How waterproof is the Mu ?

[Mark Smith]

Hi there,

I was looking through the picture gallery and was quite impressed with the "Swimming Mu" picture.

Is that a standard Mu ? Or is it a Mu with all the electrics waterproofed ?

Just wondering what sort of effort is required to stop a Mu from drowning too easily

[geeves]

Mus are as good as any other standard 4wd in terms of waterproofness. As they are diesel electrics dont play a large part in the running of the engine so no problems there although over time corrosion will cause bad connections etc and the alternator as mounted lower than is good so failure of alternators is more common than you would expect although mud is normaly the killer. The diff and gearbox breathers can be raised to help prevent water getting into them but it still pays to check for water when you get home from a trip that has deep fords. The engine air intake is a weakness that shouldnt be taken lightly as 1 tablespoon of water in a combustion chamber = new motor=5000! This is why snorkles are fitted.
Also doors may leak causeing wet carpets in deep water.

[bigblackmu]

After recently going through mud above bonnet depth I can testify they are reasonably well waterproofed - I drove through for about 20M and then sat in there for a few minutes and only got about 3" of water in the cabin - engine died - but after being towed out and left to dry for 30min it ran fine *I wont be driving through that deep without a snorkel again* But overall I was very impressed with it.

[Yarno]

Yeah they are good but in saying that I have done in an alternator in mud, wet carpets from the back of the doors, mud in the intake.... no damage there though, and front wheel bearings x 2, but this the same with any 4x4...

[James W]

It easy to say it afterwards and after you know how deep it really is, and I imagine Cam understands this, but for anyone else's benifit who may be new.
NEVER go that deep without a snorkel and always know where your air intake is. I've seen some bighorns with the inlet behind the headlight and facing forward. Thus water at bumper height is getting towards high risk, especially if you splash.... Always enter slow.
Plus if you know it's deep always have a recovery strop atatched and ready to use.

[Mark Smith]

So in order to get the Mu ready for water/mud what needs to be done ?

I can see the need for a snorkel, but what about preventing water getting into the cab ? (in fact do you actually WANT it to come in so you don't float off ? :-)

How do you stop water coming in round the pedals and steering column ?

Do the door seals need upgrading ?

What about the wheel hubs ?

What about all the electrical stuff in the engine bay ? (lights, fuses etc)

Regards

[geeves]

Pedals and steering colum should be ok door seals will work or not work nought you can do about it except leave the carpet out if you have problems Shouldnt leak much Big issue is the heater vent which is a 3 inch diameter hole just below bonnet hight Not sure if it can be blocked so expect a lap full of ice cold water when you go very deep. Hubs in good condition dont leak but check them each time you get home otherwise the wheel bearings will quit at the most inconvenient time (try Dunedin motorway on the 24th december)Electrics are better than they look just repair what breaks. Apart from that snorkle and extend the trans breathers.

[mudgrip4]

Water up to wheel depth no real problem - enter slowly and keep enough speed to have a small bow wave ahead - keeps water out of the engine bay, but snorkel is a must really for this work. An Airflow Landrover Disco one costs $470 fitted - peace of mind and better than $4000 for a hydrauliced motor.

My bighorn leaked heavily through perished rubber seals in the footwell area under mats. And sometimes not depth that lets in water but the length of the river or pool crossing. The longer mine is in, the more likely water will force past the door seals. Basically if you're in for quite a few deep crossings on a trip, its a good idea to rip out the carpets. And a good idea to check oil in both diffs, gearbox and esp the transfer case after every good river trip. Loosen drain nut a bit and look for a milky colour which means water mixed in with the oil. Transfer case the weak point for water intake. For this reason its not a bad idea to run an additive in the diffs etc. A popular one is Proma - can protect internals short term if oil affected. Mike