thick icey water

[kizz81]

whats thebest policey to stop whats happening to the front passenger side wing in this picture?
not to enter the water? = boring
smash ice with feet or other object ?
or weld something to the bull bar to offer more protection?



the front wing next to the base of the bull bars and below the bottom of the top of the bull bars is taking the force of the ice because the bumper length is on between the chassy legs
any advice much appriciated

cheers kizz

[Disco Matt]

Right, I've done a bit of icebreaking and have the scars to prove it, so I'll explain what I did and you can avoid copying me!  :lol:

I went into ice about 2" thick at my normal wading speed (low 2nd, in at tickover then more welly to build a small bow wave). The ice broke up nicely and was apparently popping up from behind and around the vehicle. I got through fine, but with one cracked indicator lens and a bumper end cap hanging off. Not sure there's much I could have done about the former, as if I'd slowed down then muddy water would have entered the vehicle and there'd have been a greater risk of drowning the electrics.

Edit, in your case I think you need a full width bumper. I had the standard Disco one and it was fine for bulldozing ice with, aside from the flimsy bits of plastic on the ends. You might be able to fit challenge-style tubular wings if you don't want a full width bumper.

[Range Rover Blues]

Fit a proper bumper, not that you can see what it's for.  If you're worried about the ice riding over it then I'd say the MOD twin bumper (IIRC it had a special name) will provide a lot of protection and a recovery point.

[waveydavey]

Let somebody else go through first  :lol:

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Let somebody else go through first  :lol:

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[kizz81]

 :lol: but no one else wanted to go in it  :lol:
a proper bumper? 

[Saffy]

i'd be boring and not enter water that deep unless it was emergency (then it wouldnt matter). Driving deep thick ice I have crushed wings, damaged winch and would have torn full length intercooler and rad if it wasn't for the sheet metal grill I had on at time which got buckled - the fun element kinda wains when time and $$ comes into it for repairs.

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

i'd be boring and not enter water that deep unless it was emergency

Agreed.

I used to drive a lane (Pepper Box Hill near Salisbury IIRC) which was often thick in ice. My concern was not bodywork but things like brake pipes!

[Mark Y]

There is a correct method to enter thick ice as taught by Land Rover, I have used it many times in training and it does work,
Here we go, slowly enter the waters edge where the ice is thinnest very gently, break up a small amount of the ice a ft or so,(you could consider reversing in and using rear cross member to break initial ice) reverse out and drive back in at speed and brake sharply just before the solid ice, this sends a shockwave of water under the ice and it breaks it up, if it doesn't work fully the first time do it again, you can then drive through pushing the ice aside.
Obviously this method depends on how thick the ice is, if your on a frozen lake in Canada it's not going to work !.

[Drift]

In the Army we where taught to throw the biggest rock you could find in to break the ice ;)
Of course we didnt as the LRs where not ours (dont get tax payer technical on me lol) and that would have been boring  :lol:

[squaddie_fox]

i remember trying to brake ice out in germany on a recovery camp, we broke a few picks, shovels and sledge hammers, tried to drive the blade down on the crarrv to break it and that didnt work either started lifting it up (62 ton) so we battened down and drove onto it, safe to say we waited for it to thaw a bit! :doh:

[Range Rover Blues]

In the Army we where taught to throw the biggest rock you could find in to break the ice ;)

Trust the Army to come up with such a non-technical solution :lol:

[Drift]

It was generally one of us with a hangover that fell in testing the ice  :oops: :lol: :lol:

[waveydavey]

In the Army we where taught to throw the biggest rock you could find in to break the ice ;)

Trust the Army to come up with such a non-technical solution :lol:

That is technical for a squaddie  :D :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

In the Army we where taught to throw the biggest rock you could find in to break the ice ;)

Trust the Army to come up with such a non-technical solution :lol:

That is technical for a squaddie  :D :lol:

K.I.S.S.

[bastynitch]

There is a correct method to enter thick ice as taught by Land Rover, I have used it many times in training and it does work,
Here we go, slowly enter the waters edge where the ice is thinnest very gently, break up a small amount of the ice a ft or so,(you could consider reversing in and using rear cross member to break initial ice) reverse out and drive back in at speed and brake sharply just before the solid ice, this sends a shockwave of water under the ice and it breaks it up, if it doesn't work fully the first time do it again, you can then drive through pushing the ice aside.
Obviously this method depends on how thick the ice is, if your on a frozen lake in Canada it's not going to work !.

wow that sounds clever! , also fun establishing that shock wave :dance: