How deep is too deep? You see video's online of guys driving through really deep water... I'm talking up to the bottom of the doors and sometimes a bit more. Not for extended periods of time but a good 8-10 seconds sometimes. It got me to thinking, when driving through water at what depth or point on the truck do you hit the "danger zone"?

Obviously getting water in the motor is bad and theoretically that would depend on the lowest point of the air intake. And obviously you need to be conscience of certain electrical areas getting wet as well. That said, am I forgetting anything else? How deep of water have you personally gone through and were there any mods done to your truck to make it more "water resistant?"

 

Ive had water over the hood, just for a second. After i got out of the hole the truck started sputtering and died. Water Got into the distributor, so it wasnt a big deal. Any longer than that and i probably would've sucked water in the intake and hydrolocked it. on a stock truck you can probably get away with it at the bottom of the cab without destroying anything, just be sure to repack bearings and change the fluids in the diffs and tranny as there breathers probably sucked in some water also.
Of course never drive in deep moving water, as it could wash your vehicle away quick. Looks can be decieving around water, so always use extra caution, and don't drive over flooded creek bridges!

 

The front pumpkin, transmission, transfer case, and rearend pumpkin all have vents with little hoses looped up. It doesn't take very much depth to submerge these, and most of them are in bad shape after all these years and are broke off. If you are going to go through high water on a regular basis, I would replace all these and extend them up higher.

You will also have to look after the front locking hubs. No matter what you do, water seems to get inside, so regular maintenance is necessary. You will find this out like I did after fording high water, and then the temps get below freezing and the hubs won't work anymore.

 

I had a buddy with a 97 F250 Diesel with about 4in of lift, and he drove through some water in a mud hole we have around here (The mud he was slinging around was nothing short of awe striking!). The water came up to the bottom of his cab, and he was alright Engine and Electrical wise. He did however have to do the standards of repacking the bearings, getting water out the tranny, and his differential, etc etc. I got to be honest, I personally wouldn't go through deep water (Bottom of cab height water) unless I absolutely had to.