Stock Z71 + Mud = ?

[willfxp]

I bought a Silverado 01 1500 Z71 two months ago and am now addicted to mud puddles. If any of you live in Southern California, I'm playing around in Azuza Canyon / Angeles National Forest off the 210.

 

I'm plowing through these puddles pretty rough (IMO). I'm pretty sure this is a stock setup, so I was wondering if I should be concerned with anything. Should I take it easy until I upgrade my suspension? Or is the stock Z71 good enough?

 

I've already covered my engine with mud. Should I take it in ASAP for cleaning?

 

Everything seems to run fine. I've been there twice. Second time, I went through some deeper puddles and was completely covered in mud (helped clean the engine from my first romping!).

 

Picture of engine from first mud bath.

 

Thanks in advanced!

[chevy38fan]

i wouldn't get that altenator muddy. you could blow your electronics. also change your fluids. like oil, and tranny fluid, transfer case fluid, and rear end fluid.

 

why? because from 'sperience tells me, mud seeps through the seals sometimes and can get in there and really ruin some parts. happened to my dad a while back. blew the tranny a week afterwards.

 

believe me, 4 wheeling CAN and WILL be an expensive hobby, if you want to take care of your vehicle like you're suppose to.

[chevy38fan]

also.. JUST how DID you get the ENGINE.. THE ENGINE!! so dirty?!?! did you blast through a puddle with the hood up? as many of times as I've blasted my tahoe through it, I NEVER got the engine muddy, only dusty..

[lrymal]

also.. JUST how DID you get the ENGINE.. THE ENGINE!! so dirty?!?! did you blast through a puddle with the hood up? as many of times as I've blasted my tahoe through it, I NEVER got the engine muddy, only dusty..

I've gotten mine just as bad if not worse without trying. Seems to be just the right combination of wheel angle and tire spin will mess up the engine compartment. Typically, when going through the pastures during wet weather for a few hours doing the local duties will be enough to kick up mud and junk into the engine compartment.

 

Yeah, something needs to be done to protect the elecronics of these new trucks from such hostile environments. I really hate how they have thrown so much high-tech electro-gizmo into trucks, considering their environments are far more extreme than cars.

[willfxp]

also.. JUST how DID you get the ENGINE.. THE ENGINE!! so dirty?!?!  did you blast through a puddle with the hood up? as many of times as I've blasted my tahoe through it, I NEVER got the engine muddy, only dusty..

Just going through a mud puddle a few times, pretty hard

 

I guess these were deep puddles or something...

 

How can I protect the alternator?

 

I will change all the fluids. I think it's due for something like that now (60k miles). However, I will wait till the weekend. Going to go back one more time

 

Thanks!

[Truckman031]

I wouldn't go through to much more mud or you are looking at alot of $$$ in repairs. I'm not saying you should never do it, but three times in less than three weeks

[willfxp]

I wouldn't go through to much more mud or you are looking at alot of $$$ in repairs. I'm not saying you should never do it, but three times in less than three weeks

That's what I'm wondering about. What will break first? What should I be looking out for? I know the more times I take it out, the greater the chance of something bad happening. But, I could easily get into a crash on the way to work everyday. Atleast the people in the OHV area are a lot more careful.

 

This time when I go, I'll be taking a few camera shots. Maybe my idea of 'intense' really isn't...

 

Thanks!

 

-w

[seadoons]

I have had my truck for a year and a 1/2, driven it 44,000 miles, and never done that to it. You are just asking to screw something up - yeah, it's a truck, and yes, it is 4WD and a "Z71," but it is still a vehicle. Those added packages don't keep the interior trim from rattling loose, or the motor mounts from breaking. Here are some potential problems:

 

1) You can only see the mud up under the hood. If mud is there, that means water was there, getting all the electrical and mechanical things wet that shouldn't. Water on a hot engine block = not good.

 

2) Mechanical: You are beating the s**t out of your shocks, control arms, etc, etc, etc. They really aren't made to have a constant beating. Also, you are going to throw off your alignment.

 

I agree with truckman...I am not saying that you shouldn't ever take it offroad, but d**n man...your truck isn't going to last too long if you constantly have it in the mud. I depend on my truck too much to get be back and forth to work everyday. I can't screw it up offroad, then have it in the shop for a week having expensive repairs done to it.

[willfxp]

I have had my truck for a year and a 1/2, driven it 44,000 miles, and never done that to it. You are just asking to screw something up - yeah, it's a truck, and yes, it is 4WD and a "Z71," but it is still a vehicle. Those added packages don't keep the interior trim from rattling loose, or the motor mounts from breaking. Here are some potential problems:

 

1) You can only see the mud up under the hood. If mud is there, that means water was there, getting all the electrical and mechanical things wet that shouldn't. Water on a hot engine block = not good.

 

2) Mechanical: You are beating the s**t out of your shocks, control arms, etc, etc, etc. They really aren't made to have a constant beating. Also, you are going to throw off your alignment.

 

I agree with truckman...I am not saying that you shouldn't ever take it offroad, but d**n man...your truck isn't going to last too long if you constantly have it in the mud. I depend on my truck too much to get be back and forth to work everyday. I can't screw it up offroad, then have it in the shop for a week having expensive repairs done to it.

I'm not disagreeing with any of the posts. Thank all of you for your time.

 

I'm just wondering about the problems I will face if/when I continue this and how to prevent them.

 

1.) Ok. Good weekend/month project. Seal all the electrical connectors. Not sure how hard it will be, but I bet I could use something like hot glue to seal where the wires goes into the plug. Also double wrap the plastic housings (forgot what those were called). with something waterproof.

 

2.) I was thinking about 'upgrading' to Bilstein shocks. $60 x 4 = $240. Doesn't seem too bad. Wouldn't that help a great deal? Less pressure on the rest of the suspension? I don't do a lot of jumping. Just going through a puddle maybe a foot or so deep a little fast. Coming out of the puddle it's a little bumpy because of the speed.

 

Hmm.. I think I'll go one more time, and have pictures and videos. That way, we can all see if I'm truly crazy whatnot. Hell, I haven't even seen how I treat my truck.

 

Thanks!!!

[99-2door]

Of course when the truck is used for more severe duty there will be more probability of failure of any component. Steering components are more likely to fail faster than normally.

Here on the farm we use our trucks, not abuse but use. My Tahoe never goes off-road just because it has never been off the black-top before and I would like to keep it that way. Just use some common sense when you are mudding. Deep water is more likely to cause you trouble and not really that challenging anyway. Once you get done make sure you clean the under-carriage of the truck very well. Make sure you get all the mud out of the wheels and spindles/hubs.

I will say that when I buy a used vehicle I look for signs of constant offroading and avoid trucks with them. Offroading is an expensive hobby, and not something I would do too often with my daily driver.

[Dihappy]

Trannys, and diffs have these breather tube thingys that water "may" get down into.

 

A fluid change isnt a bad idea but another simple thing to do is grease up all your zerk points (11 i think) as well as replace your front and rear U-Joints on your drive shafts with greasable (TRW) U-Joints.

 

Then you can have more fun

 

 

[PSWired]

BTW, all the electrical connectors on the outside of the ehicle are sealed. They are called weatherpack connectors and have a rubber seal inside the housing that keeps water out. Take one apart someday (the headlight plug for example) and you will see the colored, ribbed rubber thing. Don't go gloppig it up with hot glue!

[MarkD]

Di,

 

MAN! that looks like fun!!!

[willfxp]

Trannys, and diffs have these breather tube thingys that water "may" get down into.

 

A fluid change isnt a bad idea but another simple thing to do is grease up all your zerk points (11 i think) as well as replace your front and rear U-Joints on your drive shafts with greasable (TRW) U-Joints.

 

Then you can have more fun

I will definately do what you suggested. Seems easy and affordable.

 

Is there anything I can do to 'extend' the breather tube thingys?

 

I'm going to replace my shocks. Probably sooner than later. Maybe the shop can also replace those U-joints

 

However, I don't think I've been THAT DEEP in water and mud like you! WOW! That looks like fun!

 

Thanks.

[willfxp]

BTW, all the electrical connectors on the outside of the ehicle are sealed. They are called weatherpack connectors and have a rubber seal inside the housing that keeps water out. Take one apart someday (the headlight plug for example) and you will see the colored, ribbed rubber thing. Don't go gloppig it up with hot glue!

I was talking about the part where the wires go into the housing. Some of my wires are exposed.

 

For example: Large Engine Picture

 

You can see the pinkish wire behind the alternator. That gray housing is the weatherpack. I wanted to "hot glue" where the wire connected to the housing, as added safety.

 

Maybe not hot glue. But something similar...

 

Thanks.