Posted: 3/2/2025 10:07:02 AM EDT
 Couple posts from a Facebook Jeep group I belong to. "Fun fact snorkels were originally developed by Safari Off Road out of Australia in the 1980's to reduce the dust that was sucked into the air intake." "99% of people taking their vehicle off road don't need a snorkel." A little history. The US military has been putting deep water fording kits on Jeeps since WWII for beach landings and crossing rivers and streams. https://cj3a.info/sibling/cjv35u/evolution.html   Some Humvees were equipped with deep water fording kits.  For beach landings.  Military Deep Water Fording kits also extend the exhaust to prevent water flowing back into the engine if the vehicle gets stopped / turned off while submerged. For my uses an extended exhaust pipe isn't needed. But I have to say this TrailRecon Gladiator looks pretty cool.  Safari Off Road in Australia may have been the 1st to make vehicle specific snorkels out of plastic. They didn't come up with the idea. They intended them for both dust and water intrusion. https://safari4x4.com.au/commercial/armax-snorkels You don't need a snorkel, until you really need a snorkel. The Ozarks area of Missouri & Arkansas has lots of beautiful National Forest filled with rugged unmaintained Forest Service Roads to trail ride on. Plus lots of water crossings. 33 second video of a nearby water crossing. My Jeep on 33" tires is the lead Jeep. The Jeep filming is on 35" tires.  FR-157 Water Crossing after 2 to 3 days of rain. Back in August of 2024 I had water go over the hood of my Jeep on 35" tires. 1st 20 seconds of this video:  Time to buy a snorkel Thankfully I was in and out quickly and my air intake didn't suck in water. Why did I cross there in the 1st place? Because I have previously crossed there multiple times without issues. This time the rocky creek bed had changed. There is a trail in Arkansas called the High Water Mark Trail. It takes 3 days to run and there are 44 water crossings. The 1st water crossing takes you across the Buffalo River at Woolum Ford. https://maps.app.goo.gl/rYKLm8Myp2aGxG1k9 An overlander / youtuber https://www.youtube.com/@OzarkOverlandAdventures created this trail in the Gaia GPS mapping system. Some friends of mine and I did it in October during a drought and only had water in about 5 of the crossings. We kept a fast pace and did the trail in 2 days. I have been putting off doing this trail until I had a snorkel on my Jeep.  In the spring, this trail has some extreme crossings. The problems come when you enter the water crossing at an angle. Note, I'm stealing some screen prints from this Ozark Overland Adventure video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U1n18sVfEI Here's the entrance to one of the creek crossings on that trail in the rainy season.    Same trail different crossing. The Gladiator is on 37" or taller tires:  Another crossing:  What are some other considerations for water crossings? You really should extend the breather tubes on your transmission & differentials. Jeep has it's alternator on top of the engine. Other vehicles have it down lower on the engine. Something to keep in mind but I really don't see it as an issue. Crossing streams and rivers is legal for the most part on public land. Driving down the stream is pretty much illegal everywhere except private off road parks. My goal when crossing a stream is to get across it quickly and not stop or dilly dally. For a long crossing, you want create the bow wave (5mph) shown in the following 45 second video by Ford Australia.  2019 Ford Ranger – How to cross a river | Ford Australia Note I have gotten out and walked a crossing to see how deep it is. |
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Anyone know of an F-150 snorkel kit? Though I've forded some gnarly waters, that's not my intent; keeping the intake cleaner is, especially on the dusty backroads around here. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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A huge pain in the ass to install but well worth it. I prefer the cleaner look to the style that has the tube running along the side of the hood. Attached File |
When the hammer drops, the BS stops!
Support the Heller Foundation! www.hellerfoundation.com
Support the Heller Foundation! www.hellerfoundation.com
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Originally Posted By Hard_Rock: A huge pain in the ass to install but well worth it. I prefer the cleaner look to the style that has the tube running along the side of the hood. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/224/5W2A6098_jpg-3482934.JPG Nice! I contemplated that one but it looked like a major pita to install. Taking that 1/4 panel off would major pita for me as I have metal fenders / fender liners that would need to come off as well. I got the great idea to push over a dead tree with my front bumper and 1/2 of it landed on the hood denting it. I figure since the hood is already dented, might as well cut it for a snorkel. |
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Originally Posted By drobs: Nice! I contemplated that one but it looked like a major pita to install. Taking that 1/4 panel off would major pita for me as I have metal fenders / fender liners that would need to come off as well. I got the great idea to push over a dead tree with my front bumper and 1/2 of it landed on the hood denting it. I figure since the hood is already dented, might as well cut it for a snorkel. Yeah, it was NOT something I want to repeat. I do like the look of it but it relies on RTV gasket material a bit too much. I shouldn't complain though, it works well. |
When the hammer drops, the BS stops!
Support the Heller Foundation! www.hellerfoundation.com
Support the Heller Foundation! www.hellerfoundation.com
Don’t need no snorkel. Bone stock Silverado with the off road package.  Carmel Church 6CC Road Inbound 2021 03 12 |
ProTip: Never pick a fight with a tree planter. He swings a hoedad for 9 hours a day, carries 30-40 pounds of seedlings on his back, and has 12-14 friends just like him hiding out on the other side of the junk butt pile. They will fuck your shit up.
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Cowl “snorkle” on my XJ. I might go to a real snorkle on my next upgrade cycle, but this works for me so far. I had been using the stock airbox, but several water crossings where water was just over my front bumper made me nervous (inlets for the stock airbox are just behind the driver’s headlight). Attached File The top of the bumper is roughly 33” Attached File |
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Originally Posted By turtlemaster: Cowl “snorkle” on my XJ. I might go to a real snorkle on my next upgrade cycle, but this works for me so far. I had been using the stock airbox, but several water crossings where water was just over my front bumper made me nervous (inlets for the stock airbox are just behind the driver’s headlight). https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/530992/IMG_0371_jpeg-3507368.JPG The top of the bumper is roughly 33” https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/530992/IMG_0372_jpeg-3507369.JPG Looks good. I have a couple friends with XJ's using the same setup. |
Snorkel? Who needs a snorkel! That being said, I’m the boss man, and there’s 14 Nicaraguans waiting to come get me b And the soundtrack is oh so sublime Carmel Church 6CC Road Inbound 2021 03 12 |
ProTip: Never pick a fight with a tree planter. He swings a hoedad for 9 hours a day, carries 30-40 pounds of seedlings on his back, and has 12-14 friends just like him hiding out on the other side of the junk butt pile. They will fuck your shit up.
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Originally Posted By TrashWrencher: Not mine, but a coworker. It’s so ridiculous that it is awesome. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/258113/IMG_4370-3602664.jpg Looks like fun. |
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Originally Posted By FredMan: Snorkel? Who needs a snorkel! That being said, I’m the boss man, and there’s 14 Nicaraguans waiting to come get me b And the soundtrack is oh so sublime  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ut8_rVWbGINice bow wave. But... that waters doesn't look to be anywhere close to going over the top of your hood. |
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Originally Posted By -Ascent-: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/163367/IMG_6629_jpeg-3610104.JPG  
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"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
