seeping into the engine through the front grill. The water was up to my knees and Im 6' tall. Turns out that the entire tailpipe was submerged and thats why we could get it back started. Luckily, after a few attempts of starting it in neutral we got her running and made our way out. Definately made for a fun, yet nerve-racking experience for my first time thru deep water. After we got out, we saw a Land Rover Discovery II pull up, raise himself 2' with the electric control and have no problems getting through!

 

[Blake D]

The web site is great but it doesn't tell where to locate the front diff, tranny, t-case, and fuel breather original locations to hook the hose up to. If it is on the pics page the links aren't working so... back to the same question. What has to be relocated (fuel breather? for instance) and where can you find them at? I looked at my tcase and didn't know where the breather hose was, for example. And if the hose has fallen off where DID it attach?

Thanks guys for the help but I had already seen that info before and it didn't really answer these questions.
Brian 1 I need to know where to find them your site did an excellent job of how to route and mount them though, could you help me out?

Blake D

 

[Brian1]

I will try and take some pics tomorrow of the locations. I have a manual tranny and it does not have a breather (at least I have never found it) The t-case breather is on the driver side in front of the t-case between the frame and tranny. The front axle breather is a hose that comes through the top of the diff and stops just above the metal axle beam. It should be easy to find. The rear axle I did have a pic of on my website. The fuel tank breather I dint mess with, it wasnt as low as the others.

 

[Blake D]

Thanks for the help, let me know when you get some pics, I think you have a breather or your manual tranny too just from the other posts I have read. If there is someone that knows where the tranny breather is located please post.

 

[93Ranger]

i believe that if you are at idle and your tailpipe is underwater, wont the truck stall and suck water into the exhaust? i dunno, i heard that somewheres.

where did that handy little quick reply dealie go? that was the best thing ever

One thing ive been very hesitant to do is drive through water with a soft base. i have the 2wd Ranger, so im worried about A) Getting stuck, and well, thats about it.

the H2O is about a foot deep at best, but its a sand base, truck and a half length long, a large hill is on the other side that i doubt the truck coud climb (probabally about 50 to 60 degrees). pretty damn insane.

if i do attempt this stream forging, then how fast should i go? should i even attempt? ive got 3.73's, open diff, Goodyear Wrangler APT's stock height.