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| KarlB Member Since: 08 Feb 2010 Location: Canberra Posts: 91   
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Water crossings are serious. Land Rovers are not boats. If the bottom of your raised air intake is at the level of the waters surface (~90 cm deep) then you passenger and driver seat boxes are under the water. Your electrics are then cactus. That is deep water, and you MAY be able to get through it for a shortish distance but you MUST NOT STOP. At that depth you should use some sort of sheet over the front of your vehicle to make a bow wave and to keep the water out of the engine bay. In water crossing, the raised air intake is not a snorkel as some call them. However they are useful to keep splashing etc. from getting in. The officially recommended max wading depth of 500 mm is just below the sills. At 600 mm your feet are starting to get wet and at 750 mm every thing in the back is getting wet. There are a few simple rules:
1. Always walk the crossing first to check depth, currents, obstacles, etc 2. Is there a shallower alternative crossing? 3. If in any doubt: don't do it (much better to get home feeling a bit of a coward than to not get home at all) 4. Plan your recovery before you enter into the water (what are the consequences when you do get stuck?) 5. Prepare your vehicle and contents (wading sheet, vulnerable valuables raised, etc). 6. Select an appropriate gear (you do not want to change gear mid crossing) 7. Proceed cautiously but with determination (this is how you should tackle every serious obstacle) 8. After the crossing, dry your brakes and check your vehicle for water ingress If the water is 500 mm or less then you should not need a wading sheet. You can change gear, etc. Be mindful that if you cause any damage to your vehicle by crossing water deeper than recommended maximum you will almost certainly not be covered by warranty nor insurance. Interestingly, the official wading depth for Toyota Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols (not sure on their marketing names in the UK) is 700 mm. But that is subject to extensive vehicle preparation. At that depth the radiator fan on a Toyota is hitting the water and bending into the radiator, and in the Nissan, some of the electrics are under the water. Their carpets are stuffed. I will leave it to others to advise you on raised diff breathers and the like. Cheers KarlB Last edited by KarlB on 3rd Oct 2010 9:32am. Edited 1 time in total |
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3rd Oct 2010 6:49am |
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| landyman1 Member Since: 11 Jul 2009 Location: Pembrokeshire,South Wales Posts: 57  
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KarlB, many thanks for advice. have already seen on t.v. what happens if you go to deep without thinking,( lose control and back end floats). so 500mm it is but max. of 600mm if unavoidable for very brief time as far as I'm concerned. cheers 1981 series 3 swb gone 1986 v8 110 station wagon current 2009 puma 110 xs utility station wagon latest addition |
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3rd Oct 2010 8:08am |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5035 
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Wading is a huge topic - with many issues - particularily in the later fleet.
As mentioned your electrics are vulnerable at many points. I dont know what intake you have, but a safari snorkel - is just that - but only if you elect to seal all the other points along the intake ducting (there are at least 4 points from memory. My view - my safari snorkel is there ONLY as an insurance premium. I havent ever raised (with the exception of the rear axle) any breather as if you stop when you are at the breather height - you have bigger troubles - so if they are at the centre of the bonet and you have a bow wave - the in bonnet water height is lower and thus you will be ok. There is too much else to put on the list really - i addition to everything Karl states Mike |
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3rd Oct 2010 11:40am |
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| alantd Member Since: 14 Dec 2008 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1513 
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Wellies (you'll get wet feet) and an air freshener (your carpets will stink for a month).
Wading blanket is a good idea as stated and if you really want your mantec air intake to protect against water ingress, you'll have to seal all the pipes back to the air box (and fill the drainage hole). I too have the mantec plastic jobby but it's really only there to protect against splashing and in case I drop my off side wheel into a hole whilst crossing. As you say - aim to stick to 500mm with occasional exposure to temporarily deeper sections but don't stop. One that started out as a 2.4 TDCi 110 XS + New Defender 110 First Edition |
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14th Oct 2010 9:05pm |
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