River Crossing Preparation

River crossings in a 4WD are lots of fun. They do however require the
right sort of equipment and vehicle preparation before attempting
the water crossing.
Having your 4WD set up right is the key. Most standard 4WDs have
their air filter behind one of the front headlights, which can be a real
problem in a deep-water crossing. All 4WD owner manuals will have
a recommended water depth not to be exceeded, which is generally
around knee height (50cm/ 19 ½ inches) for larger 4WDs and about
half that for your smaller SUV’s. This height can be increased by
fitting a snorkel to your 4WD and is a must for diesel engines due to
the fact if any water is ingested into the engine you will likely break a
conrod thus destroying your engine. This is not a problem with a
petrol engine as it will just stop and once it has dried out it will
restart. Deep-water crossings are best undertaken with a diesel
engine and a snorkel, as the diesel will run all day underwater as long
as it can continue to intake fresh air.

Once your vehicle is fitted with a snorkel it is able to cross very deep
water crossings, however I recommend one
further step of preparation before
embarking across the river. If the depth of
the water is above the manufacturers
recommended depth it is wise to tarp up
the front of the 4WD. This is done by
having a tarp just slightly wider then the
front of the 4WD and high enough to go
from just under your bumper or bull bar to
about a third to half way up your bonnet.
Hook the tarp on using rope or ocky straps and attach the top to you
rear vision mirrors and the bottom to the tow points underneath. By
placing the tarp on the front it prevents water rushing through the
radiator, which consequently causes the fan to act like a propeller,
flexing itself into the radiator causing damage.
There is one more step to complete before the fun begins and that is
to prepare the 4WD in the event that you get stuck. This generally
means hooking up a tow or snap strap to pull you out. If you are the
first one across it would be a good idea to have a winch on your bull
bar and a snap strap hooked on to the back. The tarp can cause
problems accessing the winch so ensure that it is secured in a way
that allows you to remove it quickly.

Now your 4WD is ready for the deep-water river crossing.

River Crossing Preparation http://familyvacationcamping.com

By James Smith © 2010