Install of Safari Snorkel in D4

[Naps]

Hi all, another COVID isolation project did a fair amount of research and landed on the Safari Snorkel in readiness for a trip up to the Cape and around Oz. Tossed up whether to do this myself or get a shop to look after it... but what the heck... it gave me something to do and another opportunity to learn more about the D4. On balance, it is fairly straight forward... apart from the bloody A Pillar drilling that took a whole day to complete. I don't know what the LR team have used ... but that metal is as hard as a cat's head and ploughed through time and cobalt tipped drill bits at an alarming rate! Anyway, I will post the photos and text across a (2) part post:

[B]PART A:

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You will find some helpful 'how to' videos on YouTube. First step is to detach the plastic side air vent...there is a trick, so worth checking out the videos.

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Pull through the factory air tube.

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Apply masking tape and mark out the hole centres with the template that Safari supply. A step drill is the preferred approach. 2x 16mm holes and 3x 14mm holes from memory. Be sure to use touch up paint to coat the bare metal once the holes are drilled out.

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Remove the A Pillar plastic cowling and again use the supplied templates to mark out on masking tape the 5x 5mm holes. Centre punch and make yourself comfortable with a powerful drill, lots of the best quality cobalt 5mm drill bits you can get (you will need heaps), drill cutting fluid and get used to spending a long, long time drilling out this super tough metal pillar.

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Remove the airbox and take out the rubber grommit molding.

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Use the Safari template, mark out the cutout that you will need to make to allow enough room for the maneuvering the flexible rubber air pipe tubing from the snorkel into the air box.

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Use a Dremmel cutting wheel, air hacksaw or similar to cut out the metal. Be sure to file and bend over any sharp edges otherwise you will snag and puncture the new tubing.

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Again, paint all bare metal.

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Now, onto the wheel guard flares to enable you to get up into the side panel to bolt on the snorkel. A trim removal kit (cheap and easy to get online) will make it easy to remove the plastic mushroom plugs by easing out the centre pin and then the complete plug will open up for removal.

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Take as many of the plugs out as you can... and indeed I found it much easier to get into the guard once I had removed the front wheel as well. Believe me, it is really squeezy reaching up into the metal side panel to secure the bolts... and you will see below that I needed to subbie out the trickiest of bolts to someone with smaller hands :-)

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The side flares just pull off once you have undone the securing screws at the end of the trim. be sure to check that all of the clips are OK for the return install.

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I did have to go and get some bags of clips... as I broke a couple of the A Pillar mounting pins and clips and needed to replace them. These will come in handy as there a lots of the LR D4 secured by plastic clips!

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Meanwhile... back at the drilling of the A Pillar!!

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Eventually you will get there... and don't worry, there isn't anything in the A Pillar that I know of that can be damaged when you do eventually punch through. The only thing to suffer will be your drill bits and an aching back from constant drilling.

... and on to part B:

Naps

[Naps]

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Clamp the A Pillar plastic cover and use the Dremmel plastic cutter wheel to cut out the sleeve for the metal arm that will support the snorkel firmly alongside the windscreen.

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Again, paint the bare metal holes and be generous with the sikaflex under the plate, the rivet heads and in the rivet holes to make a good water seal.

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Reattach the A Pillar plastic cover.

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Prepare the snorkel body for mounting by inserting the threaded metal grub screw inserts. Apply some lock thread to keep them tight.
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Prepare the access into the side cavity.

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It is a squeezy tight fit to get to the bolts.

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... and for the last hardest to reach bolt in the tight section you will need someone with skinny arms and small hands... so I subbied this out to SHMBO!

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Happy with the final result at the end of a long day...
BTW, when you reinstall the airbox, you will probably find that the new rubber grommet seal has pushed the box further into the engine bay so that the small conical drain funnel at the bottom right hand side of the box will no longer settle down into the rubber lined hole in the engine bay floor. not a problem as you will probably want to seal off that hole to prevent water entry anyway. I decided to leave the one way valve in the floor of the main air box so that it can let water out, and prevent water from entering. Not sure if that is a good idea or not... but seems to make sense to me, although I know this is a bit of a vexxed topic.

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... but it didn't end there. Because I had to start the engine when the air box was off so that I could use the power steering to reposition the front wheel... I now had an air intake error on the dash display to deal with.

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A chance to put the GAP IID Tool to good use. It quickly presented the error logs and allowed me to select the culprit, and clear.

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... no more errors... happy days.

Overall... if you have the time to take on a snorkel install, I would recommend the quality of the Safari kit, directions and templates. It all went together very well. Plus, you have the ability to oversee the quality of the install and all the sikaflexing, painting, sealing that you are sure will keep the D4 intake water free.

Naps.

[wardy1]

I have the Safari unit on my D4, previously had one on both of my D2's. They make a great product that has stood the test of time.
For those who don't know, the LR unit has a porous section in it which WILL allow water ingress. That's why they call it an elevated air intake rather than a snorkel apparently.
Fortunately I had mine installed by AMV in Ringwood. They did tell me that the drilling is a real bitch LOL

[loanrangie]

The A pillar is 2 layers of high tensile steel, a real drill bit killer.

[dirvine]

When I decided to fit a snorkel to my D4, I read all the issues withe Safari unit. When I investigated the Airflow unit I found no issues about drill bits needed. It fits the same way but the pillar mount is not into the metal. I have used Airflow snorkels on previous cars and they are made in Dromana Victoria. I have been to the factory and on my last car they used my vehicle as the guinea pig. They are/were cheaper than Safari, and far easier to fit with no drilling to the point you need any more than one drill bit for the pillar mount. Both products (Safari and Airflow) are good quality, with UV plastics. As such the bean counter in me decided the cheaper alternative was the far more cost effective. Just my thoughts and also to give others considering a snorkel there are Safari alternatives, they are Aussie made and they are available.

[loanrangie]

When I decided to fit a snorkel to my D4, I read all the issues withe Safari unit. When I investigated the Airflow unit I found no issues about drill bits needed. It fits the same way but the pillar mount is not into the metal. I have used Airflow snorkels on previous cars and they are made in Dromana Victoria. I have been to the factory and on my last car they used my vehicle as the guinea pig. They are/were cheaper than Safari, and far easier to fit with no drilling to the point you need any more than one drill bit for the pillar mount. Both products (Safari and Airflow) are good quality, with UV plastics. As such the bean counter in me decided the cheaper alternative was the far more cost effective. Just my thoughts and also to give others considering a snorkel there are Safari alternatives, they are Aussie made and they are available.

The only let down with the airflow was the destructions weren't very clear, hence my call to you David and i drilled into the pillar as i wouldn't trust the trim clips to hold it. I gave up after 1 hole so 1 in the pillar and 1 in the trim.

[dirvine]

The only let down with the airflow was the destructions weren't very clear, hence my call to you David and i drilled into the pillar as i wouldn't trust the trim clips to hold it. I gave up after 1 hole so 1 in the pillar and 1 in the trim.

Should have trusted the clips. Mine worked even when the buggers replaced my windscreen and did not use new clips on the plastic trim. I have been on some very rough and corrugated roads with no issues with it coming loose. Appears just like the Safari one bolt is a nigh on impossible to get a nut on unless you has very small hands!!

[Tombie]

Nice post.

Impact drills do a great job on the A pillar - did 3 holes using Cobalt impact drill and 1 with Cobalt conventional. Once I went impact, it was done in minutes.

Finger belt sanders do a great job in the inner guard too!