waterproofing question.

[R_Lefebvre]

Also, what is the best way to check water depth? I find moving water to be deceptive as far as depth is concerned.

I find the best way is to let somebody else go first.

Of course, the last time, the guy stalled about 500 feet from "shore" and it took us 3 hours to get him out. :snorkel:

ran all my breather lines (the rear diff included) up the snorkel to the roof.

Why bother going all the way UP the snorkel? You could just go to the snorkel and terminate just inside. Once you're in the snorkel tube, it would be pretty hard to get water into the line.

 

[Clark White]

I ran my rear breather up to the transfer case, T'd those two together, then T'd that line into the trans, then T'd that line into the front dif, then ran that single line into the air box. I figured at that point, if I got water in there, I had water coming down the snorkel and I no longer gave much of a crap about the breathers.

As far as checking depth? If deep water crossing is a possibility, carry some water shoes and swim shorts. If your not sure about current, and HAVE to cross, tie a safety line to your self, but generally if the current is enough to wash you away, it will be enough to wash your vehicle away and you should NOT cross. If you can't walk it, you can't drive it either. I've used sticks for mud holes as I'm not real keen on wadding into mud, and a mud hole on the trail is usually small enough you can probe it with a long stick from the side.

Clark

 

[R_Lefebvre]

That's just what I was thinking about the T's. I just haven't bothered yet because Land Rover seems to have done an amazing job of doing the breathers. I've had water IN the headlights, yet I've only ever got water in the front diff, never the trans, Xfer or rear diff.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I've got a snorkel on my 1998 XJ and have been through some very deep water on several occassions. I do once-a-year flushes of my diffs, tranny has been once after 2 years of fairly hard wheeling.
I've replaced the alternator on average about every 18 months due to grit getting in three and staying in there.

Got a tip for everyone:
Watch the liberal use of WD-40 in the engine bay.

I got stuck on the bank of a creek (ya I know... ) and I was using a can of WD to try and spray it over the alternator and starter to evacuate the water.
Well, the can touched the alternator and grounded itself on some other piece of metal and melted a hole in the side of the can and then the pressurized gas ignited on the sparks into a giant fireball with my head and shoulders right in the center.
I lost a lot of hair above the chest that weekend...
My eyes were spared any damage though.

Moral of the story, be careful with flammables that are pressurized when used in close proximity to valuable body parts.

 

[85CUCV]

I know you asked about waterproofing, but have you considered your cooling fan?

Electric fan with cutoff switch and/or a small piece of tarp to cover the grill. With enough speed you will push water ahead. Slow down and fan blades can become toast.

Seems like we always had guys ruining HUMMV fans fording. If I remember correctly it was due to hitting the water to fast.

 

[dust devil]

Electric or engine-driven fans are more of a problem in deep water crossing than any other single item. However, if you don't plan on crossing deep water more than once or twice a year, extreme caution entering water is a lot cheaper and easier than over-ride switches and such. I don't find a tarp to be of any value whatever UNLESS you are one of those that can't resist a Banzai approach to water crossing. By going slow, water is going to encroach on the engine bay, tarp or no tarp, and the fan is going to throw it everywhere. Most stock clutch fans will slow down given a chance by driving into water slowly. It is the shock of a spinning fan hitting substantial water that causes failures, either to blades or to radiators.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, I haven't had a problem with my fan in deep water, but I enter slowly for the reasons you say. Give the fan a chance to slow down. Also, turn your A/C system right off to make sure the electrical fan on the condenser turns off. Electrical fans seem to be able to withstand being dunked, as long as they aren't trying to turn. I recently saw a new Jeep that was in the water for about 2 hours, and the cooling fan died because it was trying to run while submerged.

The mechanical fans can really throw the water too. I've actually had indication that water got into my airbox due to the fan throwing it so hard.