Making my doors watertight?

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:46 am

So last year I got stuck in some water and in the process, had plenty come into the passenger side. I had to take out the seats, and the carpet, was a huge pain in the exhaust

I don't know if this has been done on here yet, but I'm sure its been done on some jeep sometime. I want to find a way (im thinking rubber seals) to make my doors watertight. I'm not talking about a seal so strong I can drop the jeep down to see the titanic, but I'm thinking if I'm stuck in some mud, or water for a while, I won't get anything in. My idea is to (eventually) get a snorkle, and make the vehicle (as) water tight (as possible). The top 2 items for me are of course the engine and drive train, and then making sure no water gets in the cab. So anyone have any ideas?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:57 am

Even if you made the lower portions of the doors water tight, you would still have to seal the rear swing gate, the wire harness pass-through's on the front dash, the transfercase shifter, parking brake pass through and the shifter pass throughs...

The point is that there are a lot of areas where water can enter into the cab of the KJ (or any vehicle) The best way to approach this would be to make the interior water friendly with rubber mats instead of carpet and some really big rubber plugs to cover drain holes.

If you really wanted to approach this, you will need to go under the Liberty and use some silicone calk around all of the bolts that are seen protruding through the body.

Then you'll need to get a tub of vasoline (or peanut butter) and liberally apply it to the cable passthroughs to help seal those areas off.

Then get yourself a rivet gun, some 1/8" stainless steel rivets (or aluminum) and some rubber seals to seal all around the door flanges.

Then it might possibly be water tight. However, I still think it would be so much easier to make the interior water friendly.

How much water are you really planning on running through?

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:14 am

I'm not "planning" on it, just getting prepaired. As mentioned, I got water on the door last year, and want to try and prevent it this year. I see what your saying though. I remmeber seeing a company that sold vinal carpet replacements, can even get camo lol. Now, floor plugs, I didn't think the KJ had these? do I need to create this? If so, where? Now, my #1 concern here isn't the carpet, its actually the wiring under teh seats, and anything else like that that scares me, I'de rather not fry any electronics...

05infernoCRDL · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:19 pm

ObiHann wrote:

I'm not "planning" on it, just getting prepaired. As mentioned, I got water on the door last year, and want to try and prevent it this year. I see what your saying though. I remmeber seeing a company that sold vinal carpet replacements, can even get camo lol. Now, floor plugs, I didn't think the KJ had these? do I need to create this? If so, where? Now, my #1 concern here isn't the carpet, its actually the wiring under teh seats, and anything else like that that scares me, I'de rather not fry any electronics...

all your connections should be water proof in the kj.. no worries there

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:54 pm

Even the ones dangling under the seat?

KJ04 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:22 pm

ObiHann wrote:

I'm not "planning" on it, just getting prepaired. As mentioned, I got water on the door last year, and want to try and prevent it this year. I see what your saying though. I remmeber seeing a company that sold vinal carpet replacements, can even get camo lol. Now, floor plugs, I didn't think the KJ had these? do I need to create this? If so, where? Now, my #1 concern here isn't the carpet, its actually the wiring under teh seats, and anything else like that that scares me, I'de rather not fry any electronics...

Trying to totally water proof your KJ is not the solution. Common sence is the solution!

The easiest and best way is to simply avoid venturing into unknow water, especially if you are alone. If you're with others, let the higher vehicles enter first so you can better determine if you even have a chance to make it through.

Going through deep water with a soild bottom to it is generally not a problem. However, fairly deep water with a soft or muddy bottom is just asking for disaster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ETtd-Iu ... re=related

Neatus · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:19 pm

KJ04 wrote:

ObiHann wrote:

I'm not "planning" on it, just getting prepaired. As mentioned, I got water on the door last year, and want to try and prevent it this year. I see what your saying though. I remmeber seeing a company that sold vinal carpet replacements, can even get camo lol. Now, floor plugs, I didn't think the KJ had these? do I need to create this? If so, where? Now, my #1 concern here isn't the carpet, its actually the wiring under teh seats, and anything else like that that scares me, I'de rather not fry any electronics...

Trying to totally water proof your KJ is not the solution. Common sence is the solution!

The easiest and best way is to simply avoid venturing into unknow water, especially if you are alone. If you're with others, let the higher vehicles enter first so you can better determine if you even have a chance to make it through.

Well that sure is boring :wink:

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:26 pm

How bout a bilge pump? :lol:

ramlebliberty · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:04 pm

I don't think hes talking about waterproofing to the point of being able to see striped bass swimming by the window, just making the doors water tight so when this happens

you dont have a 1' puddle of swamp much inside your jeep.

I was thinking about getting some of the weather stripping thats already in the jeep and doubling it up so it presses toghether when the door is closed. Also raise your breathers up, if you do that I think you'll be able to go through the most a libby can handle high & dry

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:17 pm

05infernoCRDL wrote:

ObiHann wrote:

I'm not "planning" on it, just getting prepaired. As mentioned, I got water on the door last year, and want to try and prevent it this year. I see what your saying though. I remmeber seeing a company that sold vinal carpet replacements, can even get camo lol. Now, floor plugs, I didn't think the KJ had these? do I need to create this? If so, where? Now, my #1 concern here isn't the carpet, its actually the wiring under teh seats, and anything else like that that scares me, I'de rather not fry any electronics...

all your connections should be water proof in the kj.. no worries there

There are drains on the bottom edges of the doors,that's the biggest cause for water getting in,also the door seal.There are no waterproof connectors in the KJ,they are for the most part "weather proof" which is along way from "waterproof".

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:16 pm

ramlebliberty wrote:

I don't think hes talking about waterproofing to the point of being able to see striped bass swimming by the window, just making the doors water tight so when this happens

you dont have a 1' puddle of swamp much inside your jeep.

I was thinking about getting some of the weather stripping thats already in the jeep and doubling it up so it presses toghether when the door is closed. Also raise your breathers up, if you do that I think you'll be able to go through the most a libby can handle high & dry

Thats EXACTLY what I'm talking about. So, any ideas to prevent little mishaps like that?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:22 pm

i've seen guys go fishin sittin in the bed of their truck but never really seen them drive it out in the middle of the pond to do it :lol:

i don't think there is a practical solution to what you're aiming at, that's alot of silicon waterproofing, if carpet was the only issue i'd say pull the carpet and spray in a rubber floorboard and put removeable stoppers in the floorpan but i have a feeling thats not what you're aiming at

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:40 pm

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

i've seen guys go fishin sittin in the bed of their truck but never really seen them drive it out in the middle of the pond to do it :lol:

i don't think there is a practical solution to what you're aiming at, that's alot of silicon waterproofing, if carpet was the only issue i'd say pull the carpet and spray in a rubber floorboard and put removeable stoppers in the floorpan but i have a feeling thats not what you're aiming at

No, its not, but after the last time I pulled out the carpets and seats and hooked up the shop vac, I decided the next time, I would rip teh carpet out, replace it with vinal, and drill some drain holes all the way through. I would love a good way to better seal the vehicle so that didn't happen, but my overall goal is prepare to prevent, and prepared for when it happens. Basically a plan a and b situation lol

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:54 pm

shouldn't have to drill, should already be holes in the floorboard that are stopped with body plugs about the size of a dog tag? or... am i showing my age again?

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:09 am

just weld the doors shut ala Dukes of Hazard, only real way to totally shut out the water, and then of course you have other areas. Like Troy stated there are holes in your doors so as the water comes up not only will it go around the seals it will also fill up the insides of your do0r and come in that way as well
best is to stay out of water that deep, walk out with a stick first and check the depth

ObiHann · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:11 am

Well when your in the middle of a convoy, and the trail is too narrow to turn around, checking it with a stick isn't gonna work

I guess its that point you try to get through, and if not, map the pumps

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:33 am

ObiHann wrote:

Well when your in the middle of a convoy, and the trail is too narrow to turn around, checking it with a stick isn't gonna work

I guess its that point you try to get through, and if not, map the pumps

Guess I have always wheeled with people who I trusted and they also checked before they went in or through, going into water/mud blind is always bad in the end

ObiHann · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:21 am

tommudd wrote:

ObiHann wrote:

Well when your in the middle of a convoy, and the trail is too narrow to turn around, checking it with a stick isn't gonna work

I guess its that point you try to get through, and if not, map the pumps

Guess I have always wheeled with people who I trusted and they also checked before they went in or through, going into water/mud blind is always bad in the end

Oh, I trust these guys, there a great bunch. Only issue (which I had least year) was there all running tj/yj/xj with 35's or so, and I was stock with my bald tires :oops:

My fault for sure

When we go out we go in well known trails, so we/they know the depth of areas so we dont end up up to our mirrors.... But hey, anything has happened lol

KJ04 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:12 am

ObiHann wrote:

tommudd wrote:

ObiHann wrote:

Well when your in the middle of a convoy, and the trail is too narrow to turn around, checking it with a stick isn't gonna work

I guess its that point you try to get through, and if not, map the pumps

Guess I have always wheeled with people who I trusted and they also checked before they went in or through, going into water/mud blind is always bad in the end

Oh, I trust these guys, there a great bunch. Only issue (which I had least year) was there all running tj/yj/xj with 35's or so, and I was stock with my bald tires :oops:

My fault for sure

When we go out we go in well known trails, so we/they know the depth of areas so we dont end up up to our mirrors.... But hey, anything has happened lol

Considering you can almost get a stock Liberty high centered going over an ant hill. :lol:

How did you imagine you were going to keep up with the Big Dogs on 35's on a trail ride with a stock Liberty, on bald tires?

Again, common sence comes into play!

There's and old saying: If you can't run with the "Big Dogs", stay on the porch! :lol:

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:33 pm

Talk about knowing your terrain and limitations :shock:

Making my doors watertight?

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