Snorkels

opps should be Absolutely

Greetings Harry,

what is the price difference - recently had a Safari fitted to my rig and happy with the price - cheers.

SCOEY

G'day Harry,
I read an article a while back on snorkels and it showed that some of the cheaper snorkels, when put under the microscope,the material they were made from wasn't as good for the long term, they didn't name the cheaper brands,but it's worth considering.Also have you considered the tjm airtec snorkel, i put one on my Prado, they are similar money to the safari ,i think from memory.I liked the look of the airtec over the safari ,but that's just personal preference.hope this helps.
Cheers John.

Not sure what model prado you got but have just ordered one for mine (safari) 01 T/D Grande wont have any in stock till July 10th. Safari been around allot longer then Ironman and as above has been mentioned the quality of the product will determine how long it will last, remembering its in direct sunlight all the time. I was also told that their is a copy currently on the market selling on ebay as a copy of safari. While I like the look of the Airtec better I was also warned about how the piping on the airtec where it connects to the airbox is all hard plastic not flexible rubber joiner like the safari ?? I have not looked at the fitting of the airtec so for piece of mind I will go with what I have used before and never has any issues, last thing I want is water been sucked int the motor. Regards Steve M

Obviously material quality is important particularly in respect to its ability to withstand constant exposure to UV rays and not so easy to determine at point of purchase. The other factor that I personally consider plays an important part is the amount of extra restriction that any additional ducting with the associated bends and asthestics required to make the whole system blend in with the vehicle design play. Keeping in mind that any engine needing a supply of air for its operation will depend on atmospheric pressure to supply said air. This will affect the ultimate performance and economy of any engine whether naturally aspirated or turbo. Air that is available at sea level at a pressure of 1 atmosphere, 1.01325 bar or 14.695 psi however you want to measure it.
Now if you consider the most important function of your engine's snorkel is to enable it to breathe and minimise the likelihood of water being ingested with the subsequent catastrophic results (particularly with diesels) you're right, but also consider how long that water crossing takes compared with how long you drive around not doing water crossings. Having said all that I wonder if any manufacturer makes these figures available. I guess we all know how a dirty air cleaner can affect our engines by increasing restriction.

Cheers
Pop

I also recently fitted my Colorado with a Safari snorkel.
Didn't get any comparative prices as I wanted the Safari because of it's quality.
(I'm sure the Airtec would also be similar quality)

Very happy with the installation done by Adelaide Off Road. The snorkel looks like it was made specifically for my vehicle. Come to think of it, it was:-)

I think providing you steer clear of the cheap Chinese copies you will have an accessory that will last the lifetime of your vehicle. This is a job you only want to have done once. I kept thinking of the bloody great hole they were cutting into the mudguard, but when finished, it looks good and I have piece of mind in it helping to protect the engine.


Bill.

There's a stack of info on the LCOOL forum re. snorkels.

I went with the Sarfari because it had less twists and turns to the motor. It's a Australian made and has good reputation for the 80 series.

I'd avoid the Chinese eBay ones.

Hi Harry,
The below link which would suggest not all Chinese snorkels are the same, or necessarily poor quality.
Since safari have had a relative monopoly on the market for so long it seems only natural they would eventually find some extra competition, I would expect them to retaliate with quality claims to justify their inflated price.
Going by the content of what a snorkel kit contains, i`d say $295 is about what it should cost.

http://www.ironman4x4.com/pdfs/Ironman%204x4%20Snorkel%20Bulletin.pdf

Hi,
I was just reading a thread in Lcool(can't find it ATM) about the difference between Ironman and Safari. What I could gather was the the Ironman and other cheaper snorkles are made from a crappy plastic the actually breaks away from the inside of the snorkel. A lot of member were asking why the difference in price, and the answer was quality of materials. Apparently Ironman disputes this, as you would expect.
Have a read of this.DONT GET BURNT!

For the sake of a couple hundred dollars, I think when I install mine in a couple of months it will be A Safari Snorkel