Water crossing with a stock 100 LC (1 Viewer)

[crashtest00]

I'm pretty new to any sort of trail driving so would love people's thoughts on a few things related to water crossings:

1. What's a reasonable depth limit for a stock LC w/ factory tire size?
2. Any concerns crossing a very cold/freezing water? I'm a little nervous about shock cooling the block.
3. Seems like wading the crossing to check for deep spots would pretty much be required?

Any other tips I don't know enough to ask for?

 

[GerLC100]

Regarding 1:
For reference: I got a 99 LC.
In general you have 4 breathers that should stay out of water: rear diff, front diff, transmission, transfer case.
The rear diff is fairly high, a tube goes above the axle, so "tire depth water" should be fine here. I router my rear diff with a longer tube into the gas cap area, so no issue here.
The front diff has a tube going fairly high up in the engine bay. So I'd say tire depth is fine as well. I didn't change anything here.
Transmission and transfer case (in my model!) are routed into the oil fil tube and is also fairly high up. Also so high up, that I personally wouldn't take a crossing that deeper either way...
--> if all is tight all these breathers should be easily good for axle deep water. I hope others, more experience members will correct/ confirm me here!
--> check youtube for breather extension on land cruisers, lots of videos out there

Next item not mentioned: your grease caps on the wheels! if they're old, have been used multiple times, ... they're not sealing anymore and you risk getting water into your wheel bearings/ front hubs.


Regarding 2:
You shouldn't drive into water crossings full speed either way as you risk water splashing up and getting into air box. That would be bad! So always go slow! Seeing so many other passing water, I'd not be super concerned about shock cooling when going slow.... not sure

Regarding 3:
either this or let someone else have the first pass :-D

 

[Bisho]

With a stock truck you can go to the top of the wheel (above the axle) without issue. Your breathers "should" prevent water intrusion, but keeping it below that level should keep you safe. Any higher and you need to make sure you don't stop in the water to prevent water getting into the intake, which could hydrolock the motor (very bad). They key is to keep moving in deeper water, so you want to be sure there isn't something like a big rock or sunken log in the way.

With a snorkel you have a safety margin in deeper water if you need to stop. I've crossed the Buffalo River and it was just below the hood (~3'9"). You want to avoid water coming over the hood and running into the fresh air intake, which will then run into the cabin.

Other things to consider - make sure the current isn't too strong. It can be a lot of force pushing you sideways, and you end up tacking into the current, which isn't fun. If you're not confident in your truck seals, make sure you check your fluids for water intrusion after the trip.

And I agree with the above comment, if your not experienced, watching someone in front of you make it across takes some of the stress out of it.

 

[GTV]

Official depth is in your owners manual.

 

[menancyandsam]

Keep in mind that the breathers that appear to go into the bottom of the Tran dip stick tube, ends at the bottom. They do not breath to the top of the dip sick opening

 

[Malleus]

The biggest concern, IMHO, before you enter the water, is whether your door seals are sufficient or not. New seals will keep the interior dry. If you get wet, you won't be concentrating on what else is going on, and that will lead to real problems, way before the water gets deep enough to damage anything external to the cabin interior.

Mechanically, there are concerns to be considered, but seriously, do you want to lose your electrical system because you drove through a creek?

If your door seals are sufficient, you have routine maintenance to consider, every time you drive through water up the the centerline of the axles. These routine maintenance procedures apply even to a new truck. Read the maintenance section in the serivce manual, and the off road driving section in the owner's manual.

 

[Mark W]

I'm pretty new to any sort of trail driving so would love people's thoughts on a few things related to water crossings:

1. What's a reasonable depth limit for a stock LC w/ factory tire size?
2. Any concerns crossing a very cold/freezing water? I'm a little nervous about shock cooling the block.
3. Seems like wading the crossing to check for deep spots would pretty much be required?

Any other tips I don't know enough to ask for?

In terms of simple straight crossing with solid bottom and still or slow moving water, the top of the tires is a good safe bet for a low experience driver in a stock rig.

Cold water is not a factor. Fresh water can't be cooler than 32 degrees even when the air temp is much lower. 32 degrees is not cold enough to affect your engine.

If current is any factor at all, you can easily drive your rig through crossings that you can not wade. With experience you can read 90% of water crossings well enough to have nothing to gain by wading. But, if you are not confident and it is a slow current crossing, there is nothing lost to wading first.

LOTS of water crossing tips. Like pages and pages worth if you are serious about it. Don't have time to write an article today though

Mark...

 

[nissanh]

Just a correction: "You want to avoid water coming over the hood and running into the fresh air intake, which will then run into the cabin"

The fresh air suction has about 3-4 inches raised lip/wall inside the cowl/wiper mechanism chamber. Water will not get to that height as there are about 2 inch diameter water drain holes placed on either end of that fresh air cowl towards the fender to evacuate water

 

[Bisho]

Just a correction: "You want to avoid water coming over the hood and running into the fresh air intake, which will then run into the cabin"

The fresh air suction has about 3-4 inches raised lip/wall inside the cowl/wiper mechanism chamber. Water will not get to that height as there are about 2 inch diameter water drain holes placed on either end of that fresh air cowl towards the fender to evacuate water

I watched @OwnerCS have the water go over the hood and into the fresh air intake, which was followed by all the windows fogging up heavily inside and some (not a lot, IIRC) water dripping onto the passenger floor.

 

[nissanh]

I watched @OwnerCS have the water go over the hood and into the fresh air intake, which was followed by all the windows fogging up heavily inside and some (not a lot, IIRC) water dripping onto the passenger floor.

Thanks for the update. My 100, Hilux and even my 92 corolla/Prizm has the same setup. I did do a water crossing in my 92 prizm when our city got heavy rain and flooded all roads. To my surprise, my 92 corolla/prizm drove through the water that was as high to the half way of the door. At one point, water touch the wiper arms/fresh air intake (a wave generated by another passing by car) and I had no water in the blower motor, which then helped me to realize the purpose of that raised wall fresh-air chamber inside the cowl.

I love my Prizm! wish it was an AWD/4wd!

 

[Octous]

Yippeeee! My rig was pretty much stock at this point, only water related mod was elevated diff breathers. This was at 100s in the Hills when it was still running. Great event . . .

 

[Asanka]

Yippeeee! My rig was pretty much stock at this point, only water related mod was elevated diff breathers. This was at 100s in the Hills when it was still running. Great event . . .

View attachment 3824247

Nice, which trail is this?

 

[crashtest00]

This is really helpful, thanks everybody!

It never occurred to me that there would even be an off-road section of the manual. I'll definitely check that out.

 

[SmoothLC]

Yippeeee! My rig was pretty much stock at this point, only water related mod was elevated diff breathers. This was at 100s in the Hills when it was still running. Great event . . .

View attachment 3824247

Sweeet photo!