Mud runs

[baja_power]

I’m putting the Deuce in the Mud runs at the fair soon. The pit is 200' by 20' and aprox. 18" deep. I figure i will also sink down in it a little more... I just have the vent caps on the axles, so i am going to swap those with bolts or pipe plugs right before the run to seal up the axles. What else should i look for to plug and seal up? I'd rather spend the next 4 days preparing then the next month replacing things I’ve ruined.

 

[Hookin1]

might not need it but you may want to put the plug in the bottom of the bellhousing just in case

 

[devilman96]

If ya wanna be real fancy you can extent the vents up to the frame. Remove the vent and install a 2" by 1/8th pipe nipple, add on a length of 3/8 oil hose, zip tie to the brake line and then put your vent cap on the end of the hose... (which you don't really need anymore if install the hose with a "U" loop facing downward at the end). This keeps the venting open but above what most of us would get into water level wise. Extra fancy would be to hard line them all to a central location up on the fire wall. Due to my ablity to put a vehilce where it generally does not belong I am prolly going to do this as I am going through my list of "things"

 

[cranetruck]

Baja, you shouldn't have to worry about the breather valves on the axle housings, they only open when the pressure within the axle housing exceeds about 1/2 psi. They won't let water in.

 

[baja_power]

Cranetruck, Do you know of any other things i should take care of before the run?

 

[Recovry4x4]

I would schedule time to remove the drums afterwards. Trapped mud is holy terror on brake linings. If the mud is fairly wet, its going to get in! Get your pictures quick and get to washing the stuff off, once that Ohio mud sets in, it can be a bear to get off. Schedule some scrub time for canvas and vinyl too, that stuff will stain pretty eary too. What County?

 

[baja_power]

Union county


Below is an attached image from last years mud run. Gives you an idea on what to expect.

 

[motorolanut]

Cool, Mud Pit

 

[rmgill]

What about vent lines from the Transmission and Transfer box? Does the Fording kit include this kind of stuff or is it advisable? Or should breathers suffice?

 

[cranetruck]

The fording kit includes a low pressure regulator, which pressurizes the bellhousing/transmission when the bell housing plug is installed.
The shift lever boot must seal good for this to work right with the breather valve letting out air in the process..
The T-case has a breather valve only, like the axel housings.

 

[rmgill]

Is there a vent on the transmission that gets plumbed into the breather system or is there normally a breather on the transmission itself?

Basically, since I've found the correct fittings for the breather system, I want to go through and build up a replacement for the fording kit (probably find a partial kit while I'm at it, with the regulator) so I can ford the deuce the future if I need to.

Would it be a good idea to slightly pressurize the axles and transfer case as well or a bad idea on the seals? I'm kind of thinking it'd be a good idea to attach them to the combined breather system, but not sure if it's worth the trouble.

 

[cranetruck]

There is a breather valve on the transmission. It is located just forward of the shift lever.

I have a "sealed" pressurized breathing system on my deuce where all breather valves (except the transmission one) are plumbed together. They are normally vented high on the engine fire wall and can be pressurized to about 2 psi for fording.
Probably not worth the effort, though...
Adding a crankcase vent filter and plumbing the compressor to the air filter canister permanently are more sensible when it comes to making the deuce "fording ready". A right angle piece for the mushroom helps too. My deuce is pretty much fording ready to 5 feet simply by plugging the bellhousing and pressurizing it and the axle housings by opening/closing two valves (could be done with the "fording handle" on the dash if I wanted to hook it back up. Needed the dash space for something else ).

 

[rmgill]

I've already got the right angle piece on the air intake. I've just split the vent system at the union between the fuel tank and the brake system vent. The brake system got a vent up to the firewall and to a fitting that I'll connect a breather too, right now I've got a PCV vent that I figure should work, but I'm not sure. I've been looking for another better breather. It's right at the top of the air filter under the hood.

On the list to do is to check the transmission's breather setup and plumb that to the fuel tank's breather line that runs to the road draft tube. $200 for a breather filter like you've added seems an awfully tall order however. Also on the books is an air intake extension like on the 5 tons so I can get that way above the hood if I need to. So too is the rubber hose that runs from the compressor intake to the air filter (any idea what size hose that is?).

 

[cranetruck]

My deuce came from the USMC with some deep fording kit items factory installed, like the low pressure regulator, "fording handle" on the dash, a check valve between the air tanks and the associated plumbing.
That made it easier fo me to complete the installation with store bought parts.

I wouldn't do anything to the transmission breather valve, it allows the pressure to build up when the bellhousing is pressurized. If you vent it, there will be no pressure build-up in the transmission and bellhousing.
For any fording operation is would be rare to have water in the cab anyway since a water crossing can be counted in seconds and with the doors closed, water could only enter through holes around foot pedals etc.

The crankcase filter is worth the $200 IMHO, I collect 1/10 of a quart of oil in the sump every 1,000 miles and permitting the filtered fumes to recycle via the air intake probably makes my deuce one of the most environmentally friendly trucks around (especially with bio power).

The compressor to air filter canister is 1" heater hose (that's one inch I.D.).

 

[rmgill]

Looking at the parts, I was wondering what the other bits were on the airtanks. I take it the check valve is to protect the air system from loosing too much air pressure and loosing brakes because of it all going out the air-regulator?

 

[ojsdna744]

I know this goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyways....

MAKE SURE YOU POST PICS OF THE DUECE IN THAT PIT!!!!

 

[Westech]

Ok Deuce and deep mud with duals and NDT tires = this!!

 

[motorolanut]

Looks like Winchie Winchie Time! LOL

 

[baja_power]

No pics. No run. I went to registration and they wouldn’t let me participate. They said my tires weren’t " DOT approved" and because i was 6x6 this gave me an " unfair advantage” they also argued with me over the street legality of my truck.

 

[rmgill]

You've got NDTs right? Not DOT approved?