Correct method for driving through floods

[aspenarb]

15 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

What is your preferred method for driving through flood water?

 

Stop and let someone else go in first, use that dipstick as a dipstick.

 

Bob

[htb]

Deepest I have been through was top of front wings of a defender, bow wave kept air intake clear.

[Doug Tait]

1 hour ago, peds said:

At the risk of having the good old cuck insult thrown around again, my wife simply won't let me drive through anything deeper than a puddle. We always go around. 

My training has been so thorough that I even listen to her nagging when she isn't in the vehicle, because I would just hate to give her any ammunition for one of those told-you-so episodes. 

 

I seek my giddy little thrills elsewhere.

 

Years ago in the snow we were leaving a farm one night, the long single track uphill was 4' or 5' deep either side. She wasn't keen but I convinced her we'd be fine so off we went in the pickup with an empty trailer on. "It'll be fun" was the last thing I said.

 

Got some momentum and we were going great, sliding side to side between the drifts, round a corner, we were in sight of the main road and she clamped her hand on my thigh in a death grip, she had the strangest look on her face. Cross between insanity, hilarity and abject fear. Really quietly, with a deathly look in her eye she said "we've had enough fun now", I knew she meant it.

 

I did make it to the main road ok, and as instructed when she got out I waited there to pick her up after she'd walked the rest of the track. Since that she has the final call on how much fun something will be.

[monkeybusiness]

The only reason I can think keeping the revs low would be of benefit is if you suspected it was too deep and water was likely to be sucked up the air intake - tick over would allow the engine to stall easily, hopefully minimising valve damage. Idiotic to be driving through that depth of water though!

[roys]

Just a thought and I might be talking rubbish, but another benefit of keeping your revs on the low side is that the cooling fan (if it is direct drive) will be going slower and so spray up less water around the engine.

[Steven P]

1 hour ago, roys said:

Just a thought and I might be talking rubbish, but another benefit of keeping your revs on the low side is that the cooling fan (if it is direct drive) will be going slower and so spray up less water around the engine.

 

I understand that but are many fans direct drive now?

[Treewolf]

On 05/01/2024 at 17:30, Steve Bullman said:

What is your preferred method for driving through flood water?

You can question the judgement but the technique is good. Don't try this unless you know the road, know what you're doing, and have a suitably prepared vehicle.

 

 

 

 

[scbk]

Used to laugh watching the videos of Rufford Ford on youtube, must be ££hundreds of thousands worth of vehicles written off at that spot.

 

 

 

 

The council eventually closed off the road with those prefab concrete barriers.

 

This lad in the tractor thought screw your road closed, I can make it through that water no bother

 

 

[daveatdave]

8 minutes ago, Treewolf said:

You can question the judgement but the technique is good. Don't try this unless you know the road, know what you're doing, and have a suitably prepared vehicle.

 

mum on school run? 

 

 

 

[Donnie]

On 05/01/2024 at 17:42, Doug Tait said:

Slow and steady, keep momentum with a bow wave. Any doubts and I won't commit.

 

Unless I'm in the valtra of course, then it's balls to the wall and hopefully swamping the git in his lowered bmw

Nearly flooded my van on the Cornhill straight coming from Wark/Carham. If I didn't hit it at 50mph and instantly bang it into 2nd and kept it lit I'd be cycling to the woods... 😂 

Stopped half way where it wasn't flooded and reversed back and got another runner at the 2nd stage. 
 

 

Here's a previous photo from another year that it flooded for anyone who's interested. Wasn't as bad but was definitely close to wrecking my van.  Bmws etc parked up at the side of the road.