Q - to snorkel or not?

[Ozzy119]

Water issues aside, I'm just not sure which way to go.

Who has and wishes they hadn't bothered or vice versa ?

I like the look of the Landrover RAI more than the Safari fit.

cheers

[Graeme]

I would have fitted a LR RAI instead if they weren't so expensive compared with what I bought. I needed a snorkel or RAI to stop the air filter getting filthy just with my local country driving.

[AnD3rew]

Depends if you are doing for the look or for a reason. The RAi is not sealed for water so in my opinion if you are going to spend the money I wouldn't bother with the RAI. But if you are not expecting to use it and just like the look go with the one you prefer.

I have a safari snorkel and I have no regrets about putting it on, I'm sure it helps with dust on long dirt trips but I'm also sure I would have been fine with a spare filter thrown in the back instead.

I can honestly say I have never driven through water deep enough to have needed the snorkel and probably won't, but I like knowing I could if I needed to.

[mitchE39]

Does the safari snorkel add any noise at highway speeds? I'm concerned about introducing an annoying whistle or the like...

2005 D3 TDV6
2004 Rangie TD6

[jspyle]

I agree with Andrew.
No whistle introduced but you can hear it breath with the window open.
Not annoying just audible.

[Tote]

After crossing the creek out of Bendethra by being towed by a cruiser with the engine off because of concerns that the upstream flow of the water might cover the intake vent I went with the RAI and have had no problems with it's lack of water sealing since. The RAI can be made waterproof if desired and looks better in my opinion. It does generate a small amount of unobtrusive wind noise that can be heard without the stereo going.

Regards,
Tote

[LGM]

With lots of Pilbara back road travel and chewing through air filters at an alarming rate I fitted a Safari Snorkel to my first Disco way back in 95. Hey presto the dirt / dust into the air filter was magically reduced to such an extent the filter would last the distance between services.

Since that time I have fitted a safari snorkel to my D2 in 03 and D4 in 2011. Like Graeme country roads and dust are my main issue and the snorkel gets the air intake up out of that dust and dirt zone. The snorkel does makes a slight wind or induction noise that is neither annoying or intrusive (no whistling etc.) and is only noticeable with the window open.

I really don't see the point of installing an RAI if it is not air / water tight.:confused:

Like AnD3ew I am not that likely to enter deep water crossings but knowing I could cross from an air intake perspective if I was game (silly) enough is good.

[BMKal]

For a completely different perspective....................... I have not fitted either an RAI or a snorkel to my D4 and won't be doing so.

I don't do that much travel in dusty conditions (well no more than carrying a spare air filter easily covers me for) and living where I do, it's unlikely that I'll ever have to cross water deep enough to require increased breathing height.

I'm not against snorkels - had one on the D2 - but that one suited the vehicle and did not look out of place. But personally I think that both the RAI and snorkel supplied for D3/D4 would have to be the ugliest looking accessories I've ever seen offered for any vehicles.

Just my personal opinion of course, but I would have to have a very specific and pressing need for a snorkel to even consider fitting one. Based on that opinion and the lack of functionality of the RAI, this option would never even be considered. :D

[Redback]

I think a RAI that is not sealed is a waste of money, if you have ever looked under the bonnet after a few hundred Ks on a dusty road, you'd see why it should be sealed.

I went for the Safari snorkle because it was cheaper than the LR RAI, having drowned one car previously, fitting a snorkle was a must, we walked the river before hand, just didn't notice that the entry to the river on the return crossing was deeper and had a much steeper entry, so when I entered the river, the front of the car basically disappeared under the water, sucked in a engine full of water and died 1/3 of the way across the river, now I've done almost the same thing in the D2, but because it was fitted with a snorkle, we drove out the other side.

So if you only need it once, or in my case twice, a sealed snorkle or RAI, it's worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

Baz.

[NavyDiver]

I know I should have walked it first. Cold fast moving water and perhaps I am lazy. If I did not have a sealed snorkel my D3 would be dead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvPRQL1Pb3w

What the video doesn't show is the river is knee deep for 20 metres until you are about to drive out. Fast flowing rivers can be tricky and falling into a hole or even wheel ruts cut by others is ok if you can back out. You cannot back out if the engine is drowned as you don't have a waterproof snorkel.

On average I do twenty much shallower river crossing each year. Even in vey clear fast water it is sometimes hard to see a hole you might have walk right near. I can hear some wind noise on my snorkel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dI8MTGAjKM
On one of the river crossing in the video above I found a pajero whom had ingested water into his petrol engine on a crossing which my D3 did with ease. a second pajero had been able to tow him out luckily. The water was not that deep if you stayed exactly on the crossing. either side it was too deep with out a snorkel.

[simmo]

I agree with Redback and the others, you only need the snorkel once!
I don't intentionally drive into deep water, but occasionally things don't go according to plan and the water is over the bonnet. I use the tops of the flares or the headlights, door handles as my comfortable depth. ( about 950 mm), but have accidentally been as deep as over the bonnet (1050)

If the snorkel is not water proof/ dust proof it's not a very useful accessory.

I view them as insurance just in case you make a mistake one day, that's aside from the cleaner cooler air aspect.

cheers simmo

[jonesfam]

A recent experience.
I was driving home a few weeks ago, came to a creek with the dip stick/sign thing saying it was at 800.
It was not fast flowing so I did the old stone at the water mark trick & after an hour found the creek was dropping, so I decided to give it a couple of more hours to see if it got below 700 & crossable.
About an hour after that a L/C came from the other way (with a snorkel) & just drove straight through.
Well, apparently the dip stick/sign was lying, the creek was about 600 max, so I crossed straight after no problem, but
If I had a sealed snorkel I could have driven straight through when I first got there, not have wasted over 2 hours & driven home in 11.5 hours instead of the 13.25 it finally took because I was sitting around waiting for the water to go down & wrestling flies.
So now, as ugly as they are, I'm thinking about a snorkel.
Jonesfam
PS The D3 is the first car for many years that I have not had a snorkel on.

[jonesfam]

And another thing!
How come the wading depth of a D3 is 600 at On Road height, if you put it in Off Road height the car raises 5.5cm but the wading depth is now 700?
Long time since I went to school but the maths just don't work for me.
Jonesfam

[BMKal]

A recent experience.
I was driving home a few weeks ago, came to a creek with the dip stick/sign thing saying it was at 800.
It was not fast flowing so I did the old stone at the water mark trick & after an hour found the creek was dropping, so I decided to give it a couple of more hours to see if it got below 700 & crossable.
About an hour after that a L/C came from the other way (with a snorkel) & just drove straight through.
Well, apparently the dip stick/sign was lying, the creek was about 600 max, so I crossed straight after no problem, but
If I had a sealed snorkel I could have driven straight through when I first got there, not have wasted over 2 hours & driven home in 11.5 hours instead of the 13.25 it finally took because I was sitting around waiting for the water to go down & wrestling flies.
So now, as ugly as they are, I'm thinking about a snorkel.
Jonesfam
PS The D3 is the first car for many years that I have not had a snorkel on.

Same here. The D4 is the first 4WD I've had for many years without a snorkel. I'm a strong believer in having them, and if we ever move to an area where water crossings are likely or driving more regularly in dusty conditions is a possibility, I'll fit one. If they weren't so bloody ugly (at least in my opinion anyway), I'd already have one on. At the moment though, I haven't the need to overcome my aversion to the look of one, especially on a white D4.:D

Maybe if I traded in the white D4 on a black one, I'd be less averse to the looks of a snorkel on it. :p

[rambada]

Apologies if this high jacks the thread, but what terrain option or settings do you choose for river crossings?

[LRD414]

That would depend on the river or creek bed surface type. For example, sandy use sand mode or potholed use rutted mode. Another reason to walk the crossing if unfamiliar to you.

[captcam68]

Had a safari on both D3 and D4 and if you use the car off-road on a regular basis an absolute in my opinion. I use an oiled K & N filer on the intake and have found it to cut back a huge amount on dust getting to factory filter. Water crossings are no problem from an intake point if view ( not insurance against poor judgement) but why have a weak point in the lower factory air intake when they have raised diff breathers? For me it's my hobby and relaxation so go the ugly snorkell, black GOE rims and every other accessory I can bolt on that's going to make my past time safer and e'sier as well as having a great looking rig!

[CaptainDan]

Can anyone tell me how water tight is the air box? sealing the snorkel at the body is one thing but can water get in if the air box is under water??:confused: