Will door seals keep water out the cabin?

[rcx106]

When wading through water, will the door seals keep the water out the cabin? The reason I ask is that some of my bulkhead seals, where cables and things go from the engine bay to the cabin, are no longer creating a decent seal because of various extra wires and things that are running there. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth resealing all these, which will be quite a lot of effort as there's quite a lot. I think I will need to install competition type seals to make it work (photo below). Basically, if the door seals will hold then it's worth doing the bulkhead seals. If the door seals will let water thru anyway, then I won't bother!

[TooMany2cvs]

If you're wading, expect water to get in. EVERYWHERE. That simple. If there's somewhere it doesn't come in, that's a bonus. You can't - nor would you want to - hermetically seal the cabin.

[furrywoolyhatuk]

New seals will only slow the water ingress, it will get in one way or another! Then it's smelly soggy carpets, condensation and general misery!

[100SRV]

Depending upon how deep you are planning on wading you are better off letting the water in, this will serve offset the buoyancy resulting from immersion. This buoyancy will reduce traction and increase the chances of drifting away with the current.

[camel_landy]

100SRV said:

Depending upon how deep you are planning on wading you are better off letting the water in, this will serve offset the buoyancy resulting from immersion. This buoyancy will reduce traction and increase the chances of drifting away with the current.

^^^ This...

M

[Clivey]

Wouldn't want to go that deep in the Disco...not least because of the electric seats, amplifier etc. that're all sure to get ruined. - I'd want to do it in a vehicle I could wash out afterwards.

[rcx106]

Dunno about you lot, but my ECU is under the steering wheel. Other computers like the immobiliser and remote locking units are even lower. If my cabin floods I will have problems!

Thanks for the feedback. I will leave the seals as they are, until I get to do some wading tests or feel a breeze I don't plan to do much wading. In the past it was all just runny mud and it didn't get into the cabin. Just getting into off roading again now. First day in two years this Sunday

[Boobonman]

Some idea of what you drive would probably help. Poster above is right about serious wading, you dont want to be bobbing along the river like a cork if you are trying to cross remote Africa.

If you are messing around at a pay and play site then you don't really want water inside. If you're only going, say, half way up the door then you should be ok as long as you don't plan sitting there all day. If you are particularly brave and are going in deep (snigger) then I'd definitely be upgrading door seals etc.

Going back to my original point, it really depends what you're driving. I sat in a Vitara, stuck in a bombhole full of water on Sunday, halfway up the doors. Not a drop came in, I reckon it would have been a different story in an SJ or a Defender.

[rcx106]

It's a modified Vitara. I don't know what sort of off roading I'll be doing for sure. It's too clean to wreck at pay-n-play and I've just spent four months overhauling it. I'll start with some green laning then see. I plan to do an off road tour in east Europe next year.

How do you "upgrade" the door seals? You mean just buy new ones from Suzuki? Are there aftermarket ones available for better sealing?

[Boobonman]

Aldermaston is good fun and probably not too far from you. You won't wreck your car at a pay and play site unless you are an imbecile, and when I said upgrade your door seals I really meant just replace if knackered.

[rcx106]

Aldermaston looks manageable! Will see you there then!

[JVaughan]

Never had any water ingress in our Jimnys.. except when I was stuck and then it found its way in everywhere. Stood on the seat watching the brown stuff slowly rise isnt fun.
Generally you should be ok in a Vitara as long as you keep moving, the door seals should be good enough.