Thread: Why is the Defender wading depth only 500mm?

Originally Posted by camel_landy

If that split is above 500mm and the cause for water ingress... you've been in beyond the recommended depth. It may well have not been prolonged use (i.e. fording) but it's still beyond the limit.

Unless there's a possibility that a couple of tonnes of LR can splash water around eh?

Hi Guys I haven't been on for a while and wading is interesting topic. I Agree with most of the guys here, I avoid fast flowing water, but depth is not so much worry in slow moving water, up to the door handles. Occasionally I have got lost in the river and gone off the track and gone deeper by accident and the water came over the bonnet up to the windscreen briefly. I'm happy up to 1 meter. my land rover tires/ wheels are 800mm in diameter, I think 800 mm is perfectly safe for any defender I have checked all my vents are secure up under the bonnet on the LHS firewall. I think the top of the mudgards on my car is over meter (2" lift). ( has snorkel fitted)
I never had a problem with water in the gearboxes, swivels axles etc. I used to regularly check them by draining a small amount of oil out of the bottom and then topping them up with fresh oil.
I did used to have problems with my wheel hubs getting water in, but I changed to better quality hub seals ( from the county I think 2 lips & garter springs) and filled the hubs with oil. That was about 10 years ago I don't think i ever changed a wheel bearing after that. Simmo 1995 Tdi wagon