What are the common problems caused by mud?

For those of you following my other thread, http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1004505
you know i've got a bit of a handfull/mystery with my new (old) rig. In trying to sort all this out, in general what kind of problems can be caused by the truck going through a lot of mud?
The good news is that I know the truck isn't seized, however the truck is dirty as hell (inside and out). There is even a little mud in the airbox.
Have you guys ever had mud cause major problems with your XJ?
thank you members!

Brakes, seals, eventually rust...

Pay attention to all your greasable fittings and joints.

you can lose your alternator and starter, or any rotating parts that are not water proof. If you suck too much crap through the intake you can lose the motor. it wears out seals. Pre-mature wear on steering components and suspension, ruins electric components...mud sucks hardcore. You need to build your rig to handle the mud.

Alternator definitely, its in a nice exposed position.

Muddy water killed alternator #1 and #2 for me. Hard to tell what else it contributed to the demise of. I got some weird river mud (probably 40% shit) that left permanent marks on the paint on my hood. Good thing the clear is flaking off now, can't even tell anymore One could say that much of my rust was helped by mud, but 22 years may have had more to do with that.

Mud will also eventually piss off any mechanic (including yourself) that gets underneath the rig.


That seems to be the biggest problem i have

nw-xj-scott said:

Mud will also eventually piss off any mechanic (including yourself) that gets underneath the rig.


That seems to be the biggest problem i have

Click to expand...

Haha-no kidding there. Need safety glasses to grease!

Nick

Tears up differentials if you don't change the fluid out regularly (back in high school it was every weekend for me haha) And it will kill off the air filter really quick, I gave up on K&N, too expensive of a filter when you get mud chunks caught up in it.

Besides the mud traps that you inevitably miss when washing up, that eventually rust out. The sand mixed in with mud that acts like sandpaper on any moving part. Possible premature failure of anything lubricated after the water seeps in. The brushes in the alternator and starter getting covered in mud and crapping out. The stuff that seeps into your electrical components and sensor connectors that causes shorts and starts to corrode. And occasional muddy feet, there are no problems.
Somebody ought to market an XJ condom. If you mud without protection, be prepared for the consequences. Thorough cleanup afterwards is vital to avoiding the rot. Lubrication is your friend. Keep the nasties out of the intake and don't get your muffler plugged.

I've heard of guys taking inner-tubes for tires and cutting them up and installing snap buttons on them to cover their alternator and other components. Pretty cheap fix iinstead of engineering crap

not my XJ ( because its still under phase 1 construction)

with my BlaZeR-2, i had my alternator, starter, steering/suspension (AKA IFS) to go bad and over heat from mud packed in radiator, its always something from mud lol