Roof Rack + Snorkel = Overland?

mmccurdy

New member
Even if you were to run just 33" or 35", for all the weight "overland" types likes to carry, I just don't understand why drivetrain upgrades never even make it onto the list of things you should invest in. Sure, things like limb risers and a Snow Peak kitchen set are nice and all but, to me, they would fall more under the category of "if you don't need it, why get it". But, that's just me.

I decided I'm going to keep my D30 up front as an ironic statement, mostly because I think it's cute! :brows:

Re-reading thru this thread, I have now lost all interest in offroading.

Good, because no one should be "offroading" anymore. You must select one of the five pillars of overlanding in which to participate.
 

GCM 2

New member
That's only because you now want a snorkel AND a roof rack so you can begin to overland. :cheesy:

Mike,
I have had two vehicles with roof racks and one with a snorkel. A 1963 VW beetle (roof rack) and 2007 LR3 (rack and snorkel, reference post #21 from page 1 of this thread). In fact your Honor, the defendent submits these three pieces of evidence as to being guilty of ''roof racking and snorkelling" a vehicle with only the trendiest of intentions.

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MTG

Caught the Bug
GCM 2 said:
Mike,
I have had two vehicles with roof racks and one with a snorkel. A 1963 VW beetle (roof rack) and 2007 LR3 (rack and snorkel, reference post #21 from page 1 of this thread). In fact your Honor, the defendent submits these three pieces of evidence as to being guilty of ''roof racking and snorkelling" a vehicle with only the trendiest of intentions.

I had a roof rack on a 1987 Audi 4000cs Quattro (had locking differentials), whilst at the same time owning a snorkel (and mask) for well...snorkeling. Not sure what that makes me, but maybe I can get some kahki pants and a matching shirt with lots of pockets and do something with that experience?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I decided I'm going to keep my D30 up front as an ironic statement, mostly because I think it's cute! :brows:



Good, because no one should be "offroading" anymore. You must select one of the five pillars of overlanding in which to participate.

:cheesy: I love it :thumb:
 

Vulpine

New member
Heh, heh, heh. Now I'm really enjoying this thread. Sarcasm abounds and everybody knows it.

Hey, Wayoflife, know of any decent mod shops in the DelMarVa region? Methinks it's time to get that lift.
 

Vulpine

New member
As far as drive shafts go, the ones that come from the factory work well enough but, if you lift your Jeep at all, the front shaft will come into contact with your automatic transmission sump pan, tear off the slip shaft boot and will eventually cause a transmission leak. Of cousre, the greater angle that it gets placed in puts the CV boot in a constant state of pinch and, over time causes it to fail and that ultimately leads to the failure of the joint itself. Along those lines, Rzeppa joints aren't exactly something you can find at your local Napa autoparts store or even something that most local drive line shops can work on. 1310 u-joints can be found just about anywhere, for cheap and a standard u-joint style drive shaft is definitely something that you can have worked on anywhere. Of course, for those who will actually take the time to regear, all this is to say nothing about things like how really really small a 5.13 pinion is on a Dana 30 or 5.38 is on a Dana 44.

A note here based on reading I've done elsewhere:

Your comment about the auto transmission appears to be extremely valid in some ways, though I'm not aware of the particulars in these specific cases. For some reason, Automatic transmission Wranglers are having a fluid leak issue that is resulting in fires that tend to take out the entire rig. What I don't know is if these Wranglers are lifted at all or if there's a different cause altogether, but the issue so far is limited only to the AT-equipped Wranglers.

Now, based on that would a total 3" lift (1" body, 2" suspension) cause similar issues on a stick?
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
^^^has nothing to do with a lift. I'm pretty sure it has to do with AT fluid "boiling over" and coming in contact with the motor or exhaust. Pre-2012's owners can do a lot to prevent this by installing a tranny fluid cooler (first mod I did, cost like $60), and by actually paying attention to how much fluid they have. I could be wrong, but I think the 2012's come with an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator.
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
Vulpine said:
Hey, Wayoflife, know of any decent mod shops in the DelMarVa region? Methinks it's time to get that lift.

Do it yourself. This way you'll have a greater understanding of your rig and will know how to fix it if it breaks while wheeling it or overlanding as the case may be.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
^^^has nothing to do with a lift. I'm pretty sure it has to do with AT fluid "boiling over" and coming in contact with the motor or exhaust. Pre-2012's owners can do a lot to prevent this by installing a tranny fluid cooler (first mod I did, cost like $60), and by actually paying attention to how much fluid they have. I could be wrong, but I think the 2012's come with an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

What Sharkey said. The fires you have heard about have nothing to do with a JK being lifted. In fact, several of the fires occured on stock JK's. While no official cause or reason has been attributed to the fires, from what I have personally seen, it is most likely being caused by the transmission boiling over and pumping ATF onto the cats and/or exhaust cross over as mentioned.

Do it yourself. This way you'll have a greater understanding of your rig and will know how to fix it if it breaks while wheeling it or overlanding as the case may be.

I agree. For how small of a lift you are planning on installing, doing it yourself is not only cheaper, it will give you a chance to learn more about your JK.
 

Vulpine

New member
^^^has nothing to do with a lift. I'm pretty sure it has to do with AT fluid "boiling over" and coming in contact with the motor or exhaust. Pre-2012's owners can do a lot to prevent this by installing a tranny fluid cooler (first mod I did, cost like $60), and by actually paying attention to how much fluid they have. I could be wrong, but I think the 2012's come with an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

Since I have a stick, I wouldn't know. But WayofLife did point out that any lift at all could cause a transmission fluid leak and if that fluid is thrown around by the drive shaft, it's not hard to envision some of it hitting hot exhaust pipes which is where those reports I have read seem to imply the fire as starting--under the body rather than in the engine compartment.

I'm not saying you're wrong--I simply don't know--I'm only saying WaL's description also sounds valid.
 

Vulpine

New member
I agree. For how small of a lift you are planning on installing, doing it yourself is not only cheaper, it will give you a chance to learn more about your JK.

Would love to, but HOA where I live won't let me do it in my driveway/parking slip and I don't have access to a garage with (or without) lift to work under her myself. I'm stuck with having to either pay for the work or getting lucky and finding another Jeeper that's willing to teach me in my neck of the "piney woods."
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
Vulpine said:
But WayofLife did point out that any lift at all could cause a transmission fluid leak and if that fluid is thrown around by the drive shaft, it's not hard to envision some of it hitting hot exhaust pipes which is where those reports I have read seem to imply the fire as starting--under the body rather than in the engine compartment.

When did he say that? I'm not sure why or how a lift could cause the transmission to leak. Are you sure you aren't confusing WOL's statements about driveshaft boots tearing and spitting grease with the transmission leaking? I'm not sure what reports you have read, but in every picture I have seen of a burned JK, the fire started in the engine bay or perhaps just below the firewall (in which case I would postulate that the fluid boil over travelled down the AT breather line from the engine bay and then dripped onto the exhaust.)
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
When did he say that? I'm not sure why or how a lift could cause the transmission to leak. Are you sure you aren't confusing WOL's statements about driveshaft boots tearing and spitting grease with the transmission leaking? I'm not sure what reports you have read, but in every picture I have seen of a burned JK, the fire started in the engine bay or perhaps just below the firewall (in which case I would postulate that the fluid boil over travelled down the AT breather line from the engine bay and then dripped onto the exhaust.)

The real question is not whether a lift can cause it to leak, but rather whether a roof rack or snorkel would prevent it from doing so? :cheesy:
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
MTG said:
The real question is not whether a lift can cause it to leak, but rather whether a roof rack or snorkel would prevent it from doing so? :cheesy:

Lol. Actually, since some people run their breather hoses to the airbox when they install a snorkel, I guess it's theoretically possible that they couldn't get a boil over onto the engine or exhaust. Dammit! Now the discussion must end because we have conclusive proof that snorkels make an automatic JK safer. :cheesy: All is not lost though, I guess we can still argue about standard transmissions.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
When did he say that? I'm not sure why or how a lift could cause the transmission to leak. Are you sure you aren't confusing WOL's statements about driveshaft boots tearing and spitting grease with the transmission leaking? I'm not sure what reports you have read, but in every picture I have seen of a burned JK, the fire started in the engine bay or perhaps just below the firewall (in which case I would postulate that the fluid boil over travelled down the AT breather line from the engine bay and then dripped onto the exhaust.)

yeah, i don't ever recall saying anything about lifts causing tranny leaks and or fires :thinking: :idontknow:

The real question is not whether a lift can cause it to leak, but rather whether a roof rack or snorkel would prevent it from doing so? :cheesy:

:cheesy:

Lol. Actually, since some people run their breather hoses to the airbox when they install a snorkel, I guess it's theoretically possible that they couldn't get a boil over onto the engine or exhaust. Dammit! Now the discussion must end because we have conclusive proof that snorkels make an automatic JK safer. :cheesy: All is not lost though, I guess we can still argue about standard transmissions.

oh man, now you've done it and just when i thought this thread was starting to die down :crazyeyes:
 

Vulpine

New member
yeah, i don't ever recall saying anything about lifts causing tranny leaks and or fires :thinking: :idontknow:


Here's the post with the quote. Middle paragraph, your own words: http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?684-Roof-Rack-Snorkel-Overland&p=6854&viewfull=1#post6854

The point was that causing a leak in that manner could cause a fire, not would. I didn't say either of you were wrong, only that you both put forward good descriptions of how it could happen--enough to make one want to ensure they don't make those mistakes.

I do have to wonder how they're getting transmission fluid boilovers if they're using stock JKs and no trailer attached--unless for whatever reason they're overfilling them? Then again, I thought new transmissions were factory sealed now.
 
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MTG

Caught the Bug
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