Water Ford Basics Please

[Boxr4]

I am useless on forum searches, full disclosure.

New to 4x4, Jeeps, offroad... I did a water crossing reciently. Mojave, 6spd, stock. Brings me to a few questions.

I roughly knew route through about 50 yrd flooded road/pond. 24 inch depth for about 1/2 of that...just below doorsills (doors where off). I went super slow with just enough pace to shadow bow wake. 4L, 1st gear, rear locked, grabbed 2nd gear on way back(bad move but got away with it). Crossed it each way.

Very slow entry into water, steady throttle/revs through. Water did not enter cab(doors off) though a couple splashes got onto floor mats.

2 questions: 1. What fluids do I need to check (diffs, tcase, tranny, none)? Pointers? 2. Carpet got wet throughtout cab, seems to be more then splashes would have done. Do the floor drain plugs come installed (aka does water come up through them if pressured up through under cab)?

I have read 30inches fording aok, not sure if that is Mojave or not, breathers etc. Thx

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[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Drain plugs may not have been pressed in all the way.
I've gone over the top of my 35" tires (3.5" lift) doors on, and the carpet was dry.

 

[Max-t]

Yea. You have to really push those plugs down hard. My passenger side doesn’t seem to want to seat well. I do keep the originals just in case. They’ll keep the water out. But with the doors off…..

 

[drewcnit]

New to 4x4, Jeeps, offroad... I did a water crossing reciently. Brings me to a few questions.

2 questions: 1. What fluids do I need to check (diffs, tcase, tranny, none)? Pointers? 2. Carpet got wet throughtout cab, seems to be more then splashes would have done. Do the floor drain plugs come installed (aka does water come up through them if pressured up through under cab)?

I have read 30inches fording aok, not sure if that is Mojave or not, breathers etc. Thx

Welcome! Hope you love your Mojave so far, so for your questions -
Fluids, I would not bother unless you go through higher water or you are doing this all the time. One time back and forth across that amount of water isn't going to necessitate a check/change right away. But you do have the right idea, lots of water crossing (or I do it once a year at least) check all those you mentioned. Don't over think it, mostly it's loosen bolts drain and refill.

Carpets/Drain plugs - I left the picture above because you can see the issue if you look closely. The drain plug in the floor mat is not through the carpet into the body. So yes, it may not have been plugged fully and why your carpet got wet.
If you lift up those mats, right under that drain plug hole is a piece of carpeting that has been partially cut that needs removed. Then that plug in the mat actually fits into the floorboard of the body, so if water does come up it should be in the mat and that any water in the mat drains out the truck and not just into the carpeting.
I honestly don't see the plug in your pictures, so let's hope they are hidden under the carpet in the floor pan, here's my mat with and without the plug in for comparison.
With plug in -

And Without -

Let the carpeting air out for a couple days with no mats to dry it fully. I'm not aware of anything that changes on the Mojave that would affect it's water fording capabilities. Should be the same as all the other models.

 

[Gvsukids]

New to 4x4, Jeeps, offroad... I did a water crossing reciently. Mojave, 6spd, stock. Brings me to a few questions.

I roughly knew route through about 50 yrd flooded road/pond. 24 inch depth for about 1/2 of that...just below doorsills (doors where off). I went super slow with just enough pace to shadow bow wake. 4L, 1st gear, rear locked, grabbed 2nd gear on way back(bad move but got away with it). Crossed it each way.

There's discussion about not shifting while in water.
I've had water come in with the doors off, that was exciting.

 

[MikeSalt]

Fished incoming tide yesterday and noticed several jeeps plowing thru ocean washouts completing covering them with salt water. It’s tough enough staying on top of beach sand corrosion. (But worth it)

 

[Boxr4]

Welcome! Hope you love your Mojave so far, so for your questions -
Fluids, I would not bother unless you go through higher water or you are doing this all the time. One time back and forth across that amount of water isn't going to necessitate a check/change right away. But you do have the right idea, lots of water crossing (or I do it once a year at least) check all those you mentioned. Don't over think it, mostly it's loosen bolts drain and refill.

Carpets/Drain plugs - I left the picture above because you can see the issue if you look closely. The drain plug in the floor mat is not through the carpet into the body. So yes, it may not have been plugged fully and why your carpet got wet.
If you lift up those mats, right under that drain plug hole is a piece of carpeting that has been partially cut that needs removed. Then that plug in the mat actually fits into the floorboard of the body, so if water does come up it should be in the mat and that any water in the mat drains out the truck and not just into the carpeting.
I honestly don't see the plug in your pictures, so let's hope they are hidden under the carpet in the floor pan, here's my mat with and without the plug in for comparison.
With plug in -

And Without -

Let the carpeting air out for a couple days with no mats to dry it fully. I'm not aware of anything that changes on the Mojave that would affect it's water fording capabilities. Should be the same as all the other models.

Gladiator/Mojave great yeah, 1 yr in. Jeep fun + Truck Utility has been amazing. While there are objectively better vehicles out there, I have never had one with more personality/character/fun. Not a hard-core offroader... running the forest roads regularly with some major ruts to navigate/winter roads get super hairy around me so 'Jeep' not totally wasted on me.

Those rubber plugs you show on your mat. Those are under the carpet and you cut through carpet to get them or do they come with mats(I have nearly same mopar mats)? MIA for me if they were to come with mats... frigging dealer. If they are under carpet my bad.

I am not sure which model gets 30" fording, if that is correct. Though Mojave being a bit lifted might bump that up. I won't go deeper then 24", don't want to swamp cab. Thx.

 

[Boxr4]

Fished incoming tide yesterday and noticed several jeeps plowing thru ocean washouts completing covering them with salt water. It’s tough enough staying on top of beach sand corrosion. (But worth it)

Fresh water for me at least.

 

[Gvsukids]

Those rubber plugs you show on your mat. Those are under the carpet and you cut through carpet to get them or do they come with mats(I have nearly same mopar mats)? MIA for me if they were to come with mats... frigging dealer. If they are under carpet my bad.

Those should have been with the Mopar all weather mats. Sometimes the dealer doesn't cut the carpet out to allow the water to drain.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording.68318/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording-newbie.49342/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording-depth-update.26673/

 

[Boxr4]

Those should have been with the Mopar all weather mats. Sometimes the dealer doesn't cut the carpet out to allow the water to drain.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording.68318/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording-newbie.49342/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/water-fording-depth-update.26673/

The plugs were under the carpet. Is there o lying two plugs? The two in driver and passenger footwells?

 

[Gvsukids]

The plugs were under the carpet. Is there o lying two plugs? The two in driver and passenger footwells?

Yes, the other ones are under the carpet without any direct drain access.

 

[mx5red]

There are more plugs, I assume drivers side too, but passenger there is one under the seat. That’s where I ran my wiring in for my amplifier. Can’t really get to that without unbolting the seat.
Don’t forget to check those.

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