Using tractor in water - Bad idea?

[RaydaKub]

What ever you do, DON't get your tractor wet!

Look what happened to these guys

Komatsu D155 W bulldozer in action - YouTube

;-)

Wow, how did that thing keep running?

 

[ovrszd]

I would be more concerned about going over the vent tubes on the differentials. A warm differential will let in water easier than a seal. 4 wheelers usually relocate the vent tubes to avoid this. Water in the pumpkin is real bad, especially in the winter when it freezes and expands.

Well stated.

We wheel offroad a lot. Also have a creek similar to the OP's that we cross. Anytime we've experienced water in the fluids has been when stuck and buried below water level for an extended amount of time. Most vents are designed to let air out but not in. When buried for more than a couple minutes the gearbox will cool and create a vacuum. This allows the seals to be breached and suck in water. A quick dunking never causes any problems.

 

[3930dave]

A Russian tractor driver refuses to give up after his vehicle gets stuck in a river. - YouTube

A lot of these videos come out of Russia.

They have a pretty different idea of what a "road" is; either that or I think I know where all those Russian ex-submarine commanders found jobs.

I swear these guys must wear wet-suits to work.

Anybody know how to say "Git'er Done" in Russian ?

Rgds, D.

 

[ovrszd]

Just curious about why water is so damaging to a seal. I live in an area surrounded by 10,000 lakes and every weekend in the summer the landings are filled with boats going in and out of the water, all with the axles submerged and then sitting there in the water while the boat is launched or recovered. Often they have been driven hard for 200 miles from the Cities and the hot hubs get dunked in cold water. A boat trailer has pretty cheap, light bearings and seals compared to a tractor. Sure, there are Bearing Buddies but I can't recall anyone pulling out a grease gun and filling the hubs after leaving the water. How come I don't see the sides of the highways littered with boat trailers missing wheels? Sure, it happens once in awhile but usually seen on a rusty, 30 year old trailer that looks like it has never been serviced. Not saying everyone who says not to do it is wrong, just wondering why I don't see more casualties.

Water itself is not damaging. Even muddy water isn't damaging on it's own. The concern is if there's atmostpheric pressure changes that might cause the gearbox to create a vacuumn.

As for boats. The "Bearing Buddy" system uses a tension spring in the cap. When you pump in grease you compress that spring which keeps positive pressure in the hub assembly. To know when to add more grease you simply look at the zerk plate and make sure it's compressing the spring and is out toward the end of the cap assembly. So even though the hub might be hot when dunked in cold water, it still does not create a vacuumn because of that spring action. Great design. Also can be added to any bearing hub assembly with the right cap diameter.

Only thing wrong with them is I didn't invent them....

 

[two_bit_score]

A Russian tractor driver refuses to give up after his vehicle gets stuck in a river. - YouTube

A lot of these videos come out of Russia.

They have a pretty different idea of what a "road" is; either that or I think I know where all those Russian ex-submarine commanders found jobs.

I swear these guys must wear wet-suits to work.

Anybody know how to say "Git'er Done" in Russian ?

Rgds, D.

Watching that video I sure was "pulling" for him to climb out of the river. :laughing:

 

[3930dave]

Water itself is not damaging. Even muddy water isn't damaging on it's own. The concern is if there's atmostpheric pressure changes that might cause the gearbox to create a vacuumn.

As for boats. The "Bearing Buddy" system uses a tension spring in the cap. When you pump in grease you compress that spring which keeps positive pressure in the hub assembly. To know when to add more grease you simply look at the zerk plate and make sure it's compressing the spring and is out toward the end of the cap assembly. So even though the hub might be hot when dunked in cold water, it still does not create a vacuumn because of that spring action. Great design. Also can be added to any bearing hub assembly with the right cap diameter.

Only thing wrong with them is I didn't invent them....

My issue with Bearing Buddy is operator error. A basic seal for a wheel bearing can't deal with much pressure from the grease side. When I got my new to me (but pretty old) travel trailer with bearing buddy installed, 3 out of 4 brake assemblies had grease pumped past the seal, and into the brake area. The worst one had about 1/2 a tube worth of grease in the brake assembly - brakes last a very long time like that, but they don't dissipate much energy !

I don't own a boat trailer, but I'd expect/hope they have better bearing seal than a basic road only trailer - still, it's worth keeping in mind not to over-grease with a bearing buddy, at least on axles with brakes.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Watching that video I sure was "pulling" for him to climb out of the river. :laughing:

I've seen other vids of off-road trucks over there, even more submerged, but still being driven successfully. :confused2:

The ditches I've put tractors through are desert-like in comparison. The only time I want to see that much water is when I'm in a boat !

Rgds, D.

 

[pat32rf]

Just check your fluids in the front axle. If it has taken in water it will be milky. Dump it into a pot and heat it up to drive off the water, then keep an eye on it so you can judge what you can get away with. We are talking grease here right, not tranny fluid....

 

[OldMcDonald]

I agree with duroc. Work out your cost (say per year) of an extra 20mins travelling against a guesstimate of major problems in 10 years' time. Also annual cost of the longer trip against replacing the rocks every year. I am guessing that you just have to find the extra 20mins to save a lot of hassle in the future.

 

[Sysop]