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Water Prep


mjotrainbrain
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What all do you guys do to prepare your rigs for water crossing/deep mud, other than the obvious diff breathers and snorkel? It's almost inevitable in the woods of Michigan that you'll end up in a mud hole deeper than the bottoms of the doors if not deeper, and I'd like to be ready.

 

What all electronics are worth protecting? From what I understand there is some kind of computer under the driver's seat that's pretty important (I have a 2002), is there anything you can do to protect that? Wouldn't take too much of a puddle to be stuck in the middle of in order to trash that. Fuse boxes seem pretty high up, so I don't think there's much of anything else that concerns me as far as electronics, but I'm not sure where everything is.

 

What do you do about water getting in? I've had it happen once when I was sitting stuck in a fairly deep hole, would new door seals help? Mine don't "leak" air on the highway, but I doubt they're as good as new. Once a good amount of water gets in, how do you like to dry it out? I used a hair dryer last time (the water only came in about two inches along edge), and even for the little bit I had to do it took forever to get it totally dry.

 

Anything else to address? I'd really like to make my rig ready for the sloppy stuff so I don't have to worry so much anymore.

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  • 4 weeks later...
11 hours ago, dezm said:

I too would be curious to hear others input on this, and specific breather kits that have worked well?

Would also be interested to hear if anyone here has installed the R50 snorkel from 4x4 parts and what their experience with it has been.

https://www.4x4parts.com/i-18980358-r50-pathfinder-snorkel.html

The only diff breather I got around to extending on my rig was the rear diff, but it was pretty easy and I think the others are the same.  I just popped it off the axle, cut a small section off, reattached it, drove to the auto parts store, got 15' of generic hose that had the same inner diameter, and then routed it up the fuel filler neck; I figured if I get that deep I'll have water in my gas anyways, so water in the diff will be a minor problem at that point.  Just make sure to leave enough slack in the new diff breather for the axle to droop all the way.

 

I've heard the fitment with that snorkel is actually pretty poor, and that you're better off saving your money and putting a D21 snorkel on, since you'll have to do some custom work anyways.

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10 hours ago, mjotrainbrain said:

The only diff breather I got around to extending on my rig was the rear diff, but it was pretty easy and I think the others are the same.  I just popped it off the axle, cut a small section off, reattached it, drove to the auto parts store, got 15' of generic hose that had the same inner diameter, and then routed it up the fuel filler neck; I figured if I get that deep I'll have water in my gas anyways, so water in the diff will be a minor problem at that point.  Just make sure to leave enough slack in the new diff breather for the axle to droop all the way.

 

I've heard the fitment with that snorkel is actually pretty poor, and that you're better off saving your money and putting a D21 snorkel on, since you'll have to do some custom work anyways.

Good to know! I think I read somewhere that the front breather was already located pretty high up in the engine bay. Is that why you only did the rear?

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29 minutes ago, dezm said:

Good to know! I think I read somewhere that the front breather was already located pretty high up in the engine bay. Is that why you only did the rear?

That's not the reason (I didn't have a reason, just hadn't done it yet), however that is interesting and worth investigating further.  If it's already up pretty high, then awesome.

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I don't know about the R50, but on my WD21, the front breather comes up on the passenger's side of the firewall behind the cruise control mechanism. I think the truck would start floating before that breather got wet.

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  • 2 months later...

It doesn't look like this thread got much traction, but I'm investigating it as well.  I've read the rear diff breather hose needs to be extended as it's rather short.  However, the front diff, t-case, and tranny run into hard lines that go up the firewall - that's what I've read anyway.  I haven't crawled under yet.

 

I was reading that on a Toyota Landcruiser the diff air valves have a flapper that closes when it goes into water or something.  The problem with this is that when the breather valve closes it pulls the air/water in through the axle seals causing damage.  Are Nissan breather valves the same?

 

Also, I read that the D22 snorkels fit the R50 well.  

 

Anyone know more?

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20 hours ago, RainGoat said:


Great Find! I’ve been needing to do this to my Mom’s 4Runner & now I think I’ll tackle the Pathy as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Let us know how it goes!  Maybe a step by step write up with photos! :D

 

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