Can I submerge my Haldex?

[skibo]

Once I got the hitch on my XC a couple of months ago, I was able to resurrect a sailboat that I hadn't used in 12 years - mostly due to young kids, but the lack of a tow vehical didn't help.

I launched twice in the past few weeks on nice, steep ramps and the water came up to the back wheels. This weekend I may be launching from a shallow ramp, and I'm worried that the Haldex device may be submerged.

How worried should I be about that? It's got to be sealed from water spray, but being submerged is a different story - the diagram (attached) doesn't show any sort of vent pipe but if there is one, it seems like it would be a problem. I never used to worry about this with my last tow car with a one piece 'live' rear axle. (Of course, come to think of it, the differential did fail on that car eventually........coincidence????)

So - for those who've poked around back there changing fluid or reattaching that electrical plug that sometimes comes loose - do you have any wisdom for me?

[Adrian]

Here in norway it is normal to use a rope between the trailer and the hitch for the last few meters to avoid submerging the car.

[sjonnie]

This weekend I may be launching from a shallow ramp, and I'm worried that the Haldex device may be submerged.

How worried should I be about that? It's got to be sealed from water spray, but being submerged is a different story - the diagram (attached) doesn't show any sort of vent pipe but if there is one, it seems like it would be a problem. I never used to worry about this with my last tow car with a one piece 'live' rear axle. (Of course, come to think of it, the differential did fail on that car eventually........coincidence????)

It might not be a coincidence, instructions for off-road capable vehicles always say to change the diff oil if it's been submerged or driven through deep water. If you didn't do that corrosion inside the dif could have been responsible for early diff failure. I should think the same would apply to the Volvo.

[wgriswold]

Here in norway it is normal to use a rope between the trailer and the hitch for the last few meters to avoid submerging the car.

I have seem a really neat solution to this problem. There is a device that holds the spare tire on a offset, rotating axle at the front of the trailer. The tire is then bolted to the device much as on the car. In one position the tire is up off the ground and when the axle assembly is rotated 180 deg. the tire is down on the ground and supports the front of the traler. The trailer can be attached to the vehicle with a rope or whatever and drop down the ramp and later pulled out as well.

Does that make sense?

The ramp I was using was steep and I never got one so I don't know how theory matches up with reality.

[Sasquatch]

You need better ramps or a better trailer. I have a 16' boat which has a trailer with a pin you pull out so the trailer "breaks" in the middle, allowing it to tilt down in the back. Usually, you just back up to where the rear tires almost touch the water. You don't want to try to drive out on slimy ramps unless you have a decent 4WD system. This is one of the reasons I don't like AWD. I wish the Volvo came with a true locking differential. I now have a Jeep Liberty, and the next vehicle (to replace the Volvo) will have either single axle drive or true 4WD, not AWD. Also, the low gear helps a LOT.

That said, there is something to be said for higher profile tires. I posted on here a while ago about wishing for 235/75R16 tires to fit under this wagon. I guess there are no decent lift kits to allow this, though.

[skibo]

Thanks everyone for the commentary.

Attached are some shots from Launch #1 this year - a pretty steep ramp as the 2nd photo shows, but the first show shows how far in I had to get the trailer to float off the boat. Sasquatch, this trailer actually does fold in the middle, but it's never been clear to me exactly how that is supposed to help. On the level, I pull the pin and nothing happens - maybe on a slope with the stern floating it would be a different story. The trailer is an old Gator of unknown vintage.

Adrien and wgriswald - the 'tongue wheel with a rope' idea could work on a smooth hard ramp - I have a little fixed wheel on there already - but the ramp I'm considering using is sand, and I think a small-ish wheel could dig in - I just measured the tongue load recently and it's around 115 pounts ( 52 kg ).

I think maybe I'll just stick to steep, paved ramps.

[wgriswold]

Thanks everyone for the commentary.

Attached are some shots from Launch #1 this year - a pretty steep ramp as the 2nd photo shows, but the first show shows how far in I had to get the trailer to float off the boat. Sasquatch, this trailer actually does fold in the middle, but it's never been clear to me exactly how that is supposed to help. On the level, I pull the pin and nothing happens - maybe on a slope with the stern floating it would be a different story. The trailer is an old Gator of unknown vintage.

Adrien and wgriswald - the 'tongue wheel with a rope' idea could work on a smooth hard ramp - I have a little fixed wheel on there already - but the ramp I'm considering using is sand, and I think a small-ish wheel could dig in - I just measured the tongue load recently and it's around 115 pounts ( 52 kg ).

I think maybe I'll just stick to steep, paved ramps.

The system I remember uses the spare tire for the trailer and would not dig in any more than the regular trailer tires.

[skibo]

The system I remember uses the spare tire for the trailer and would not dig in any more than the regular trailer tires.

OK - I get it - that would be handy.

[Sasquatch]

My trailer, you don't even put the trailer hubs in the water. Just wet the back of the boat, then roll the boat down off the rollers. As it is rolling, you can assist and lift the front, and the trailer folds in half, sending the boat deeper (careful not to scrape). It looks like that boat should be light enough to jockey around a bit by hand in this fashion. Try working the trailer when the boat is at the very end of it. Maybe some oil beforehand to get it working right.