Rear axle remote breather

One job still to be done on my SWB S3 rebuild before I take it deep wading, is to replace the simple breather I've put on the rear axle, with a remote breather. The gearbox and front axle are relatively easy, just needing to take them high up in the engine bay.

Has anyone else got a remote breather on their rear axle? Where have you brought the vent pipe up to?

The best I can think at the moment is to drill and grommet a hole into the floor of the tub/wheel arch, and bring the pipe up into the body, in the hope that I would already have given up if water gets that high inside the Landy. But I'm not keen to be making more holes in the base of the tub or wheel arch.

Just route the line along the chassis to the front and up at the same place as the others.

WoodyO said:

Just route the line along the chassis to the front and up at the same place as the others.

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Hmmm, yes, I guess that would make a lot of sense. The pipe I currently have (with a hooked end) is too short to reach the engine bay, but that's fixable, I guess.

If its the small press fit air line couplers you're using, just get some more air line (6mm?) and run them all together.

When I get around to it I plan to run the rear up towards gearbox and transfer box, where they will all join and then run a single line up to the engine bay.

No, mine isn't. I bought a 'kit' for that, only to find that the push-fit couplers were too small to fit my diffs/gearbox. The holes are closer to M10 or 3/8" - the gearbox hole was definitely M10, but I bought a standard vent to temporarily fit on the rear that I'm pretty sure is imperial. I have banjos for both sizes to fit, when I get around to it.

I know it’s not a series but on my 90 I brought all the breathers into a block at the bulkhead and then up the snorkel.

I just used push fit fittings on the hook bits

flat said:

I know it’s not a series but on my 90 I brought all the breathers into a block at the bulkhead and then up the snorkel.

I just used push fit fittings on the hook bits

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That would be the perfect solution. Although thinking about how cold water is this time of year, I'm not intending to go wading quite that deeply! I was thinking that top of the engine bay is sufficient protection, given 90% of Landys probably are probably only OK to the top of their axle.

But that's a good point - if the tubes I have are also 6mm, then that would be an easy way to extend/merge the tubes. I'll check how well they'll fit.

TheMegaMan said:

That would be the perfect solution. Although thinking about how cold water is this time of year, I'm not intending to go wading quite that deeply! I was thinking that top of the engine bay is sufficient protection, given 90% of Landys probably are probably only OK to the top of their axle.

But that's a good point - if the tubes I have are also 6mm, then that would be an easy way to extend/merge the tubes. I'll check how well they'll fit.

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Had my 2A up to the door handles, which I think I measured as 31". Some water around my feet, but not a huge amount!

Mine's a 109 FFR and the pipes go into the chassis.

FirstLW said:

Had my 2A up to the door handles, which I think I measured as 31". Some water around my feet, but not a huge amount!

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I've not done it personally, but I've seen photos of my car with water over the top of the bonnet. And there was mud *everywhere* when I took it apart. But I can't remember where the rear axle breather was when I removed it. An unfortunate gap in my notes. But I did figure getting the vent into the tub was likely to be a mostly-dry area...but I really didn't want to make any more holes in the floor.

Top of the engine bay will be sufficient for now, with a look to merging all the vents together and taking them up with the snorkel at some point if I think I'm inclined to fill it with mud again in the future.

Extreedoc said:

Mine's a 109 FFR and the pipes go into the chassis.

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Curious. Given I have several holes/drains in the chassis, I can't see it'll stay dry inside if submerged. Maybe it will fill up slowly enough (or have a bubble in it) that a carefully positioned open end won't take in water. Not sure I'll risk that, though. Your chassis might be designed to ensure there is a suitable bubble.