In case you missed it, the Blue Oval brand is keen to promote the extensive level of durability testing its upcoming Ford Ranger Super Dutyhas been subjected to.

A month after showing how it put the toughest Ranger ever through trial by mud, Ford has published footage from the next step of the vehicle’s validation process – this time proving that its water-fording capabilities are up to scratch.

Going into this testing, Ford says it set itself a wading depth target of 850mm, which builds on the standard 4×4 Ranger’s 800mm creek-crossing capability.

Ford began this test at its You Yangs Proving Ground near Geelong, where engineers had constructed a 50-metre concrete basin that “can go from bone dry to more than a metre deep in minutes”. This provided a controlled environment for “systematic testing”.

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Interestingly, the team began at a depth of just 50mm, as Ranger Super Duty program engineer Drew O’Shannassy says “each depth tells a different engineering story”.

This depth primarily facilitated high-speed testing, to confirm how well crucial components like the alternator, anciliary belts, turbo housings and exhaust system were protected from water splashing its way past wheel-arch liners. As the water got deeper, controlled-speed crossings allowed engineers to assess intake sealing and overall water intrusion protection.

“Our controlled water bath allows us to repeat our tests for accurate validations, but the real proof comes when conditions become unpredictable,” Mr O’Shannassy said.

Months after the controlled testing, Ford’s team took the Super Duty to the Crooked River Track near Dargo in Victoria’s High Country, a real-world test with 27 consecutive river crossings. This track was chosen for its rainfall-affected water levels, inconsistencies from crossing to crossing, and variations in river bed material.