Water fording depth - Update

[canyonrat]

If I do it in my Gladiator, its Jeeping not Fording.

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[PyrPatriot]

If I do it in my Gladiator, its Jeeping not Fording.

Hah! Good one

now here is something to consider:

The manual says the electronic connections under the hood can withstand pressure washing (though advised against). Obviously when fording water at 30” the water gets pushed up and splashed higher than 30” (as indicated by the water on top of my engine despite only going through less than 20” of water)

 

[Gatorized]

Hah! Good one

now here is something to consider:

The manual says the electronic connections under the hood can withstand pressure washing (though advised against). Obviously when fording water at 30” the water gets pushed up and splashed higher than 30” (as indicated by the water on top of my engine despite only going through less than 20” of water)

I assume you have less skid plate protection underneath so more water can splash up.

 

[PyrPatriot]

I assume you have less skid plate protection underneath so more water can splash up.

same skid protection as the other trims. The plastic plate should cover the same area against water as the steel one.

 

[MrJeep]

His question relates directly to the statement that Jeep makes that these are tested to 30" water depth.
He's not asking can they or will they float away - but what do they base the 30" on - the Rubicon on the Rubicon tires, or the Sport on the smaller tires.

Yes but it's still valid.
My '99 TJ when brand new would float long before the water got near the intake and you would lose traction in the rear. (It was awesome)
The 30" is "cover your ass" arbitrary number to cause the least amount of damage from the factory perspective. 1000 factors go into what you "should" ford in any given situation.
Historically, it's the bottom of the headlights. If you look at where the intake is under the hood, you can see why that's a good rule.

 

[Bbannongmu]

I’m guessing that Jeep is being conservative with the 30” fording depth and an entry Sport with the smallest tires should be able to do this with no issues. It’s also sort of like speed limits. They know everyone violates it so they are conservative. My $0.02, keep the change.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Historically, it's the bottom of the headlights. If you look at where the intake is under the hood, you can see why that's a good rule.

excellent rule of thumb. I live by this.

 

[PyrPatriot]

Bottom of the headlights is a new one to me

 

[PyrPatriot]

This is a lot more than 30 inches...



These non-Jeeps did fine, well, except for the Commanche

 

[Whiplash2130]

So the Gladiator is said to have the ability to ford water 30” deep. That is 2.5ft, or halfway up your thigh if you are 6ft tall

Is that depth for the Rubicon or for all trims?

If for the Rubicon only, do we lower 1” of depth for the other versions (as the JTR is about an inch higher in ground clearance if I recall right)

If the depth is for all trim levels, then it makes me think that there is some electrical component across all the trims that is at the same height, or at least where an inch until it is under water makes a difference. Wonder what it is?

What is the electrical component that limits deeper fordings?

I mounted my Demco Stay N Play Duo braking system to a bracket mounted to the frame just below the steering shaft left hand side. I’m guessing even with the 2” Mopar lift kit and 35’s, 30” water depth would be pushing the limit.

 

[PyrPatriot]

Much easier going through in 4L. I plowed through this same depth yesterday now wanting to get stuck cause I have stock tires



Now, the reason I turned around. The part I drove to and went up: that was all dry just 24 hour prior. The spot where I stoped is a fairly nice mound of dirt and gravel (this is a parking area at the park) and I suspected if yesterday the water was halfway up my tires beyond that point, it might be too high now.

 

[PyrPatriot]

ETA: From reading various threads on the subject on the sister forum: looks like the transmission and transfer case breathing tubes are one limiting factor. I am reading that they are vented tubes so at slow speeds at 30” the tubes (located about 25” high) are not affected. Valves open to vent/cool and when there is cooling (like the transmission being submerged) they close.

also this article was interesting
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/jeep-wrangler-gladiator-tech/

 

[Factoid]

On my 1987 LR Defender, when you installed a snorkel kit it came with plastic tubing that clamped tight over all the vents and connected to the bottom of the snorkel with a water tight seal. As long as you kept the snorkel intake on the top of the A pillar above the water level, you were good to go. Unless of course you floated away first!

Wonder why there is not a kit like this for a Jeep or maybe there is.

 

[PyrPatriot]

On my 1987 LR Defender, when you installed a snorkel kit it came with plastic tubing that clamped tight over all the vents and connected to the bottom of the snorkel with a water tight seal. As long as you kept the snorkel intake on the top of the A pillar above the water level, you were good to go. Unless of course you floated away first!

Wonder why there is not a kit like this for a Jeep or maybe there is.

wouldnt you hydrolock the engine at that water level? I suspect that Jeep could have moved the vent tubes up higher, seems like an easy thing to do. But they didnt, to keep something worse from happening?

 

[Factoid]

Could be. The LR was a turbo diesel which would make a difference. As long as it is running, no water can come up the tailpipe and as long as the breather is clear it will get air to keep running. The real challenge on an older LR is the weird swivel ball seals that can pass water. They make a gator kit for it, but it is more to keep splashing out.

On a gas engine Jeep, I have no idea. I think the Brits were so keen on portraying the LR as being able to do anything, they omitted any maintenance requirements or failure points.

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