New Ranger in deep water

Ford Australia has proved its locally-developed Ranger has what it takes to tackle high water scenarios.

Testing Ranger 4x4 and 4x2 Hi-Rider models – even when fully loaded – Ford demonstrated its new commercial champion can wade through a class-leading 80cm of water. Engineers tested the Ranger over a range of water depths, and at various speeds, simulating both offroad fording, such as through creeks or rivers, and extended wet weather driving through longer puddles on sealed surfaces.

The new water bath at Ford's You Yangs testing facility in Victoria has angled sides to carefully replicate the effect of a bow wave that forms at the front of a vehicle as it pushes through a body of water and can be filled at height intervals of 50mm.

"When we go through the water bath, we're looking out for every possible functional failure in the vehicle," explained Tom Dohrmann, the development engineer in charge of Ranger's water management.

"The most critical one would be if water was sucked through the air intake into the engine, resulting in hydro-lock, which can bend the piston's connecting rods and potentially destroy the entire engine. We have to protect against such failures so that our customers can go deeper without causing catastrophic damage to their engines."

To help it 'go deep', Ford engineers concentrated on finding strategic positions for key components, such as the engine's air intake, alternator, transmission, fuel tank and differential breather hoses. Even smaller ancillary items like Ranger's acoustic parking sensors were carefully positioned and waterproofed.

"We're very proud of how deep the Ranger can go," said Dohrmann.

"When faced with a water crossing, you'll be able to drive it into the water deeper than the competition can, through the water, out of the water and onto safe ground."

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