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.

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.

[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.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvPRQL1Pb3w"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvPRQL1Pb3w[/ame]

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.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dI8MTGAjKM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dI8MTGAjKM[/ame]
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.