Water Depth fording streams?

Hi - I will introduce myself later over the weekend, but I have a question about my 2015 4Runner Limited. How deep water can I safely cross a stream? My FJ was 27 inches but I cannot find any data telling me about my 4R. I have crossed 2 feet and came out running on the other side but was pretty nervous about it. Any information of where to look or others experience will be appreciated.
Thank you
Verne

 

About 2ft deep is where I would be comfortable. Personally I'd say no deeper than the bottom of the rocker panels as if you happen to get stuck while any deeper the water is going to come in through the floor and saturate carpet. FWIW I think if the interior gets flooded out that meets the criteria for an insurance company to Salvage title a vehicle, even if the is no apparent mechanical damage.

 

you must have the diff venting routed higher . if you don't have this check for water in the front rear diff's.

 

I agree in theory, but I don't have the diff breathers moved and I had no water when I changed...after a year of this sort of thing:

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That is just over the rear bumper fascia with a 2.5" lift. I'm not super concerned about water coming in under the doors...so I'd be comfortable basically going up to about 6" below the air cleaner if I had to, briefly.

 

If you plan on driving in water more the a few inches you best do some work on moving the diff breathers much info on this and parts/hoses and routing mounting locations...

on my gm trucks these are mounted at about the air box inlet height. Toyota these are quite low and off roading toyota owners do this mod.
another reason is mud/debris can plug up the vents.

 

It is argued that water doesn't actually enter through the breather anyway, that is gets sucked past the axle seals due to sudden pressure differences... which, yes, the breather should compensate for... but having said that, I'll take personal experience over anecdotal "evidence" any day. I have no plans to do the breather, and I'm sure I'll be fine.

The front one is at airbox level from the factory, BTW.

 

I am not arguing with you on this issue . Like you say the water enters threw the seals due to pressure differences.

so you have been driving for several miles the diff's are hot now you enter water I am assuming much much cooler than the diff's. this then causes the diff to cool creating a loss of diff internal pressure and if the vent is under water then you have exactly what occurs .

again not argumentative with you its you ride eventually you will find out all this stuff by using your experience with this common toyota diff venting issue . on many T4R forums.

 

anyone interested in this issue check this video out https://youtu.be/hXqzJJtKW7A

 

But the vent vents out, not in, so even if it is under water it is still purging out and water can't enter. Yes? It would have to, because of the spring loaded 'top hat' design - it can only open outward.

Like an exhaust, it can be under water but as long as the engine is on, under acceleration the pressure keeps the water from entering.

It certainly can't hurt to do the diff breather, but I think it's like a lot of mods - peace of mind only.

As always, YMMV. I could be totally wrong. Guess it's my diff to fuck up if I am!

 

How much water is it safe to traverse? As in what depth and for how long?

One of the reasons I have a 4x4 is because of all of the flooding we've been having in Texas.

 

when you do the diff fluid changing every 20K miles if its sludge/ whitish color then its with water... remember oil floats so the water is down low at the drain NOT fill plug.

 

If you have a 4runner with all stock no mods then I would say 6 inches . if you go higher water waves will be higher and the diff can ingest some water. some add a air intake snorkel kit this prevents water entering the engine since as you drive thru the water a water wave is created in front of the vehicle so going too fast in deep water this can also surge up on the windshield.

there are pictures of all this on forums showing the ability of a 4 runner properly set up to drive thru deep water. also detailed info on the mods and procedures and parts/suppliers.

2 places this is commonly used is Houston and Miami, South Carolina is also a hot spot . not sure how deep before it floats away but a lift does add to the water depth it can do... I have seen them go thru water up to the head lights... I would not do it ..

 

This was posted on t4r.org:

 

I agree 6 inches would be tops for a stock 4Runner. Unless you don't plan on keeping your vehicle very long.

 

Man, I too ford in Htown during flooding. I went up to just slightly below doors as pictured in the t4r.org pic in Greenspoint this past flooding event. Stock TRD. No issues other than to question my life choices when some lifted full sized trucks came barreling toward me going the other direction with large wakes.

I used to do it in my 01 4x4 TRD Taco too but it had an esnorkel and 2.5 lift, also did the breather mods.
Also I did NOT have have a male nudist scout for me as depicted on the other site pic...call me weird.

 

If you look at X Overlands new 3-episode show about the Mackenzie Trail, when they cross the Blackwater River and an unnamed tributary stream, it is pretty obvious they are just under the hood release at the deepest point. Entre grille and headlights are covered with water. No snorkels. They stop and check airboxes for water upon exit and both 4Runners and the Taco airbox are dry.

 

When Texas floods, sometimes you gotta do what you need to do.

 

One of the most useful Youtubes for modding cheap and useful. Thanks for posting this and ushering folks out of the abstract and into brass tacks.

 

Sometimes these old videos keep giving good information to members!

 

I prefer bridges.

 

Everyone talks about the breathers but that’s just one problem. The electronics are weather proofed but not waterproofed. The electronics and harnessing is the highest risk when submerging the vehicle in water.

Toyota doesn’t give an official number, so anyone who tells you is making it up.

 

I located the breathers under the hood. They are all at about the level of the top of the wheel wells. I didn’t find a spec in the manual for maximum recommended fording depth, but I guess the height of the breathers is a good indication.

There are two beside the fuse box, between the fuse box and the engine. They are silver metal cylinders at the ends of rubber hoses with black braided sheaths. About the size of a 9mm casing. There are two more behind the engine at about the same height.

I’d be comfortable driving any vehicle I’ve ever owned in 6 inches of water.

 

Lame

 

Same. And, I drive through water up to around 18" regularly without a breather relocate and have had exactly 0 water intrusion.

 

But some dude who thought about driving through a puddle one time said on the internet...

 

Funny

 

Diff breather is just another level of insurance, a cheap cost of minimizing risk. No different than skid plates or rock rails for those that aren’t rock crawling. Never underestimate waters ability to find a weak point

 

+2

I’ve driven sedans throug 6inches of water.

im not much of an off-roader but my old Tacoma I drove though a foot of water a couple times a year (dirt acres road to my hobby airfield floods every spring). No breather mod and didn’t find any signs of water at 15k and 30k diff oil changes.


My rule of thumb (for unmodified) was no higher than bottom of the wheel hub.

 

Watched a Matt's off road recovery on Youtube , they pulled a Tacoma out of a creek that had been stuck all night.
After they got it out the passenger side air bag went off on it's own.
They quickly unhooked the battery.
Said they pulled a Dodge Ram out before that and the same thing happened and the insurance company totaled it.