Snorkel

[evanwillegen]

What's the use of a snorkel?


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[evanwillegen]

I have been driving my LC 100 for about 10 years now. I have made a few minor mods as in a double battery and better navigation unit. That's about it.

I have always wondered what the need is of a snorkel?

I wonder if any of us on a regular basis go that deep into water that you need a snorkel at roof level.
If it comes to dust, I have done thousands of miles in desert areas and very dusty track and I had never any issues with overload of dust in my air filters. (Btw you can rinse them in a bucket of water [emoji6]).

So why a snorkel [emoji848] ?


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[Bob]

I think most people that use them talk mostly of the dust and cleaner air benefit rather than the wading depth. Tbh, if you are planning on going into water deeper than the 700mm you get from the factory, then there are so many other factors at play. Diff breathers, water ingress to the cabin, grease in bearings, not to mention the danger of being swept away in a current if it's a river. If anything it encourages people with little experience to go into water they shouldn't thinking that the snork will protect them.

I don't have one, and won't. I've been through 2 feet of water a few times, but wouldn't like to go much more than that

 

[evanwillegen]

I guess we are aligned..

 

[Shayne]

They help emergency services find you when it turns out to be deeper than you expected some like the look , for others its the easiest way to hide wiring up to roof so they don't have to drill holes in the roof , and some i suppose live in constant threat of floods where a snorkel really could make a life or death difference .

Its personal choice and there's no right or wrong in that .

 

[Bob]

It's like a lot of mods, mostly unnecessary in this part of the world. A landcruiser in factory spec is so capable that very little that your meet in the normal course of events poses much more than a passing thought. Obviously if you want to be more adventurous then bolt on the bits and bobs and away you go. A lot of the stuff is nice to have, but not really essential unless you plan on conquering the DRC or something.

 

[Cptsideways]

We have one for so my wife can get to work when it rains for more than 3 days on the trot. The alternative is a long walk & the dog has to swim for it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbkPThLwB8A

 

[SteveS]

So Snorkels.....well I have one and it is not for show but realistically unless you're going to use your truck in some of the more out of the way places then you're likely never to need one or see the benefit. A snorkel can be part of two different things - it can be just a raised air intake or part of an overall system to allow you to wade confidently in deep water (this needs much more thought on sealing the intake than if it is just an RAI). It is not a compulsory addition. For me it provides confidence that when I go into a river then I don't need to be concerned is it 700mm or 900mm deep (putting aside the other things like flow etc) will it deepen to go over the bonnet? Yes I have raised breathers too - even with good systems you should change the oils after a bout of river crossings as good practice. A snorkel allows the addition of pre-filtering. Having got hydraulic lock on a car some years ago I can say that it is often terminal...and yes there are other things at play like electrics. You will do this only once and the cost is potentially a write-off of your truck - assuming the insurers take pity on you....off-road??. In Iceland I did probably 30 or 40 river crossings all of which I could probably have done with OE - but when the water level is near the top of the bonnet I could concentrate on crossing the river in the knowledge that I have another 700mm of safey margin. I reckon 90% of snorkels never get used as intended. On a like for like assessment of whether a reversed snorkel ram head reduced dust intake to the filter I can confirm that much less dust went into my airfilter than another truck with forward pointing ram head. Just my 2c

 

[evanwillegen]

Thanks Steve. I guess that preparing your car for a deep wade is more then putting a snorkel on it. I did some wading but never that deep I had to be worried.


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[evanwillegen]

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[Gary Stockton]

I would say it's primary use is to move the air intake position to allow cleaner, cooler air to be drawn into the engine instead of from down where the front wheel is chucking up heat and dust.

Wading, as part of a system including diff breathers etc is secondary