PowerBoost Creek Crossings

[Blakebristol88]

Hey everyone, first post (maybe?) Looking at a 2024 Powerboost, one of the main reasons to get 4 wheel drive is to do some creek crossings... 1.5 - 2 feet deep, and to run around the beaches in California and I'll end up driving in the wet sand. Will the hybrid battery be compromised at all in either of these scenarios, or should I get a 5.0 and be happy knowing I won't be messing up the hybrid battery?

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[imnuts]

The battery is sealed. If you're going through water that deep, you may want to check the axles/diffs after doing so as you may go over the breather tube height and get water in them. There's more info in the manual about it.

 

[Natetroknot]

Water crossing is a bad idea in any vehicle. I would be more hesitant to do so in a brand new 65k truck, but the hybrid issue doesn’t really compound the potential damage. Pick a different line on the trail, go around if possible, and if you can’t avoid fording understand the maintenance that needs to follow, and take care of it pronto.

 

[Blakebristol88]

Thanks for the input, I’ve done it before in a 2003 Explorer, 2002 Tacoma Prerunner, a 2002 Silverado, and a 2005 F150, so I’m sure it’ll be OK, I was mainly concerned about the Hybrid system as this is the only thing different.

Water crossing is a bad idea in any vehicle. I would be more hesitant to do so in a brand new 65k truck, but the hybrid issue doesn’t really compound the potential damage. Pick a different line on the trail, go around if possible, and if you can’t avoid fording understand the maintenance that needs to follow, and take care of it pronto.

How deep of a creek crossing would you recommend if there is no other choice to get to the other side?

 

[Natetroknot]

Depends how much you trust weatherpack electrical connections. I personally would not take my own truck any deeper than the center caps on the wheels.

But having been a member of a Jeep club with a dedicated trail rig, I can say with experience that once you commit to a crossing, it almost always ends up surprising you. You never know how soft a riverbottom is and how much you can sink on a soft, silty bottom with a heavy truck. I’m not going to speculate about a safe depth for a 2024 F150 Powerboost.

If you can afford a new one, and this is something you intend to do often, buy a trailer and a side by side. You’ll love how the PowerBoost tows way more than its off road/water crossing prowess.

Good luck!

 

[Natetroknot]

I would also add, a water crossing at any depth with a 19 year old vehicle (the newest of all the examples you provided) is infinitely less risky than a 2024 Ford F150 Powerboost. There are somewhere around 40 modules (computers) on these trucks, and many systems that are incredibly sensitive to current flow/draw. It has been engineered to keep the elements out, but that’s for normal driving/weather/car washes. I can’t overstate enough how foolish I think it would be for someone to use this truck to cross water for recreational purposes.

 

[imnuts]

It has been engineered to keep the elements out, but that’s for normal driving/weather/car washes.

Even a standard garden hose would be more likely to cause water ingress into a connector than driving through a stream or standing water. A pressure washer that's running at 2-3000 psi or more would be even worse.

There are no modules anywhere outside the vehicle that would be in danger of getting flooded. Maybe a few connections, but no modules. Until you're at the point where a module would be in danger of water damage, I'd be more concerned of water getting into the cab.

 

[Snakebitten]

The VDM module is fairly low.
And the DC/DC converter isn't high enough for my comfort for a long dunk in the drink.

 

[HammaMan]

The HV connections should be rated at 1 meter for 30 minutes. The cables and connectors I've torn into have all been double sealed on the HV side. It's much better than the LV side of things.

 

[MichF150]

I’d recommend a solid lift if you are frequently . At least rear blocks, level and taller tires.

 

[Oilberta]

Article from overseas says 600mm (23” in freedom units) for standard 4x4 F150, probably a bit higher in the tremor with lift and tire size. It’s a 4x4 tool, treat it as such, some folks need to cross rivers and others need it to crawl the mall’s on Saturdays.

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