Snorkels (For trucks, not diving)

Gidday team.

Just got myself a nice wee 2016 BT-50.

It has some semi-decent A/T tyres and a canopy. Will be getting a dog box for under the canopy so they don't get squished by hunting gear. Down the track I'll get slightly bigger tyres and probably a lift.

But the next thing I plan to do is to get a snorkel fitted so I don't end up drowning the thing when I go driving through puddles. Snorkels are something I have no experience in. Could those who have experience please help me with the following:

- Snorkel brand: sounds like Safari are gold standard with a price tag to suit - are the cheaper alternatives sufficient or best to go with the known brands?
- Snorkel fitting: I don't have the tools or confidence to do this myself - can anyone recommend reputable people in Dunedin who could do this? Preferably people who specialise in 4wd stuff or fit snorkels regularly.
- Anything else I should be thinking of?

Thanks,
Elliott

Check the shiny 4wds out side the trendy cafe's out and see what's the most fashionable sorry not much help :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by northdude

Check the shiny 4wds out side the trendy cafe's out and see what's the most fashionable sorry not much help :)

---

Ha!

Yeah unfortunately I'm not too worried about what's trendy, I want something that works. Thanks anyway, though.

There's a couple of places I go hunting that I'd like to have peace of mind with a snorkel. A couple of times we've had river crossings that got close to the bonnet on a truck with a lift (and a snorkel).

There is a guy down in Amberly who advertises on retardeme. Cheap as they are a, cough, very similar to another brand. Good to deal with. Hawker supplies. Not sure if he does your model, you'll have to look yourself.
I will say it is a very disconcerting feeling cutting a sodding great hole in a perfectly good guard.
And that was on a 94 mitsi couple of years back

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by csmiffy

There is a guy down in Amberly who advertises on retardeme. Cheap as they are a, cough, very similar to another brand. Good to deal with. Hawker supplies. Not sure if he does your model, you'll have to look yourself.
I will say it is a very disconcerting feeling cutting a sodding great hole in a perfectly good guard.
And that was on a 94 mitsi couple of years back

---

Yeah was looking at theirs - just a bit worried about what makes them cheaper. Do they still seal well? Do they perish? Is the fit not as good? All these sort of questions come to mind.

Haha yeah that's for sure! Not quite as disconcerting, I wouldn't have thought, as hearing the life drain out of your truck in the middle of a river hundreds of kms from anywhere.

Snorkels can be a pain to fit, some of the templates they give don't line up.So check once and check again before cutting. I have seen some of the cheaper snorkels go brittle in the sun. Make sure it is sealed. Also if you are doing a lot of river work it pays to extend your breathers up on diffs and gearbox.
There was a place in south island making one piece steel tube snorkels and powder coated.
2016 Is not that old so you want a nice tidy job imo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bigbear

Snorkels can be a pain to fit, some of the templates they give don't line up.So check once and check again before cutting. I have seen some of the cheaper snorkels go brittle in the sun. Make sure it is sealed. Also if you are doing a lot of river work it pays to extend your breathers up on diffs and gearbox.
There was a place in south island making one piece steel tube snorkels and powder coated.
2016 Is not that old so you want a nice tidy job imo

---

Yeah fully agree - happy to pay for it to be tidy. I won't be fitting it myself so would like to know of any reputable 4x4 places in Dunedin that fit them regularly.

I don't do heaps of river work - maybe 4 or 5 deep crossings a year. Main use will be crawling up riverbeds and tracks on DoC land

Went thru this a while back, places in Dunedin that quoted to fit a snorkel where Midway motors and St Kilda Automotive (ironman 4x4 agent). Didn't end up using either as ended upgrading to a truck that had one fitted so can't comment on their workmanship.
With a late model ute don't get lulled into a false sense of security by a snorkel. They tend to have a lot of electronics mounted low in the seat-pillars and under seats (ecu) etc.... Check your door seals are in good condition! Whatever you do don't get water in the cab!

As others have mentioned breathers for diffs and trans are also important but not full proof, check your oils after river work.

Good luck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by csmiffy

There is a guy down in Amberly who advertises on retardeme. Cheap as they are a, cough, very similar to another brand. Good to deal with. Hawker supplies. Not sure if he does your model, you'll have to look yourself.
I will say it is a very disconcerting feeling cutting a sodding great hole in a perfectly good guard.
And that was on a 94 mitsi couple of years back

---

I can vouch for their products, I installed one myself on a Isuzu trooper a while back, worked a treat, and measure 12 times then cut once! Very unnerving to intentionally cut into parts of your truck! I think @mudgripz has dealt with them as well, I’m looking to put one in my Isuzu irmscher, ubs55 not as easy as the older trooper but I’m going back to them, as long as they have the same supplier!

I'm more DIY, just so I know it's sealed. Found them all to be much-of-a-muchness between the cheaper and more expensive. The cheaper one had a great instruction sheet that said to 'Read the instruction sheet twice before installing.' I did that, but that was the instruction sheet, just those words.

I have a snorkel kit here that will fit a SuzukiGrand Vitara 2.4 petrol if anyone interested. Cheap!! Like make an offer. No use to me now. Bought it, but did not fit, then sold that vehicle and went for a d-max.
Have been advised as per comments above that modern 4wd can have a lot of sensitive elec-trickery down low, so do not put my Ute through deeper water.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I'm more DIY, just so I know it's sealed. Found them all to be much-of-a-muchness between the cheaper and more expensive. The cheaper one had a great instruction sheet that said to 'Read the instruction sheet twice before installing.' I did that, but that was the instruction sheet, just those words.

---

Haha!

Yeah I would go DIY if I had the tools and confidence. I'll be sure to get whoever does it to show me that it's all sealed up and functioning as it should.

I took my vehicle around to a panel beater with the templates, and he did the hole cutting and sealing for me and all I had to do was install it myself.

Mines an airflow brand on my land cruiser, and it was fiddly, But once its done its done, and it has certainly proved its worth in multiple river crossings

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Edunn

Yeah was looking at theirs - just a bit worried about what makes them cheaper. Do they still seal well? Do they perish? Is the fit not as good? All these sort of questions come to mind.

Haha yeah that's for sure! Not quite as disconcerting, I wouldn't have thought, as hearing the life drain out of your truck in the middle of a river hundreds of kms from anywhere.

---

Mine has been on there nearly 4 years and still looks good. The bits all sealed together well and apparently the factory metal airbox can be the biggest issue not the snorkel
Don't really use it like its intended but I have occasionally nosed in over the bonnet no dramas.

Snorkels are good for more than just wading through water... They collect air from higher up above the road, where it can be significantly cooler. When on a metal road, the air at roof height tends to be much less dusty - especially when driving behind a log truck or similar - as heavier dust particles settle onto the road quite quickly after being disturbed. Cooler air has a big impact on vehicle performance, while less dust is obviously good for filters and engine longevity.

Yes I have one from Hawker Supplies off trademe - paid about $110 or so. Had it fitted by 4WD Upgrades in Chch for about $200. This Hawker snorkel does the job well and is as good as the more expensive Airtechs I had on my earlier 4x4s. Go for it. No real instructions... :)

It was reassuring driving along a river after buying a snorkel for my new wagon. With the water lapping the inter-cooler bonnet scoop I thought it was a great purchase. I would have been more reassured if I'd had an opportunity to fit it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gadgetman

It was reassuring driving along a river after buying a snorkel for my new wagon. With the water lapping the inter-cooler bonnet scoop I thought it was a great purchase. I would have been more reassured if I'd had an opportunity to fit it.

---

I had to read that twice just to make sure of what I read!!! Priceless ;)

When you pick up yr truck with a new snorkel fitted from yr garage.Befor you pay the bill,have yr truck idling,put yr hand over the snorkel air intake opening.if it doesn't just about stall,its not sealed properly.Tell them to seal it properly,remember you spending a lot of yr hard earned cash.

Also to be fussy, make sure they have treated/painted where they cut through the metal work. Dont want a rusty surprise in a couple of years.

Best way to make sure it’s done right, is do it yourself. It’s super easy, just need a batty drill, hole saw and a drill set. The template that came with my safari snorkel was bang on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had my snorkel fitted by Nissan on the East coast. I was lucky they just started employing a mechanic from auzzi.Over in auz he fitted about 2 snorkels a week in the 4x4 garage he worked in for 4yrs.He fitted my patrol y61 airflow snorkel in about 3hours.It was so easy for him.Its never leaked in the 14 yrs I had it.Just about suck the skin of yr hand when you try to block it.The old nissen staff,nobody ever fitted a snorkel.They were pleased to have him around.

Previous owner fitted a Hawkers Snorkel to my Prado and mucked it up. It is sitting about 100-120mm high. So snorkel hat is sitting above the roof line and catches tree branches all the time. I have smashed the plastic mesh in the snorkel head more than once.
So long as you ensure a good seal it will work as well as any other brand. Measure twice, then twice more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trout

I had my snorkel fitted by Nissan on the East coast. I was lucky they just started employing a mechanic from auzzi.Over in auz he fitted about 2 snorkels a week in the 4x4 garage he worked in for 4yrs.He fitted my patrol y61 airflow snorkel in about 3hours.It was so easy for him.Its never leaked in the 14 yrs I had it.Just about suck the skin of yr hand when you try to block it.The old nissen staff,nobody ever fitted a snorkel.They were pleased to have him around.

---

I used to wind the passenger window down so I could hear the my Nissan sucking in the air. Lovely sound.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mauser308

The only sound louder was the sounds of retching and choking in the smog behind you hahahaha (ex-nissan owner, who discovered the little screw that makes it pull harder at sea level and adjusted to just the merest hint of smoking - then drove over the Napier-Taupo and found the black smoke was still there 4 days later on the way back!)

---

There is just something nostalgic about the traditional old coal burners. I hadn't found out about that screw, so when I put my foot down the revs went up but I slowed down.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mauser308

Haha, I had two - the first was a bloody great LWB high roof, the one that comes with it's own accessory micro climate (complete with clouds and rainfall). The second was a SWB, brought it for less than a K off a farm up north, both front quarter panels rusted, firewall rusted and a few other bits needing tidying. Had about 750Kg of prime northland cowturds through it, took a while to get it cleaned off. Found about 5 or 6 spare keys wired up underneath it in various places, the old fella that owned it went a bit lala I think and kept wiring spares up. Only 2 were any good, the rest had dissolved from the cow shit.

That thing wound the dyno off the chart at the old Dr Repower outfit, found out later that it had a black top motor compared to the usual silver top. That's the one I wound the fueling up slightly on the pump, man it could bogie off the line. 5th gear, pull anywhere the only thing that stopped it was altitude. Around town it was unreal, just crazy. Spin both back wheels on a damp roundabout and face the wrong way crazy. Sold it to my uncle for next to nothing, he's still got it. Recently tried to claim a warranty on it, radiator fell out. Oops. Told him to sod off, should have painted the radiator support haha.

It was really interesting, one of the first things I did was replace all fluids - and noted next to nothing in the rear LSD. Around the first corner, boom. Unlocked the clutch pack... Next corner the other way, Bang unlocked the other side. Mean, didn't know it had an LSD - change the fluid for the right one and away we go!

---

They had an insane LSD, way better than the Cruisers of the period. Mine had no hairdrier and a slushbox. Pretty gutless but would get almost anywhere eventually. Most I managed to get into the tank was 62l, but managed about 1000km on that taking it easy, (just a rolling series of roadworks between Christchurch and Nelson and back, plus 100km running around).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Edunn

Gidday team.

But the next thing I plan to do is to get a snorkel fitted so I don't end up drowning the thing when I go driving through puddles. Snorkels are something I have no experience in. Could those who have experience please help me with the following:

- Snorkel brand: sounds like Safari are gold standard with a price tag to suit - are the cheaper alternatives sufficient or best to go with the known brands?

Elliott

---

You don't need the best brand out there. After all they are is a plastic tube!! Thats why some 4WD boys just use some bits of straight stain;less pipe and some flexible rubber elbows and pipe clamps. mine was about $150 off trade me and I have parked next to others with the safari brand snorkels and found them to be identical except for the brand name embossed on the side.

Piece of cake to fit, they all come with a template. All you need is some masking tape, a 10mm drill bit and a jigsaw.
I've installed all types on my vehicles, and it takes about 2-3 hours (on a landcruiser).
Ensure you use a quality sealer, and open your air box up and seal the drain plugs that are in that.
Use some touch up paint to re seal the metal work on your truck.
It is a bit daunting drilling a hole in your pride and joy, but worth the time and effort.
I've had several waves of water over my bonnet/s on river crossings, and in my opinion a snorkel is cheap insurance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

Snorkels are good for more than just wading through water... They collect air from higher up above the road, where it can be significantly cooler. When on a metal road, the air at roof height tends to be much less dusty - especially when driving behind a log truck or similar - as heavier dust particles settle onto the road quite quickly after being disturbed. Cooler air has a big impact on vehicle performance, while less dust is obviously good for filters and engine longevity.

---

I do believe that this is actually what they were designed for...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mauser308

I think the Ranger and BT50 ones bolt in through the hole in the RHS guard... Straight fit?

---

Rangers do (as far as I'm aware) mate but unfortunately the BT-50 does not have a hole all ready to go.

I’ve fitted a few snorkels now. One safari model that cost $500 odd and a few from hawker suppliers on tm and a couple denso type. Band for buck the $110 ones on tm appear just a good as the expensive type minus stainless rivets but the templates are very easy to use etc. I’ve got it down to under a hour now on a hilux and a little longer on a 80series as the steal inner guard are built a little tougher