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How much water can a stock taco cross?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by SilverTacoZack, Sep 30, 2010.

  1. Sep 30, 2010 at 4:22 AM
    #1
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Due to about 10 inches on rain overnight here, the only entrance/exit to my neighborhood was flooded pretty heavily this morning when I left to go to work. Didn't realize how much water there was til I had driven straight into about 3.5 to 4 feet high water. I've only got a 2wd Prerunner. I never actually got stuck, but I was about 100 ft from the visible end of the water when I ended up turning around hard and getting the hell out of there, with traction control coming on hardcore the whole time. I'm amazed it kept it going, but luckily I was able to get out of there and "create" my own route to the highway by driving around the water and straight through a cornfield. Exactly how much water do you think it'd be safe to try and drive through with a stock Prerunner?
     
  2. Sep 30, 2010 at 4:32 AM
    #2
    Taco4x4NC

    Taco4x4NC Well-Known Member

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    Your question really depends on how strong water current is? flow? depth etc...

    I would not reccomend crossing a flooded area ever. You never know what has been washed out under the flow or current you are trying to navigate through.
    Many unknowns like sink holes :eek: or worse truck stalls and there you sit as Gator bait if your in Florida...now that would suck. :) a bit extreme, but thought I would throw that in hehehe!

    Sadly many lives are lost in water crossings that drivers thought they could easily drive through. I know I did not really answer your question, but Glad you made it back to tera firma.

    -Taco4x4nc


    I researched some Additional info for you-

    A mere six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult, so getting out of your vehicle is not a good option, either. A 24-inch depth of water would be enough to float most vehicles. This includes pickups and SUVs.
    You can reduce your risk of becoming a low-water crossing injury or fatality: understand that the heaviest of vehicles can float.
    If you cannot see the surface of the road underneath the water, your best and safest choice is not to try driving through it.
    According to the National Weather Service, more than half of vehicle-related deaths at low-water crossings happen during the night, when visibility is limited.
    That means if it is possible that the water could be 6 inches or more deep, don't chance it. Road beds may be washed out underneath the water.
     
  3. Sep 30, 2010 at 4:44 AM
    #3
    fletch aka

    fletch aka www.BeLikeBrit.org

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  4. Sep 30, 2010 at 4:47 AM
    #4
    woody6047

    woody6047 McGrubber

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    I would say you are ok, did it top the hood? I would just never recommend going through flowing water that deep, you would definitely get carried away.
    The only thing i would worry about is starter, and anything that might have been submerged.
     
  5. Sep 30, 2010 at 4:49 AM
    #5
    TACOMA TRD

    TACOMA TRD Well-Known Member

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    until your feet get wet!!
     
  6. Sep 30, 2010 at 5:01 AM
    #6
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Luckily it didn't get up high enough to hit the hood, but water was definitely above the bottom of the door panels and could have came into the cab if I hadn't kept on moving. It felt like i *almost* could have kept going but I really needed to get to work and couldn't risk getting stuck and being late. I got this bad vibe and felt like "Holy crap i better turn around right now and not stop or this is going to end badly". I think since i never stopped nothing got too submerged for very long.

    @Taco4x4NC: Thanks for the research info. It was 6 in the morning so it was still really dark out there. The water was definitely more than 6 inches where I went in though, and appears to reach about 3 and a half feet at the deepest part I luckily didn't make it to. I couldn't really see the road surface below either, there are known drainage problems with this part of the subdivision. Problem is there are huge 4 foot deep trenches on the right shoulder, so if I had floated into that, It would have not been a good situation. Should have probably known not to drive through that garbage, plus making my own path through the mud was more fun in the end and safer :headbang:
     
  7. Sep 30, 2010 at 5:13 AM
    #7
    woody6047

    woody6047 McGrubber

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    As long as you didnt stall out and what not i think you are good, I submerged my old z71 water coming through the doors and i could reach out my window and throw water on ppl. It was like that for 6 hours before we got her pulled out, i kept it running the whole time though. after some interior work and a few months later she started having problems so i sold it and got the taco. Where are you that there is that much snow right now?
     
  8. Sep 30, 2010 at 5:19 AM
    #8
    T@co_Pr3runn3r

    T@co_Pr3runn3r XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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    At least do the diff breather mod first............
     
    Kronk21 likes this.
  9. Sep 30, 2010 at 6:09 AM
    #9
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    No snow here, just got a whole truck load of rain dumped on us overnight, like 10 inches worth. There's a low spot in the roads leading out of our neighborhood which floods like this sometimes, but I've never seen the water get this deep. I think because I turned it around when it started getting hairy and I kept on moving nothing got submerged for too long, just pushed through the water, so I think its ok. I drove it 15 miles to work after and seemed to be no ill effects.
     
  10. Sep 30, 2010 at 6:31 AM
    #10
    Brunes

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    Just so you realize- You risked your life on a gamble to try to get to work. This one worked out-but it is entirely possible the next one won't- and then you won't have to worry about being to work ever again...and not in a good way.

    Unless you can see the bottom and the current or are with someone who has relaly good local knowledge you really shouldn't drive on thru whatever water you come across. There are lots of techniques, truck mods, and safety equipment that will make it safer- but there is always a risk.
     
  11. Sep 30, 2010 at 6:42 AM
    #11
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yup I agree---was entirely too much water to drive through. Luckily it wasn't coming out of a stream or anything, so there wasn't an extreme current or anything. But yes, next time I see my neighborhood entrance flooded like that, I will be taking a route AROUND the water, like i ended up doing. After all, thats what trucks are for, being able to drive well over LAND, not through extreme water.
     
  12. Sep 30, 2010 at 7:01 AM
    #12
    06redtacoma

    06redtacoma Well-Known Member

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    ok i have driven through water over the hood several times, always in trucks that had been 100% waterproofed, If it were my truck i would change ALL the fluids right now. This is just cheap insurance. if any water got into these fluids it will destroy the part that was flooded. good luck, just change the fluids and dont worry about it.

    this video is worth watching.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBODxhsPgPg
     
  13. Sep 30, 2010 at 7:09 AM
    #13
    Tidrow

    Tidrow Well-Known Member

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    Turn around, Don't Drown. Working for the news, I've did several promotional video's on the dangers on crossing through water. It is the number one weather related killer in central Texas.
     
  14. Sep 30, 2010 at 8:40 AM
    #14
    woody6047

    woody6047 McGrubber

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    ^damn that sucks, ive been there.
     
  15. Sep 30, 2010 at 9:22 AM
    #15
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Wow man, that looks hardcore. I'm getting more and more glad that I turned around when I did. Luckily I think I avoided messing anything up because the breather and all appears to be ok. The snorkel video is crazy, those guys got totally swept away.
     
  16. Sep 30, 2010 at 11:23 AM
    #16
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Well... we drove through 3 foot deep water in Baja (twice) on our Mision Santa Maria trip. 6 vehicles, 4 Toyotas (my 2010 stock Tacoma, HB Murphy's 2009 Tacoma, Neal's 2003 Tacoma, and Steve's stock 4Runner)... with A-TRAC or rear locker in L4, not a problem...


    510msm211_0083caa4c3e4673e68cb916ce6b557f5872a00c6.jpg

    However, upon inspection after the trip, me differential was contaminated. I did the (easy) differential breather mod (see link below) to prevent a repeat of that happeneing.

    The stock breather is about 18" above ground, so if the water is deeper, the mod will probably save you from doing a fluid change after a water crossing.
     
  17. Sep 30, 2010 at 11:40 AM
    #17
    SilverTacoZack

    SilverTacoZack [OP] Well-Known Member

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    The differential breather does look like a worthwhile mod to do. Even if the water was below 18 inches, I would think if it was anywhere over a foot you'd run the risk of nasty water splashing up in there from the truck moving through the water violently (as it did when I had my ill-fated water cross incident this morning). So is there any way to check for signs water got high enough to get into the stock breather?
     
  18. Sep 30, 2010 at 12:20 PM
    #18
    Jimmyjohn

    Jimmyjohn Well-Known Member

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    Don't Drive Stay Alive. For those that think driving in deep water with a current is cool your time here is Short!
     
  19. Sep 30, 2010 at 12:30 PM
    #19
    Hawaiitaco

    Hawaiitaco Well-Known Member

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  20. Sep 30, 2010 at 2:25 PM
    #20
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Just so you are informed... the breather only lets hot gasses out of the differential, it will not let anything in because it is a spring loaded check valve... takes pressure blowing outwards to open it.

    How the muddy water gets in is through the axle seals when a hot diff. drops into cold water. The only way to prevent this is to allow air to get in... to break the vacuum created when the hot gasses vent, or the diff. is dipped... with a two way breather, up high... the same way Toyota does it on the front differential.

    The mod is EASY! See my link below...

    caveman_c13c8f81dc49be4c6440f39467eefc847895beda.jpg
     

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