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4x4 Snorkel TechEasy Intake Protection From the March, 2008 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road By Ali Mansour Photography by Ali Mansour
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Let's go for a swim! Ok, maybe more of a wade. From the invention of the first automobile we have pushed the boundaries of land exploration, and as the vehicles ventured into more extreme terrains, air induction modifications were made to increase the vehicle's water-fording abilities. Although not just for water crossings, the snorkel may allow cooler and cleaner air to pass through your filter, but more importantly it acts as cheap insurance for all those quick dunks or unexpected water crossings along the way. Just like you and I, your truck needs air to survive, and ingesting too much water into the intake could mean lights out for the engine. The fact is that water does not allow for proper compression and when your engine sucks in the wet stuff it creates a damaging chain of events often referred to as hydro locking. The most obvious part about... The most obvious part about the snorkel is the body. You'll need to determine which side your intake is on to decide what body form is the closest match to your application... So how can you prevent your rig from suffering a watery death? The first thing that you have to accept is that your 4x4 is no replacement for your Jon boat. This means keep your truck out of the water as much as possible, especially rivers and streams where the resulting environmental damage can get your local wheeling spot shut down in a skinny minute. The next step is figuring out what snorkel is right for your truck. ARB has a wide range of snorkels available from Safari Snorkel that are designed to fit most of the popular off-road applications on the market. But if you're like us and own a vehicle that's not heavily supported by the aftermarket, you may need to get creative. We found that an '80s Toyota Land Cruiser snorkel was a great match for our '97 Ford Ranger, and once installed it looked as though it was made for the truck. Be sure to always remember that your intake is only as good as its weakest link and checking for depth and current flow is always a good idea before chancing any unfamiliar water crossing.  ...Research will be your friend...  ...Research will be your friend here as you'll need to find a vehicle that has a similar windshield sweep, fender bulge, and length to determine which snorkel will fit your vehicle best. For our application, we went with a SS60HF from the 60-series Toyota Land Cruiser. After looking at a few renditions that other mini-truck owners had done and comparing them to the dimensions that we felt we needed, it seemed the perfect source for our '97 Ford Ranger.  Once the factory inner fenderwell...  Once the factory inner fenderwell is removed, locate the factory air inlet behind the passenger-side headlight. You'll need to remove any external air guides to accommodate the snorkel's ducting.  There's a good chance that...  There's a good chance that if the snorkel is not designed for your particular application that the inlet on the airbox will not be the same size as the opening for the snorkel ducting. Not a big deal. Simply measure the opening on the factory airbox, record those measurements, then take a trip to your local home improvement store.  There are a variety of rubber...  There are a variety of rubber and plastic adapters that you can use to connect your snorkel, and don't be frustrated if you don't pick the perfect one right out of the box. Another helpful measurement to take with you is the distance between your inlet opening and the inside of your fender. The 3-inch hose that ARB provides you is relatively flexible and should allow you to make all the proper bends that are necessary, but you'll need to make sure that the adapter doesn't stick out too far and prevent the ducting from sealing properly.  Now is a good time to do a...  Now is a good time to do a test fit. Be sure to look for any places that might rub or become susceptible to damage. Once you are satisfied with the placement, remove the system from the vehicle.  Although the template we got...  Although the template we got with the snorkel wasn't made for our Ford Ranger, we were able to modify it to get the most accurate hole placement possible. The five holes act as a guide-one for the air inlet and four more to secure the snorkel to the fender. We strongly suggest test-fitting the snorkel numerous times before drilling the inlet hole. If you don't have a buddy or wife around to hold the snorkel up for you, we suggest bolting on the upper snorkel mount and lightly shutting the door onto it to allow it to stay in place. Take your time and don't rush this part, because a 3 1/4-inch hole isn't the easiest to cover up.  With the snorkel now bolted...  With the snorkel now bolted to the fender, you'll need to focus your attention on the upper bracket for the doorjamb. Ours was close, but no cigar. This required us to take another trip down to the store for a piece of 16-gauge steel to create a custom bracket. The 16-gauge is a bit thinner than the original bracket, but given the bends and shape that was needed it was a good choice...  ...Using a Sawzall, vice,...  ...Using a Sawzall, vice, and a hammer, we shaped up a backyard bracket that would work great to keep the long neck of the snorkel secured to the windshield frame. After a few test fits, we drilled and tapped the appropriate holes in the side of the windshield frame and removed the bracket for painting.  After you have secured the...  After you have secured the snorkel body to the rig, you will need to attach the cast elbow on the inside of the inlet body. Once you figure out the position of the elbow, use the supplied rivets to secure it from the elbow to the snorkel. Now is also a good time to RTV all of the connections from the ducting to your fitting. Remember your snorkel is only as good as its weakest link. At the end of last year's Ultimate Adventure I decided to tear into my Ranger for some much needed maintenance and repair. While there I discovered that mud and water had made it past my filter and dried in and around my mass airflow sensor, thus making my truck increasingly difficult to start and run efficiently. Although we only spent about a day dipping in and out of the sticky Texas clay, it was enough to do some damage, which could have been much worse. If you only use your snorkel one time, it will be worth its weight in gold if it keeps you from killing your engine.
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