What is the safe water depth 4*4s can go through?

willhub

willhub

willhub

Caporegime
Joined
3 Jan 2006
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Location
Chadderton, Oldham
Just curious.

Today on the way home, we went through this "puddle", it was much deeper than last time but my dad did not know until it was too late to turn back, I thought the 4*4 was going to cut out. It was a Mitsubishi L200 and the water was almost over the bonnet and it lasted for a good hundred or so meters. Is it capable of going even deeper?
 
I would guess the immediate limit is the air intake position. However, I'd guess you don't want that in your electrics either, but they're probably just above or around the same in most vehicles.

Some 4x4s have breather intakes for air at the roofline with this in mind.
 
That's not a puddle, that's a lake.

The water that was "almost over the bonnet" was likely a "bow wave", rather than the actual water level, and I assume the water was below the bottom of the door line?
 
The bottom of the door line? It was nearly up to the window! The road was closed my dad just ignored it lol.
 
My landrover says half a meter without wading plugs.
But typically whatever is below the air intake. Mine is inside the front wing, so if you can get a good bow wave going and don't mind wet carpets I'd say up to a meter without raising the air intake ... It'dbe pushing it mind.

Rule number 1 - before you go blazing through, get out and see how deep the water is. :p
 
Stock most manufacturers state very conservative wading depths, 700mm for most of the Mitsubishi range although the L200 isn't specified. Even the mighty LandRover Defender is officially only 500mm. I do think you can get away with much more if constantly moving and creating a 'bow wave'. Like others said ultimately limmited by the air intake/critical electronics location.
 
anything over the top of the wheel arch whilst moving and your pushing your luck in a Landy.
I got my airfilter soaking wet when I got the actual water level over the headlight after stopping and reversing out because I bottled going any deeper.
Close call on nearly drowning it.. :eek:
 
New Ford ranger is rated to 800mm, most 4x4 are quite a bit less than this, diff breathers are needed as well as a snorkel as said.
 
I've put this in a couple of threads already but may as well put it in here too. :D

This nearly drowned mine.

Snapshot_zps0cd3b5e1.jpg
 
Yes I stopped and reversed out..
That was screen capture pretty much at the point I bottled it.
Video I hadn't got round to editing until now, currently uploading to my fuzz944 account on YT.
Was reluctant to put it online at first as I'm going the wrong way down a one way street but its not as if anything is going to be coming the other way! :o
 
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