Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Had an 87 RR & stuffed the bearings in the altenator
twice in a year due to mud, now have 97 Disco
and dont want to have same problems as its a
lot dearer than the RR to fix / replace, any ideas would
be great

Stay out of the mud - it tends to do that.

It would be hard to do something thst doesn't effect cooling of the alternator. You could put a shield below it but that probably won't help much.

sorry to say there isn't much you can do.

I have had a rear diff fail due to mud ingestion in the past...I now stick to rocks, I do play in mud abit, but stick to the thicker stuff rather than the muddy water type.

I you are wading, disconnect the fan or put in and electric. The fan tends to aid a lot is bathing the alternator in mud. Always wash the alternator well after a trip.

There are a few things you can do

Stop mud & water getting in - seal off the front of the bottom of the engine bay and on a rangie round the shock turrets, put a shield up in front of the alt. so the fans don't fling more mud at it, and use electric fans you can turn off! With a few bits of steel in the right places I get about 80% less mud in the engine bay than I used to, which helps a lot.

In the alt. itself you can flush them out with clean water afterwards, some people drill and tap a fitting in just for this purpose.

less crud in + crud washed out = happy alternator

Speaking of muddy water - I had fun once with the IIA box (no oil seal where the input shaft is). I got stuck in water up to the bottom of the doors. When I drove home the box was changing really strangely - the synchros were very crunchy. The next morning (got home late) I drained the box and out poured 2l of clear water - I was wondering where the oil was and then out it came - another 2l (so the box was twice as full as it should have been, only half was water!!!).

wash the alt out after it gets muddy
I have the engine running and spray the hose directly into it.
haven't replaced mine yet. and it gets plenty of mud/water

Thanks people for the replies, will take along lots
of fresh water to flush the s#it out after mud runs.
Might make up a spray bottle to fit to my air line
to speed up the process.
Mud is fun though!!!!

I have to agree here, stay out of the mud. The job of washing it off is enough to put me off. It used to be fun, but sick of all the problems that arise from it!!

Although when I drowned my Rangie up at Beerwah a couple of months ago it gave me a good opitunity to give the floor a Kill-Rust treatment and repair a bit of rust.

Trav