Water Crossings

[bmxking5]

Mods, please move this thread if it's in the wrong forum.

Well, at one trail I've been checking out lately, there is a water crossing that varies in height. At one point it was tall enough to almost swallow a Toyota truck (only about 1 foot maybe was sticking out of the water!) and most of the other times, the creek is about the height of my sliders, so maybe a foot and a half deep or so.

I have just recently put a new clutch, throw out bearing, and related parts down in that area. Shortly after doing this creek crossing, I would try to accelerate and the RPM's would shoot up but the truck wouldn't move for a second or two. Almost like an old A4LD that is slipping really bad before it dies. So anyways, we pulled the trans, and the guy helping us put in the new clutch (a mechanic) was showing me the "hot spots" on the flywheel, and told me that it's caused by water hitting it after it's been really hot (I had been driving it for like 3-4 hours). Luckily, we were able to have the flywheel turned and all is well again. I also noticed (when we pulled the trans) that there are "slots" in the side of the bellhousing, which is where water could come in. So I came to the assumption that it was most likely from the creek crossing on that trail we were on. Now on to the question...

I would like to go back to that trail, since it's been a little while since we've put in the new clutch. Will this happen to the flywheel again? It's not worth it to me to cross the creek, just to have to pull the trans again and turn the flywheel. The rating of the trails is probably right at my level (2" lift and 31s), but there are more trails past the creek that I've seen pics of and they are a bit more challenging. Is there any way to still cross the creek and not have this problem? Keep in mind, the truck has been stuck in two holes before where the water was up to about the sliders. So do you think that this past creek crossing was just the final thing that caused it to mess up, or was it just this one time that did all of the damage? I've seen pics of dasfrem, etc do some pretty dang deep creek crossings with his 5 speed, and I haven't heard of any of those bad effects before. Ok, enough of my typing...anybody have any help for me?

 

[bmxking5]

Bump

 

[JDraper]

A lot is going to depend upon how you drive. If you slip the clutch a lot when wheeling (which I'm guessing you did just before you went diving), you're gonna heat it up, and the cold water can and will warp it. The less you slip the clutch, the less you will heat it up. I wheel a Zuk with a 5 speed, and I've done a good submarine imitation many times without a problem. I also rarely slip the clutch because I re-geared my xfer case and I can creep along in 1st nicely.

If you find you're having to slip the clutch a lot, you need to re-gear for wheeling.

 

[CodePoet]

you hit the nail on the head draper about the gearing...i am way undergeared right now (I THINK bmx has the same gearing and tires currently) and i've smelt the sweet sweet odor of friction material smoldering haha. I don't think BMX or I will have that problem once we get our respective swaps done though...granted BMX is just copying off me (i'm like his hero LOL )

 

[bmxking5]

LMAO @ CP Yeah, now that I think about it, I did have to try and turn my truck around in a very small area, so I was having to slip the clutch. I currently have 3.27s and 31s, so I try to make sure I'm in low range most of the time, to avoid having to slip the clutch. I shouldn't have to worry about that anymore in a few months, b/c as CP said, we won't have any problems once ours swaps are done...I'll have 4.88s and 36-37s, so it should be nice and low.