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How deep have you gone?

Chad1433

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No, if you prepare your Jeep for water fording, none of that will happen.

I'm comparing it to this:


Some Jeepers on the video are hard core-wheelers, but many others are the regular Jeepers "off-roading and going way off the beaten trail and rock climbing"

You can add a roll-cage, a 5-point harness and wear a helmet, but that may not guarantee you coming out off a roll-over in one piece. But I guess for you, your engine is more important than getting hurt. Makes sense.
I recognize all those obstacles
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mgroeger

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Deep enough that the wake at the bow of the Jeep was half way up the headlights. Deep enough that when my wife did this during are very noob stage of ownership and I freaked out. Deep enough that my friend and I could actually feel the Jeep "lighten up" in the water.
The Mrs. was smart enough to keep the skinny pedal down and we made it out. Results:
- Anxiety attack
- Muddy water appeared around UPPER rear seat bolts showing how submerged we were and how water is amazing at getting in.
- Jack storage compartment took in water and remained in there for over a year until I discovered it a few months ago. Man did that stink.

The jack compartment is no isolated from the outside, open it up and take the jack out and look around and you can see daylight.
After doing a front diff oil change I could tell it had slight water in it. Nothing major and that could have occurred during other axle submersion.
Contrary to popular belief it is rare for water to enter the axles through the diff breather. Your front axle diff breather is all the way up at the top of the engine compartment. Those breathers are designed to press shut under pressure or VACUUM. Vacuum is the real enemy here.
Water instead enters the axles this way:
When a hot axle hits cooler water it causes a fast temperature change in the overall axle and this causes a vacuum to occur and pull the diff breather shut. The problem with that is when you pull a vacuum its everywhere on that axle... which means the seals also are now under a state of vacuum and this is where your water gets pulled in or potentially where the breather hose connects to the axle. Conversely if that breather is blocked shut, like caked with mud, so that it can't breathe the pressure that builds up when the axle heats up has no where to go and will push diff fluid out of the seals.
Solutions:
-Ease into water to cool the axle down before full submersion.
-Use a breather manifold. ARB makes one, all breathers are connected to it and it is placed in the engine compartment as high as possible. The catch is these manifolds don't close, they have a filter material to keep debris out but you don't want them to shut because then no vacuum can occur, thereby protecting your seals. These manifolds TRULY breathe both in and out to remove the possibility of vacuums.
 

LLANERO

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Deep enough that the wake at the bow of the Jeep was half way up the headlights. Deep enough that when my wife did this during are very noob stage of ownership and I freaked out. Deep enough that my friend and I could actually feel the Jeep "lighten up" in the water.
The Mrs. was smart enough to keep the skinny pedal down and we made it out. Results:
- Anxiety attack
- Muddy water appeared around UPPER rear seat bolts showing how submerged we were and how water is amazing at getting in.
- Jack storage compartment took in water and remained in there for over a year until I discovered it a few months ago. Man did that stink.

The jack compartment is no isolated from the outside, open it up and take the jack out and look around and you can see daylight.
After doing a front diff oil change I could tell it had slight water in it. Nothing major and that could have occurred during other axle submersion.
Contrary to popular belief it is rare for water to enter the axles through the diff breather. Your front axle diff breather is all the way up at the top of the engine compartment. Those breathers are designed to press shut under pressure or VACUUM. Vacuum is the real enemy here.
Water instead enters the axles this way:
When a hot axle hits cooler water it causes a fast temperature change in the overall axle and this causes a vacuum to occur and pull the diff breather shut. The problem with that is when you pull a vacuum its everywhere on that axle... which means the seals also are now under a state of vacuum and this is where your water gets pulled in or potentially where the breather hose connects to the axle. Conversely if that breather is blocked shut, like caked with mud, so that it can't breathe the pressure that builds up when the axle heats up has no where to go and will push diff fluid out of the seals.
Solutions:
-Ease into water to cool the axle down before full submersion.
-Use a breather manifold. ARB makes one, all breathers are connected to it and it is placed in the engine compartment as high as possible. The catch is these manifolds don't close, they have a filter material to keep debris out but you don't want them to shut because then no vacuum can occur, thereby protecting your seals. These manifolds TRULY breathe both in and out to remove the possibility of vacuums.
Agree. After raising the axle breathers, I removed the valves to prevent the vaccum. I ended the hose with a "U" shape with the opening pointing downwards to help avoid debris entering the diffs. Some people recommend ending it with a coil.
Now, the front diff breather doesnt go all the way to the engine compartment, it ends about half way the shock tower.
 

mgroeger

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Agree. After raising the axle breathers, I removed the valves to prevent the vaccum. I ended the hose with a "U" shape with the opening pointing downwards to help avoid debris entering the diffs. Some people recommend ending it with a coil.
Now, the front diff breather doesnt go all the way to the engine compartment, it ends about half way the shock tower.
I'd run that puppy up into the compartment :)
 

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roaniecowpony

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Run all the breathers into a common line to the snorkel.
 

JlRubicon13

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I’ve got stuck with water over the tires and was there for about 30 minutes while we were trying to pull it out. Water got inside the cabin after a couple minutes of sitting there. However after cleaning the inside up and checking the fluids there were no signs of water inside the diffs. 13000 miles later the Jeep is still the same.
 
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Mrmojo78

Mrmojo78

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When you get to my age, your nads will be safely tucked under your seat.
... mine are safely tucked under my wifes seat. She took them after she saw the aftermarket parts receipts...
 

viper88

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A road on my way to work flooded big time. I drove through it just fine and not in video is me driving through a neighborhood where water was above my bottom door jam. I turned around because I didnt want to chance it.
That guy needs a outboard motor for that kind of water.
 

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viper88

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Exactly. If you guys think any modern Vehicle can act as a submarine you're in for a surprise. Jeeps stopped being good water forging vehicles about 3 decades ago LOL. Theres just too much crap electronics on them.
I had a '97 TJ. It's not just electronics. Actually the electronics are probably sealed better then the drivetrain. Vent tube are not bulletproof. Differentials and transmissions can get water damage. I'd drain and fill the diff if the water was high enough to submerge it.
 
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Toycrusher

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A road on my way to work flooded big time. I drove through it just fine and not in video is me driving through a neighborhood where water was above my bottom door jam. I turned around because I didnt want to chance it.
Here in the valley it doesn't take much to get the flooding going. I ran some similar water during Dolly, I was in a Discovery II at the time.
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