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Andrew Clarke (Aclarke)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:23 pm: | 
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OK I was just looking at Greg French's gallery (because he's so cool) and there's quite a serious water fording picture in there.
It got me thinking, what would I do if I was fording a stream and I suddenly realized it was was hood depth instead of, say, axle depth like I thought? Would the correct procedure be to immediately turn off the engine and get my buddy to tow me out, or would it be to just get through as quickly as I could?
Maybe it also depends on how far you have to drive like that. As you can imagine, I have a petrol V8 engine. What are the opinions? |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:30 pm: |
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Well the correct procedure would begin with making sure you know how deep water is before you go in. Trust me I know, and it was an expensive mistake. |
Pugsly (Pugsly)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:30 pm: |
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It would probably depend on where I was in the stream - if I thought I was in the deepest water I was going to encounter, I would probably try to keep my bow-wave going and make it through.
I'd be betting that the electrics would get wet and cause the engine to quit before it would get water in the intake manifold. So I'd drive it until it quit or I made it through, unless I thought it was going to get deeper still.
I'm sure that others would recommend taking a more measured approach, but that's how I would do it! |
Kirk Thibault (Kirkt)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:40 pm: |
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If safe, you could reverse back to the axle deep portion I suppose and scout/rethink the fording. The key is to have some idea of what you're getting into before you get into it.
Some try to keep a bow wave, some go a little further and put a sheet or tarp over the front end of the vehicle to assist in keeping water out and still others have apparently done a deep crossing in reverse, using the continuous exhaust pressure to prevent water passing through the exhaust system. In the extreme, even opening doors to allow water into the vehicle interior to keep the vehicle from floating and losing touch with the bottom. Sounds exciting...but probably not good for most vehicles! |
zpukajlo
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:58 pm: |
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The best thing to do is to check the area out. You can generally tell where the shallow areas are along with the deep ones. The highest water will be in the spring and summer months from the snow melting in the high country. Once in just keep going. A bow wave is your best friend. Once you lose it it is over unless you have a snorkle installed. Hope this helps some!
Zane |
Phillip Perkinson (R0ver4x4)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 02:08 pm: |
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HAUL ASS |
Bruce
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 06:41 pm: |
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Haul Ass, bow wave, tarp, doors open, all adds up to one thing, knowing just how deep it is before you take that plunge. In Florida, lots of swamps around and roads tend to disappear, so we go slow until it gets too deep, then we walk, do depth checks with poles etc... Once we are certain as to the depth, then the above applies, but not before. To just hurry through an unknown spot could certainly spell trouble. We have swamp roads that dip enough to submerge over the roof yet it looks doable becuase other side is 'just over there, I can get through that'. Wrong!
If you are not sure, go slow, walk it, check it out. It's not worth a hydrolocked V8. |
BW (Bwallace35)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 08:33 pm: |
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Do not turn you engine off with your exhaust system submerged.
BW |
jerry Quintana
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 08:53 pm: |
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There is a river crossing here in colorado hacket and longwater gultch. The water in years before the drought would catch people off gard quite often. I myself got water in my engine with a jeep 33 inche tires and 4 inch lift. The water was over my hood. Cost me an engine cause i didnt know how to do a stream crossing.Every time before this the water was usualy waist high, 98/99 chest high.
After this incident I learned alot throught reading and some of the more experinced locals. First the engine. Dielectric grease I disconected every thing electrical and applied alot of it to every electrical conection. Next any oil leaks need to be fixed if you cant get thm fixed make sure you check and if milky change your fluids. your computer needs to be relocated or waterprofed I bought a ruber bag to put mine in used a zip tie on the electrical and than filed the remainder of the hole with sylicone. air intake if you dont want a snorkle use a K&N filter the oil helps water from getting though and a pice of flexable pipe attached to the air intake routed to the rearmost part of the engine compartment. You can find this flexable pipe in most auto stores it us usef for air ducts under dashed. I built a snorkel for cheap I went to the local mufler shop used a 3 inch pipe that had it spraked with bedliner and used a air intake from a fork lift all said i spent about 40 for it. Make sure that you have enought oul to replace yours. if you do get water in your ingine DO NOT RESTART IT have someone pull you out and check your oil. if milky change it or you damage your motor. pull your plugs first than change your oil than crank it to blow water out the plug holes.
When you get to a water crossing you first need to check the depth walk accross check the other bank make sure you can get up it. also check for anchor points if anyone in the group has a winch. make sure to check the river bed how soft or hard and obsticals under water. in most water crossing not all there is a sand bar just down stream from the crossing USUALY. If you have any other questions email me at jerryq2@msn.ocm |
M. K. Watson (Lrover94)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 08:53 pm: |
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use the bridge!
mike w |
thom mathie (Muskyman)
| | Posted on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 10:59 pm: |
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just smile...works for me
 |
Bob Foster (Coppertop)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 12:01 am: |
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Get a running start and skip across the top...like a stone!! |
James Gall (Jimmyg)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 01:03 am: |
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Sorry, But the snorkel only helps a little in water over your hood. Dielectric grease works better. I know.
James
95 D1 w/Snorkel |
Robert Sublett (Rubisco98)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 07:49 am: |
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If all else fails, just try this |
Robert Sublett (Rubisco98)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 07:51 am: |
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 |
Tom Rowe
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 08:53 am: |
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First, convert your Disco to Diesel.....
So how many want to go in on a group purchase of 300TDi's? ;-) |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 02:25 pm: |
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Be a gentleman..let your buddy try it first |
Andrew Clarke (Aclarke)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:15 pm: |
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Well I agree with all of you about checking the water depth first. As "some" of you know, sometimes people still end up in situations where you're in over your head (note the amazing pun there).
Thanks for all the great suggestions! Hopefully I'll never need to use them :-0 |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:18 pm: |
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If you plan on doing this sort of thing much go get some cheap-ass waders from Wal-Mart, really makes the checking water depth thing alot more comfortable (great for sloshing around in mud holes as well). |
muskyman
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:20 pm: |
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cheap ass?...what carter wont you wear your simms in a mud bog? |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:25 pm: |
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LOL , and hell no. Not that I wouldn't trust them I just have some old cabela's hunting waders that I use instead. It's nice to keep all the gear for various activities separate so you don't show up at the river or trail-head missing various items because you "borrowed" them for another endeavor. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:46 pm: |
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BTW Thom, thanks again for the tip on that rechargable battery system, I just ordered a battery and charger (got the whole set up for $30) it looks like it is going to be exactly what I need and is 3 times smaller than anything else I was expecting to find. |
muskyman
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 05:54 pm: |
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you'l be very happy with it ...glad I could help |
Greg French (Gregfrench)
| | Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 07:54 pm: |
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Thanks for the compliment, Andrew...
What I did was stupid, and it worked out for me. Just dumb luck. That picture was taken before it got deep. It was over my hood at its deepest. There were 2 times that my wheels were totally off the bottom of the pond and I was floating. Luckily, my forward momentum took me across. I actually hit a fallen tree in the middle of that one, and people watching said my truck jumped all the way out of the water.
Anyway...I made it to the other side, climbed up the bank, and drove trails the rest of the weekend, then drove 4 hrs home with no problems.
A range rover tried it just before and didn't make it. We winched him out, and I said, "What the heck" and went for it.
Not the smartest thin I ever did, and I don't ever care to do it again...unless someone has a camera, that is! |
Jack Quinlan (Jsq)
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 11:13 pm: |
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Carter,
I've worn my LeChameau boots in the mud when hooking up recovery gear, so I don't think it's faux pas to wear your simms! |
Andrew Clarke (Aclarke)
| | Posted on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 03:06 pm: |
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Well Greg in your case it sounds like floating across the stream worked out well for you. I wouldn't want to try it though!!!
:-)
- Andrew.
P.S. I thought Volkswagens were the only vehicles that floated, haha |
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