Re: Driving through flooded roads

by Caraman Mon Oct 14, 2024 7:55 pm

Although the base vehicle manufacturer may have tested their vehicle for safe wading depths, I am certain that A-S will not have conducted tests after they have converted the vehicle, which is much more important.

by Sally Tue Oct 15, 2024 8:54 am

Caraman wrote:
Sally wrote:..... I would have driven through water that covered the rubber on the tyre without a second thought (not at speed obviously, dead slow). So I’m wondering what I’m missing.

It’s a genuine question by the way, and I accept it may be me.
My van is on jacks at the moment but if it was not and the water level covered the rubber on the tyres I am pretty sure the water level would be up to the motorhome's wooden floor which is full of holes for wires, pipes and gas dropouts. Some of Sargent's wiring harness with its spade connectors would be underwater as would the fresh and waste water tanks and their pipes, breathers, insulation & heaters, the underslung gas tank and regulator and in my case electrically operated levelling jacks and their control box which is bolted onto the underside of the floor. None of these are designed to be immersed in water let alone water that is flowing due to the motion of the vehicle, wash from passing vehicles or if it is part of a river which it can often be on a flooded road. Again I haven't checked it but I am pretty sure if the water level covered the tyres' rubber it would be significantly above the lower cab door seals and close to the AdBlue & diesel filler. If I drove my Honda Jazz with water covering the rubber on its tyres, the water level would be halfway up the doors. I shudder to think what harm could be done to its hybrid electrics let alone its petrol engine.

I meant the bottom level of rubber, not the top. I’m talking a few inches deep, not all the way up to the top of the tyre.

by Caraman Tue Oct 15, 2024 9:17 am

Sally,
Isn't the bottom level of the rubber and the 6 o'clock position on the rim the same thing with the 12 o'clock position on the rim or covering the whole rubber tyre being much higher? If you would have driven with the water at the bottom level of the rubber / the 6 o'clock position on the rim without a second thought (but with much reduced speed) then that's fine.

by IanH Tue Oct 15, 2024 4:19 pm

The problem with any flood is it is impossible, short of getting the wellies on and testing it, to determine the actual water depth.

Therefore the only safe solution is don't drive through a flood at all if there is any possible alternative, if not, then get the wellies on.

My wife had two Shetland ponies, neither would walk through a puddle, but only go round it, I'm sure they also worried re water depth....!!

by Tinwheeler Tue Oct 15, 2024 5:00 pm

Perhaps not this deep?

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by IanH Tue Oct 15, 2024 10:01 pm

Best bit was the sunroof being open working as a great scoop!!!
Might be a good one to follow though as there was less water in the flood after it was through....!!!!

by Paulmold Wed Oct 16, 2024 5:51 pm

Plenty of places to practice here today, every road out of Mold in every direction has flood water on it somewhere.

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by clarkescribe Thu Oct 17, 2024 12:01 pm

Thanks for all the discussion. Having just read through this thread I think the consensus is no deeper than 4 – 6 inches max which is just at the bottom of the wheel rims. Anything deeper is going to potentially cause significant risk of damage to any camper that’s got underslung tanks. I agree with the comments about damage and uninsured risk and I thing we have to recognise that most campervans are modified original vehicle chassis with a lot more vulnerability at and below the floor level. Whilst a standard boxer van can manage quite deep water a campervan drives through water more than six inches or 150mm deep at its owner’s peril.