Overlanding – Page 5

We all know that those fantastic 4x4 Jeeps that roam the city streets are actually designed for the rugged outdoors, the mud, the sand, the rain, and the bush. However, how far down the outdoor rabbit hole can these cars go – can we drive them through water and leave them out in the rain with the top off? Although the engineers of Jeep have designed their vehicles to be water-safe on the outside and to be driven with the engine submerged if it has a snorkel, the question begs – how water resistant are these cars on the inside and how careful should you be on your adventures? Can the inside of a Jeep get wet? The short and long of it is that yes, your Jeep can get wet on the inside, but definitely not for too long. The insides of Jeeps are designed to be water-resistant, but not waterproof. So if you submerge your jeep or leave it out in the rain or snow with the windows and top-down, your seats and floors will get soaked. The great part is that the inside will dry relatively quickly if left open in the sun and some owners even say an hour is enough. On cold wet days, you can try parking the Jeep indoors while using an old box fan to help speed up the drying process. Luckily, with great forethought, Jeep manufactured their newer models’ inside electronics to be carefully sealed and highly water-resistant, including the push start button, so you won’t have to worry too much about these. Let’s have a look at some of the wet mishaps that can target your Jeep’s inside and how to solve them. How to prevent your Jeep’s inside from getting wet Some of the things I list here are self-explanatory, but I decided to mention them in any case as at least one of these has happened to all of us! Check the Weather Prevention is always better than cure and if you plan a trip with your Jeep, double-check the weather and take preventative measures. Keep Those Windows Closed Yes, if you have not been caught off guard by a rainstorm with your windows open, you have not lived. It happens to the best of us, and if you are like me and were stuck in a meeting when it happened, you may find yourself with very, very wet seats by the time you get to your car. My resulting rule of thumb is that windows remain closed unless we are sitting in the Jeep. Leaving the windows open to keep the car cool is just not worth the mess of wet seats if a rain shower hits. Keep the Top-Up Yes – similar to the windows, if you are not in the car – keep the top-up. It may not look that cool, but let’s face it – Jeeps are cool anyways, top-up or down! Get Some Waterproof Seat Covers This is a great alternative to wetness-paranoia, and there are so many different brands and looks to go for. The most popular brands of waterproof seat covers that will fit your jeep, include Best Top, Wet Okole, Cover craft, and Seat shield. Neoprene seat covers such as these, which are made from the same material as wet suits, are very popular due to their great insulation and comfort. Opt for a Water-Resistant Cab Cover These are fantastic and very easy and fast to set up. In fact, it would take you much longer to raise your soft top and zip up all the windows than to set up one of these. They are compact and can be kept in your jeep all the time as a backup if the top is off. Use a Bed Liner Product for Your Floors If the interior of your Jeep only got slightly wet – simply pulling out the carpets and air-drying the interior will do the trick. If your interior was soaked, however, the water can drain into the floorboards of the car, and that is very difficult to dry. Many times, if the floorboards get wet, mold will grow which will lead to a permanent bad odor in the car. If you know that your car will get wet frequently – it is a good idea to rip out the carpets are line the floor with a bed liner waterproof material like Raptor, Line-X or Rhino. This will allow you to simply pull the plugs in the floor and drain the car if it gets soaked. There is a downside to these liners in that they offer almost no insulation against heat or noise – and will definitely alter the comfort level in your Jeep. If you simply use your Jeep to drive to work, this is probably not a great option, and if your car gets wet, you can use the methods below to get it dry. How to Dry Out the Inside of Your Jeep If your jeep did get wet, despite all your waterproofing efforts, there are several trusted methods that you can get the interior dry. Dry Off What You Can By Hand This is quite important and should be your first step in drying your car. Wipe the vinyl or leather surfaces with a dry cloth, including the doors. Grab all those soaking carpets and have them dry separately outside. Make sure to pull all the plugs in your Jeeps floor to let any pooling water out – this will make a huge difference to getting your car dry. Once the car is dry, make sure to replace them. Utilize Nature It’s the thing 4x4 adventurers enjoy most and it’s also the thing that will help you get the water from your Jeep the fastest. On a hot sunny day, simply park your jeep outside with the top off and let the sun and wind do the job. The sun has an added benefit in that the UV rays also sterilize, and will kill any mold that may have thought of growing on your wet seats. The UV rays will also remove any potential odors from the seats and carpets. Use a Box Fan If you need to try to dry out your Jeeps interior on a cold and wet day, the best option would be to park it inside and use a box fan to circulate the air, helping the drying process. I have personally used an extension cord to get the fan right inside the car – so that the air blows directly on the seats and carpets. You can also try to heat up the surrounding environment, which will help speed up the drying process. I often place a simple room heater in the garage, with the fan in the car – so the fan will blow hot air on the seats and carpets. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you out there enjoying many wet and dry adventures with your Jeep!