M939 5-ton water fording depth capability. How deep have you been in your truck?

[Suprman]

I have searched posts and vids there is a bunch of deuce fording info but I really can't find anything on 5tons. I found one video of a tractor pulling a jeep from a shallow swamp and a few in mud pits. I see a lot of the 800 series trucks have the fording kit but it appears to be a rare creature for the 900s. Does anyone have any experience with fresh water fording. How deep can you safely go without having to check/service your chucks and wheel bearings? Does anyone have any pics or videos? The intake is cab-top high on all of them so obviously they had fording in mind when designing these trucks.
Will

 

[porkysplace]

Have you search the TM's for fording information . Any time you submerge your axles they will need servicing.

There is a chart in this link with fording depths for most M series trucks.
FM 55-15 - CHAPTER 3 - GlobalSecurity.org

 

[Suprman]

There has to be some leeway if I zip thru a flooded underpass or something like that. I understand if I ride around in 4 feet of water for an hour is one thing. I have taken my Toyota truck thru water over the axles for years with no ill effect.

 

[Hooper]

I would love to see a 5 ton fording too.

 

[Artisan]

The axles are an issue. You can snorkel the breathers up high.
The power steering has a vent, the engine oil fill is an issue and
I think there is a crankcase breather up there.

Look at a parts TM and find the Fording System
and look at all the tubes and where they go to see what needs
snorkels to go deep. Battery openings are an issue to and
of corse air intake. No matter even w/ a fording kit 78"
is max deep to ford.

Also there is a flywheel plug that you need to move under the truck,
( See pg 400 -10 Manual )
You unscrew that plug and move it two
inches and plug the hole next to it then move it back to it's
keeper hole as soon as out of water. The plug is screwed into
a keeper just for this use. So that is prob the only thing you
might consider doing for a quick ford.

Axle bearings are "supposed" to be serviced every 3K miles
anywho right? (Of which I need to do. Sure do wish I had a
coach and soldier B or A! the first time)

Having said, I would not hesitate to ford through an underpass
full of water to maybe 4' if I had no concerns the water was not contaminated
w/ sewage. How long will it take 30-45 seconds right? Go for it.
(After you move the flywheel plug)

 

[Suprman]

I found it in the TM I wonder why they dont have sealed vacuum plumbing from all the vent/drain ports to a cannister with a pressure overflow drain kind of like the airbrakes. You would just have to drain it when you drain the other regular ones.

 

[Suprman]

I wonder if the battery relocation kit would cause an issue with fording since they are moved to a lower point

 

[rosco]

I used to think that it was always neat to go through mud and deep water with your truck, but the older I get, the more I know that I don't want anything to do with that fording stuff (unless it an Emergency - then the stops come out). Its been said above about the maintainance required after fording. Thats because the damage caused by leakage of the componenets can be serious, and the damage often doesn't show up till sometimes, years afterwards in the form of rusted bearings and failed seals.

Some vehicles are set up better for that deep stuff. Like my old 211. The Axles, T-case, Tranny, were all vented into a truck length manifold/vent system that went to a filter high up on the firewall. The engine air intake was on the passenger side of the driver (in fording mode), in the cab ( I guess the engineers thought that when the driver started having trouble breathing himself, he would start using some disgression). My M35A2 has a fording Kit. Beside the plug in the bottom of the bell housing, it has pressure regulated air to it (controlled from the dash), to pressurize it some, to keep out the water. The axles though, are not vented and the front with the ball joints, is particularly vulnerable to leakage. I had to replace the wiring and brake lines (they rusted out), in my M37, due to mud being packed around them in the frame rails. I guess that I am responsible for that, since that I have had it since along about '72.

On about all vehicles, mud and debris gets lodged up under on the frame rails..... Its tough to get that out of there (even if you want to), so it doesn't damage the brake, air and electrical plumbing over time. How long does that take? Well all my stuff is in the 20/30 year range now.

 

[Suprman]

I just dont see the difference between driving thru a flooded underpass quickly or a day in heavy rain splashing around or driving thru a truckwash. I can see if I was driving around in 3 feet of water for an extended period of time. Axles are loaded with grease, grease repels water. Chuck and trans vents cannot be so low that driving in heavy rain would get water in them. It would seem that with the drain hole at the bottom of the flywheel case it is expected that water will get in there under normal driving conditions and that it can just drain out. These trucks are made so you can take the seat cushions out and hose the cab clean pretty much everything is waterproofed just look at the electrical connectors they are screw on with thick rubber seals. The 900a0 trucks say 30 inches fording in the tm and the a1 & a2 tm says the same 30 inches but with the super singles the truck is up like 6 inches higher and I have seen some with 16x20 tires on them you are up evem higher.

 

[budman67]

Well,I have to show this video here.

Bring scuba!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLEKZwI1p0

 

[budman67]

One also has to be mind full of the ground they are driving on,
soft,hardpack and silty. Don't forget holes that you could fall in
past your limit.
The detail you put into your truck prior to going into the water
will save you wheelbarrows worth of coin later.

 

[emr]

Actually no there does not need any leyway for what you asked, Actually just because you submerged a toyota and it has not siezed yet, Does not mean there is not water in there,There is. It does make sense that the shorter the time and distance under water the less that gets in, that is just common sense, As for servicing correctly the drive train when ever submerged like stated in the tm's, that just makes sense also, Now with that said and 35 plus years mud bogging and 4 and 6 wheeling thru all kinds of stuff, I also run em extended periods with out serviceing/changing the fluid to fresh, Because I know from experience they can take it along time with mildly sudsy gear oil, is it not recomended to do this by anybody ... expecially me, But you are running muck in those rears, With all due respect to people who decide to own tactical vehicles, if the problem with servicing them when doing stuff like this is because they can't afford it, well then they should not do it, And should remember when something goes wrong with the vehicle due to lack of maintenence, It is the Driver/owners fault not the trucks, You know what to do or you would not be asking, I would guess, Like said so many times on this site, the TM;s has the answers you need, You just seem to want a different one, It really is up to you, Go for it, Just dont complain if some life of the units affected are shortend, And maybe when selling the truck, The person who decides to not change the diffs when fording should make sure they are good enough people to tell who they sell to in the future All good and just my answers, All the best and good luck

 

[Suprman]

When it rains heavy it floods around one of my businesses. I get a good 2-3 feet of water in the street. Its a combination of rising sea levels, if its high tide the towns pumping stations are swamped and cant pump it out, and the more houses that were built in town makes for less ground absorbtion and more runoff. And it just so happens there is a main drainage brook closeby so all the runoff overflows and fills the streets. It is fresh water but definetly not clean and clear. I want to be able to drive thru if I have to. I am not planning on stopping and hanging out in it. I have seen large trucks and semi's go thru it when it is 3 feet. I will find pics and post them its actually a little funny.

 

[Suprman]

We have the first pic today no water and the rest are lots of water

 

[Suprman]

I can afford to maintain my vehicles I have no problem changing the fluids in my trucks once a year if I go thru a flooded area here and there. If I was in water for a period of time I would have it serviced right away. I have had my Toyota truck serviced I specifically had the trans fluid checked and the axles lubed and the chucks drained and refilled there was no water in anything though. Maybe Toyota should start making military trucks.

 

[porkysplace]

I can afford to maintain my vehicles I have no problem changing the fluids in my trucks once a year if I go thru a flooded area here and there. If I was in water for a period of time I would have it serviced right away. I have had my Toyota truck serviced I specifically had the trans fluid checked and the axles lubed and the chucks drained and refilled there was no water in anything though. Maybe Toyota should start making military trucks.

Maybe you should keep the toyota . The government has warehouses full of parts and barracks full of mechanics to service the trucks . Engineers have determined a maintaince schedule ,it's up to you if you chose to neglect your truck or not . The answers are in the TM'S nobody can force you to read them or follow them that's your choice .

 

[Hooper]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH1MXyGBD8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnT7thvsPM4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np-AxPUaotw

 

[Hooper]

Okay, one more, these guys are nuts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcPvHobX3D0

 

[Suprman]

http://youtu.be/CrjzLn9YqTQ

 

[Suprman]

I found one took lots of searching though