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Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:34 pm
by CopperBottom
Hey everyone

Whilst I'm mechanically savvy, im clearly short on knowledge on off road prep is fairly minimal at best. I got chatting to a couple of blokes in the pub last night, both of which have LR's they off road. After I mentioned I was going to Slab this weekend, they mentioned a couple of bits that I should consider if I plan on getting fairly deep in water

First being the breathers for the diffs, and extending the breathers. Made sense, and having looked at the breathers this morning it's clear they're pretty short. Easy job

The second was a drain plug for the bell housing. Now whilst I understand the theory that if mud and water get in the bell housing it will cause issues, but I don't really know what I'm looking for to see if the Vit already has one installed, and if not, what I need to do to have some sort of drain/waterproofing for the bell housing.

Can anyone educate me?

I'm going to take it that the bell housing hasn't been modified already. If so, would it be wise to avoid any deep water for the time being?

Cheers

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:41 pm
by twiss
Personally I wouldn't seal up the entire bell housing.
Yes a bit of mud might get in there, but you can wash it out pretty easily by holding a hose over the timing hole plug

I think if you seal it all up, water and mud would probably get in there somehow, but it would be much more difficult to clear it out.

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:46 pm
by CopperBottom
So does the bell housing have a natural drain hole/slot for water to drain out as it is?

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:33 pm
by courior
Also think about breathers for the t.box and g.box. rubber glove on the dizzy. Decent ht leads and maybe check the knuckle seals on the steering knuckles.

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:21 pm
by Hodgie812
Land rovers have a threaded drain hole in the bottom of the bell housing, you fit a wading plug in it to stop the clutch getting wet. Maybe this is what the are on about? I'm sure Vitara's don't have one.

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:43 pm
by donkeychomp
Try not to stop for too long in deep water, your wheel bearings will thank you for it...

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:54 pm
by Jordi
donkeychomp wrote:Try not to stop for too long in deep water, your wheel bearings will thank you for it...
As will the interior if you're really in deep water for too long, seats take forever to dry out.

Re: Wading prep

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:57 pm
by Ladaman
donkeychomp wrote:Try not to stop for too long in deep water, your wheel bearings will thank you for it...
Yep I can agree with that.


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