Fording Depth?

I couldn't find exact specs and with this hurricane I was being careless, but does anyone know what is the safe fording depth or wading height for 2017 Tacoma SR5 stock? I haven't gone through knee high water but I did cross some and splashed water high enough to hit the windshield a bit so just curious if I did any damage or need to do any maintenance? And yes I am noob

 

In theory, if you didn't suck up any water, and all of your covers are sealed...then you should be fine. Is it running or driving any different?

 

Water as high as the windshield? How high was it on the truck?
The rear diff breather was more than likely under water, that may not have been a good thing.

 

It starts up fine, was just being paranoid

Guesstimate would be water level no higher than the center hub, if it was windshield high and I still drove through it then I wouldn't deserve a truck to be honest lol

 

Hub center should be okay.
When you get a few minutes, install the rear diff breather mod to keep safe in case of another water event.

 

What is this?

 

Don't the breather tubes go up into the engine bay?

 

Front does, rear does not. Unless the 3rd gens do something new that I don't know about.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-diff-breather.431400/#post-12432875

 

I did the diff breather mod on my FJC, 4Runner and Land Cruiser. I had the rear diff fluid changed after most water crossings and they saw no water before or after diff breather mod. So I know good preventative measure but not really sure I could tell a difference.

FJC's stock can ford at 27.5" represented in the manual. I have had water at hood height prior to snorkel install on FJC, The key is if you can keep moving and create a front wake.

I have also been stuck in a silt bar where water was only up to wheel wells on a lifted 4th gen 4Runner and it took in water and killed ECU board in less than 3 minutes, insurance totaled vehicle. Water seems like fun at times... but, if you are on a trip and you screw up, it will ruin your trip, not to mention your rig.

My advice, only cross if you have to and only once, do not go back and play. If unsure of depth, walk it yourself first to see how deep. Strap on a recovery rope front and back and make accessible like toss it up on roof. If you need a tow out, you will waist time, looking under water for a D-ring mount.

 

This is going to be important advice for all the bros mistaking their new “desert air intakes” for snorkels. Wonder if anyone ever actually found the fording depth spec on a Tacoma???

 

Solid advice.

 

Fording (wading) depth of the Asia-market Colorado with and without schnorkel. Note they are the same at 800mm. That is because it is the vehicle electronics that govern the fording depth, not the height of the intake. I’d like to know what the spec is on a 2017 Tacoma. Maybe they only release this info in Asia/Australia??

 

I have a personal rule of thumb based on a lot of years of experience. I never go through water higher than top of tires. I never go through water that is flowing faster than I can walk. I take the absolute shortest route through the water. If I had to go through water with my diff hotter than ambient air, the fluid gets changed immediately when I get home.
And I only go through water if I absolutely have to. I go around if possible.
Deep water and mud is the worst for a vehicle. It can wash out grease, splash electronics and otherwise wreak havoc with your truck.

With that said, a few years ago my in laws (90 yo) were trapped in flooded conditions and we had to get to them to get them out. Water was around 30" for a few hundred yards. I was in my 4Runner Trail Edition. We got them, drove them out of there and drove home, around 60 miles away. Next day I took the 4Runner to the shop and had them check the diffs and axles. No damage or water inclusion.
It' better to me to be safe. Everyone has different rules. These are mine.

 

As I understand it, the danger to the diffs happens when you run a hot diff into water above the axle seals. The breather cap will close when submerged, but is designed to allow for expansion and contraction of heating and cooling air inside the housing, but as the air rapidly contracts inside the axle housing from being suddenly submerged into cold water, it creates a negative pressure condition, thereby sucking water past the axle seals and into the housing.

 

the hilux is rated for 700mm or 27.55 inchs. thats just below the alternator on my sr5 on 255/85/r16 w/o suspension lift. http://blog.toyota.co.uk/hilux-wading-water

 

I think your rule of thumb is sound.

Once watched a pickup sink to the top of the cab roof when the "knee deep" water it was driving through turned out to have an unknown hole. I've been cautious about driving through deep water if I don't know what the bottom is like.

 

That's the profile view of a Ridgeline, not a Colorado

 

Wrong. It is the Asian market Colorado. A partnership between GM and Isuzu, marketed in some countries under "holden"

 

that profile doesn't have the behind-the-cab bed dealy