Water crossing - max depth

Once the axles are submerged, then you risk contaminating the rear differential unless you do the Rear Diff. Breather Mod. (see link below).

I was in 2-3 foot deep water in my 6 month old truck and contaminated my rear diff. oil, I found out after getting back from our trip...

Here is HB Murphy and others, on that same trip:

 

It was ok. I dried the carpet,threw some air fresheners under the seats and traded it for the 2010 Tacoma

 

curious about water crossing in a non 4wd, locked prerunner...

what are some tips, depths or whatever for venturing water crossing in non-4wd?

 

dont do it... if there is any mud at the bottom your screwed...

if you have 4wd with you can try it but alot of times you will need momentum which if you go to fast will force water up into your intake. take her slow

 

most of the stuff around is river rock

 

all terrain is different. when i hear rivier rock i think the big loose river rocks...

i would just suggest going slow and steady, try not to spin too much

 

would it be benefitial to try throwing in extra weight in the bed ie river rocks lol?

 

my shit does the backstroke ive been in water up to my grill with 2.5in of lift and 33.5in tires

 

Poor quality. I made this pass twice in 2009 and once in 2010. No ill affects.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpsmXBAGzk

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOsW6_4XzXc&feature=player_embedded

"It didn't look that deep I swear"

I took this from another thread for the record

 

I had to cross this a few months back. Cloudburst dumped a few inches of rain in a short time period. I was in town getting groceries and came back to see this. I didn't cross at this location, I just shot video here. I crossed about a quarter mile up stream. It's the only road in or out of where I live. Had I been home and wanted to leave I never would have attempted it, but I needed to get home to make sure my house hadn't been damaged. No ill effects, but I could feel the truck side slipping a little bit in the deepest part of the crossing.

http://youtu.be/nGQXznjmNKU

 

Deep water crossings are not a good idea, especially if your truck is not prepped for it. Everyone has mentioned the rear breather mod, which is a good start, but that alone will not make your truck any more capable of being a boat than stock form, as there is MUCH more to worry about…for starters, you transmission breather, transfer case breather and gas tank breather must also be extended (front and actuator are extended to engine compartment from factory). You should swap in an electric fan to allow it to be shut off during crossings or you will ultimately throw a blade or two as they hit the water. Di-electric grease on all electrical connection can help, but at the end of the day, electrical systems do not like water, and our trucks are one very complex electrical system. ECU should be relocated or sealed for deep crossings. As was mentioned, our door seals do not seal 100%, so water will get it, and you do not want that on your ECU or you are dead in the water (literally). Then there are simple things like your wheel bearings (you should re-pack them after crossings), and raising your intake (snorkel, etc).
At the end of the day you have an automobile that is made for land…if you want to play in the water, get a boat. I have done most of the mods mentioned here as preventative “just in case” measures, but even I will drive and extra 10 miles to try to find a bridge or something before I dive in. Just want you to be educated and not think that a simple rear breather mod will get you running around like a submarine. Also, there is a technique to crossing, WHEN YOU HAVE TO…learn how to properly do it and it will help immensely. Even with all the mods above, if you go screaming into a crossing at Mach 3.8, you will cause damage, and most likely stall out…on the other hand, if you have a nice bow wave, a nice constant speed (about 2nd gr 4wheel low for my truck and gearing), a deep crossing will be shallower behind the wave (still avoid it though).
That being said I have had water over my hood (splashing up my windshield), my girl made it through, but it was an emergency, and I would not do it again…You may want to get through quickly an don’t take the time to explore for a better crossing, or let the water level drop, but at the end of the day, if you don’t make it and hydra lock, you won’t be going ANYWHERE. I would have rather camped on the other side of the river until the water went down, but I had to go, so I went for it, and got VERY lucky.

 

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned hydro-lock

This is how my last taco died. I had no fender liners, and I plowed through water that was up to the bottom of my doors. The water was "water wheeled" into the intake through the passenger side fender and got sucked right into the engine.

The fender liners will help keep water from getting into the intake and ultimately into the engine, but if you plow through the water, you are likely to suck water into the engine. Take water crossings slow.

 

^ Very good info.

 

I literally felt physically ill watching that thing get dragged through the water...

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The (4WD) 4Runner in the photos above (Mision Santa Maria, Baja trip 2010) had to be pulled both times through the bog... OPEN DIFFERENTIALS is why. The rest of us had either A-TRAC or lockers and drove through the deep water.

So, not only should 2WDs be cautious, but even 4WDs without some additional TRACTION CONTROL need to think before crossing (or don't attempt without a buddy vehicle).

 

IMO, if you have to ask how deep is too deep...turn around. (this could also be taken as a metaphor for something else)

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I use that line a lot. You'd be surprised how many times it's worked.

 

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