Max fording depth?

What's the official max. fording depth of a stock XJ? I've done the searches here and elsewhere, but it seems that Jeep refused to give a formal number to this criteria of offroading (for the probably obvious reasons). I say "official" because I don't want the typical "until it comes in your doors, dips***" answers, please. Oh, wait. Actually I think some of those answers are hilarious (like the "gimp" response to external or internal slaves--awesome). Anyway, TIA.

You won't find an official max fording depth. The problems occur with speed. It causes waves that can magnify the depth significantly.

Measure from the air intake to the ground and there you have it.

my rule of thumb is if the directional lense below the head light is visible you "should" be safe... a comon reaction to crossing water is to go fast.. bad idea.. it builds up a pile of water in front of the grille and some goes forward, and the rest fills in around your engine and air box..... if you are close to max depth creep thru very slow.. if you get stuck and cant get moving again real fast.. shut it off and take a strap..if it stalls DO NOT TRY TO RESTART IT.... i regularly dip my headlights under the water at one spot but it is literlaly for 2 seconds and then the front comes back up... just get familiar with how high your air intake is above the ground and use it as your own guage....

Don't forget about water getting into you axles... To many trips to the pond can cause big problems with your gears.

I start getting nervous around bumper hieght, top of the bumper, I usually think real hard about backing out fast.
If it starts missing or acting funny, it´s really best just to shut it off quick. I´ve done some minor damage to engine internals once and have collapsed the air filter twice. Have seen peoeple try to fight it and keep it going at all costs. Costs being the key word, not worth the possible damage.
Other issues are how clean the water is, sand in the alternator, starter and rear brakes, can cause problems if not cleaned out. Regreasing and checking oils. If mud dries in the front brakes, it can also cause problems.
Checking for water traps is also a good idea, the drains for the rear panel bottom and sometimes the doors get plugged. Leaving the water in there is what starts rot.
Carpet padding that gets wet, stays wet and also causes rot.
Various connectors will leak and need to be checked, not to mention the distributor.
If you get in deep enough to hit the fan, it will throw bunches of water (or mud) all over the inside of the motor compartment and has a tendancy to pile up on top of the motor. Really makes a mess. Mud (even thin mud) will plug up your condensor and radiator.
having said all that, I recently got in so deep, water was coming over the hood (wasn´t paying attention), backed out quick, no problem what so ever. Guess there was an air trap near the intake?

One of the major reasons I'm asking this is because most recent Jeep lit. tells what the fording depth is for any given vehicle. Maybe this is due to the whole "Trail Rated" thing lately, but I really am interested in knowing. I'm mostly concerned about water getting into my rear 8.25 through the seals and/or through the crappy "shove-in" plug. I also realize that whatever Jeep says, the car can probably take on a couple or a few extra inches. Anyway, if anyone knows the actual Jeep-approved fording depth, for any year of the XJ, I'd love to hear it.

I asked this question to an engineer at(an old AMC guy) at Camp Jeep about 5 years ago. He recomended no deeper than the axle hubs, and all fluids changed after you do that.

Probibly the "official" safe depth is not over the bottom of the axle. I have been in up to the bottom of the bumper with my three inches, and there where many stock xj's, grands, libertys and wranglers on the same trail with me and no one had any problems.

Ron Hyslop said:

I asked this question to an engineer at(an old AMC guy) at Camp Jeep about 5 years ago. He recomended no deeper than the axle hubs, and all fluids changed after you do that.

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Thanks, Ron. That's the best answer yet. It doesn't really matter too much because I plan to raise the rear axle vent (again) and replace the seals, but ever since I got mine, I've wondered. Jeep gives actual figures for the other models, so I thought the number has to be out there somewhere.

Hey, I'm hijacking my own thread! How hard is deep snow on the rear brake lines?

If you're hammering into the snow hard enough to worry about brake lines, you're going to fast and you're going to get stuck.

Actaully the best method for crossing water is to keep a constant speed, keep that bow wave in front you and don't stop, when you stop the wave will come back. Don't push in the clutch, especially in muddy or really dirty water. I do a couple of crossings at paragon and the water on my stock height XJ is consistantly even with the fender flares, just about almost to the top of the tires, seen pics people have taken after those two crossings which is how I know, no problems. If you do stop in water and sit for a few minutes and the water us up to your axles the hot axles will suck in cooler water thru the seals. Those seals are made to keep lube in, not water out so much..

I think every rig and driver is different. I just sold a stock 90 xj and had it in water over the top of the tires for about a half mile, slowly of course, but when the front drivers tire went in a hole I couldn't see, the water went up over the hood and didn't hesitate to come in my driverside door! I then put it reverse and backed out the whole half mile to dry land to let out any trapped water. Once the driver's side front and rear seats dried out, I didn't experience any other issues from my swamp trip. It was last year in an Alababma swamp trail after alot of rain. I wouldn't dare do that with my current 99 xj, but like I said, it also depends on the owner.

There is always a chance of water damage, so the driver obviously takes the heat if something gets messed up. It's your wallet. Would I do it again if I still had the 90 xj? Definitely! Good Luck!!

Timber said:

Hey, I'm hijacking my own thread! How hard is deep snow on the rear brake lines?

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I can't comment on brake lines but when I had my 87 Trooper II I was going around busting 6ft snow drifts in my development, about the 3rd one the trooper stalled and would not restart. Got out and popped the hood, the engine compartment was packed solid with compressed snow as was the radiator, fan shroud and fan. I took it home by pulling it with my chain equipped S10, spent the next 2 hours in the driveway with a heat gun in 10 min increments thawing everything out and then drying it. What a PIA, lucky no damage, could have cracked the block.

You guys are nuts.

Churchlady said:

You guys are nuts.

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Are you a new XJ owner?...IF so give it time, and soon you to will be lifted, locked, and ready.

jeepguy97 said:

Are you a new XJ owner?...IF so give it time, and soon you to will be lifted, locked, and ready.

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You're probably right. The day someone sees this 68 year old grandma driving her precious XJ through axle-high creeks just for fun she'll be lifted into a paddy wagon, locked in a straightjacket, and ready for the cuckoo's nest.

I was just pulling your collective leg and thinking, "Ah, youth!"

68 years young eh. I think its pretty cool that you have the brawan to come around a board filled with us nutcases. I can't really see my grandmother even turning on this "new fangled junk" let alone joining and asking questions on a jeep forum. Kudos to you.

jeepguy97 said:

I can't really see my grandmother even turning on this "new fangled junk" let alone joining and asking questions on a jeep forum.

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I think another Jeep site (that shall be nameless) has cornered the nutcase market. If Naxja has any they must be over at Mod or Performance or that Den place I'm afraid to investigate. OEM users all all well-brought up, as we grandmothers say.

Your grandmother doesn't know what fun is 'til she's reamed out a mechanic for not looming her sending unit wire :lecture: