Diy snorkeling?

[kuroi]

I decided I wanted to snorkel the monty for those epic ocean crossings but didn't want to pay the kings ransom that is the safari set up.... so after careful deliberation it was decided that a diy should ensue.

I started with some flexible 3" intake tubes from the auto parts store

Funny the intake tubes remind me of these
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Aw46UoMlK8

I removed the factory intake extension tube and using the adapter supplied with the tube (which mind you is an almost perfect slip-fit) fitted the end of the flexible intake tube to the air box

I sealed up the fitting with the right stuff, which is the wrong stuff if you want to get it apart again with out a fight haha.

Then I connected the two flexible intake tubes together, again using a supplied adapter, some right stuff, and then wrapped the joint with a silicone tape just to insure it's water tight status.

Ran the tube down the inner fender.

As the power antenna was trying to occupy the same point in space/time as the intake tube (if I remember my physics correctly that's a no no) I decided to loose it in favor of an amplified windscreen unit like this
http://tinyurl.com/282pc4b

Did a little test by firing up the engine and putting my hand over the tube, almost sucked my hand in?... check! Stalled out the engine for lack of air?.. check! air tight it is!

Now I just need to decide how it's all going to make it's escape through the fender....:snorkel:


update to follow...

 

[off-roader]

Nice. I too am interested to learn how it will escape the fender...

Just as an FYI, there are alternatives to the Safari unit...

I can tell you it works fine for either water (sorry no shots) and dust (w/ an added filter medium). Here's a pic from a recent trip on the Mojave trail I did last fall.

 

[kuroi]

I saw those but was worried about the longevity of fiberglass over time with abuse.

 

[mitssan]

I ran one of those figerglass jobbies on my JDM Pajero for a year (I then sold the truck). After having it on for a year a didn't have any issues with it. It never leaked, cracked or broke. I even leaned it on a tree once to help me get around a tight corner and had no issues. I live up in Canada where there is a nasty freeze thaw cycle and still didn't have any issues. For the $160 you can't really go wrong. It'll look better then black ABS pipe.

 

[kuroi]

Who said I was gonna use ABS pipe?:ylsmoke:

 

[Monterorider]

Nice. I too am interested to learn how it will escape the fender...

Just as an FYI, there are alternatives to the Safari unit...

I can tell you it works fine for either water (sorry no shots) and dust (w/ an added filter medium). Here's a pic from a recent trip on the Mojave trail I did last fall.

Two problems here:
1). kuroi is making snorkel for Gen 3 not Gen 2. Those Chinese people haven't made an knock-off yet or at least don't offer it for sale here. yet

2) being such a blatant and shameless knock-off, at least change a name (don't put any). Nice way to kill innovation.

 

[dragogt]

Suscribing for ideas..

 

[off-roader]

Two problems here:
1). kuroi is making snorkel for Gen 3 not Gen 2. Those Chinese people haven't made an knock-off yet or at least don't offer it for sale here. yet

The ebay seller also offers a gen 3 snorkel for $165 + shipping and since I know kuroi's smart enough to build one from scratch I expect he would have checked for a gen 3 snorkel from the same seller for himself if he was interested :sombrero:

No comment about the ethics of making & offering it this way only to say that there's definitely a market for a less expensive snorkel solution and this ebay seller is able to provide it.

Oh and for the record, considering the seller is in Malaysia you're comment about Chinese sounds pretty racist since you just automatically assumed the maker was Chinese.

That said, it's definitely true that the enforcement of copyright laws in China are certainly far more lenient than they are in the US.

 

[off-roader]

Who said I was gonna use ABS pipe?:ylsmoke:

Kuroi,

Any more updates on your design/build? I'm very interested in seeing what you come up with too.
:ylsmoke:

 

[kuroi]

Sorry just bought a house so I've been moving, yard work, paper work, work work..... it never ends. Haven't worked on it at all, probabaly this weekend I will finish it. I did see the one for the 3rd gen from malaysia but again I'm not sold on fiberglasses longevity under hard use. Plus I just wanted to make my own anyway, more to come this weekend.

 

[off-roader]

Sorry just bought a house so I've been moving, yard work, paper work, work work..... it never ends. Haven't worked on it at all, probabaly this weekend I will finish it. I did see the one for the 3rd gen from malaysia but again I'm not sold on fiberglasses longevity under hard use. Plus I just wanted to make my own anyway, more to come this weekend.

Well I can appreciate you're concern. The way I look at it is boats are made from fiberglass, and not plastics. They take a real beating on the water especially when at speed. Like anything else though that's due to engineering their design.

What I like about the fiberglass design though is if they do get mild to moderately damaged they can easily be repaired by a variety of sources. Can't say the same for a plastic unit. If they get crushed, well I suspect a plastic unit wouldn't fare much better in the same situation but then again that's all speculation at this point but you could do that 2 times with a fiberglass unit before you equal the cost of 1 plastic unit.

 

[Monterorider]

No comment about the ethics of making & offering it this way only to say that there's definitely a market for a less expensive snorkel solution and this ebay seller is able to provide it.

Oh and for the record, considering the seller is in Malaysia you're comment about Chinese sounds pretty racist since you just automatically assumed the maker was Chinese.

There is always market for cheaper goods (knock-offs) of course later we should stop complaining about lack of new products.

Honestly Ray I find it fairly offensive to call me racist though. Never been one never will be. Misdirected or presumptuous in my posts maybe but not racist ever. Nowhere does it say Made in Malaysia. Seller is in Malaysia. BTW product could be made anywhere else. Just like if somebody from US sells genuine Safari snorkel we don't assume it's made in US. Do we?
Thirdly. I'm active participant in Russian Pajero owners forum, and I tell you it's one big forum ( 14k users with 600k posts, I mean its size of enter expedition exchange forums combined) with variety of experiences. They been using Chinese (or so refereed as such) and Russian snorkels made from fiberglass for years. Clearly all of them are Safari knock-offs but even then at least without Safari name on them. Mileage varies. Generally they worked fine, I mean it's just a fiberglass tube on side of the car. But some did have problems: misfits, minor cracks in body, leaks, some had problems with extremely cold temperatures. General consensus: not nearly as strong as Safari. Once pushed hard enough (brush with a tree for example) it collapses, frays. Safari on the other had often survive even catastrophic damage to vehicle (aka rollovers).
I have Safari and it's been in contact with tree I leaned into one - not even a visible damage, reaped a head off once - just put it back on and tighten clamp better. Would a fiberglass survive that? Maybe but at least just as likely not. What do you do after that. Throw more money at FRP (with likelihood of having to do it again and again) or just get good quality product?
For what it matters even on flebay listing it says

...Although item made by quality material, its still CANNOT compete with the Branded snorkel made using polyethylene material...

Lastly: comparison with boats is poor one at best. Reason for using fiberglass is not that it is so superior but rather that using it is possible to make homogeneous light weight laminated body. Its currently not conceivable or totally cost prohibitive to produce 40+ ft boat in one piece using injection molding. If it was possible then it likely be far superior.

 

[off-roader]

There is always market for cheaper goods (knock-offs) of course later we should stop complaining about lack of new products.

Honestly Ray I find it fairly offensive to call me racist though. Never been one never will be. Misdirected or presumptuous in my posts maybe but not racist ever. Nowhere does it say Made in Malaysia. Seller is in Malaysia. BTW product could be made anywhere else. Just like if somebody from US sells genuine Safari snorkel we don't assume it's made in US. Do we?
Thirdly. I'm active participant in Russian Pajero owners forum, and I tell you it's one big forum ( 14k users with 600k posts, I mean its size of enter expedition exchange forums combined) with variety of experiences. They been using Chinese (or so refereed as such) and Russian snorkels made from fiberglass for years. Clearly all of them are Safari knock-offs but even then at least without Safari name on them. Mileage varies. Generally they worked fine, I mean it's just a fiberglass tube on side of the car. But some did have problems: misfits, minor cracks in body, leaks, some had problems with extremely cold temperatures. General consensus: not nearly as strong as Safari. Once pushed hard enough (brush with a tree for example) it collapses, frays. Safari on the other had often survive even catastrophic damage to vehicle (aka rollovers).
I have Safari and it's been in contact with tree I leaned into one - not even a visible damage, reaped a head off once - just put it back on and tighten clamp better. Would a fiberglass survive that? Maybe but at least just as likely not. What do you do after that. Throw more money at FRP (with likelihood of having to do it again and again) or just get good quality product?
For what it matters even on flebay listing it says

Lastly: comparison with boats is poor one at best. Reason for using fiberglass is not that it is so superior but rather that using it is possible to make homogeneous light weight laminated body. Its currently not conceivable or totally cost prohibitive to produce 40+ ft boat in one piece using injection molding. If it was possible then it likely be far superior.

I understand you're not racist but assuming it was a Chinese knock off is at a minimum generalizing if not a prejudiced comment.

As for this particular situation/comment, heck there are tons of knock offs coming from all over not just China although I certainly agree that Chinese copyright enforcement is certainly lacking (I'm in the computer industry where it's not just rampant, but seemingly the modus operandi).

As for your insights on what's been learned from the Russian forums, that's good to know. Perhaps if/when the aussie $ drops again (AUD 1 = USD .60 a few years ago) I'll reconsider buying an Aussie unit but for now, I'm fine with the fiberglass unit even if I plan on doing the hard core trails (Rubicon, Dusy Ersham, Fordyce) where it may be required in the very near future.

As for a discussion whether fiberglass is stronger than plastic, it would be fruitless conjecture from either side since nobody has done a design study on either to prove either of us wrong. Suffice it to say there are plenty of examples showing fiberglass to be an exceptionally strong material (surfboards are also made using fiberglass versus plastics).

As to the manufacturer making that disclaimer, when I asked about it, he told me he really had no way of knowing for sure which would be stronger and wrote that statement to set expectations and minimize his liability in the event that an owner broke one in the future.

 

[Monterorider]

In this case China seem to have more enforcement since they never really call it exactly the same. Usually their products are "no-name".
Like I stated earlier I was particularly taken aback by Safari name on it. It practically elevates it to be counterfeit as opposed to be just knock-off.
if it looked sorta like this

I prob wouldn't complain aside of discussing which one is inferior/superior.

BTW do you have some vested interest to be so offended that I called some product Chinise instead Malaysian? What's the big deal? I hope Canadians don't particularly take offese to slogans made in America then it really is made in USA. Or do they? :Wow1:

 

[Monterorider]

How long do you think I would last here in US if I made few wax molds out of Safari snorkels, started spraying them with faberglass and selling on flebay with Safari name on them? How soon I would get a call from ARB lawer or see police on my doorstep? Would I get to keep my house? Regardless what we think of availability of cheap snorkels that particular manufacturer clearly brakes the law.