Snorkel or Bash Plates

[Broncs]

Gday Fellas,

Im just wondering whats more important to put on first??

Snorkel or Bash Plates??

Looking forward to your replies. Thanks

Broncs

[biggibbo]

Bash plates if your going to do any sort of off road work

Snorkel if ya going to be doing water crossings

[big_bob_thefirst]

Unless u plan on being in deep water, I'd say bash plates.

[Broncs]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Hard decision - i can get one or the other for my birthday

I do a fair bit of offroad, however i dont often come across a water crossing thats above the tyres.

is there any other main reasons you would have a snorkel?? Better Performace or fuel econ??

[todd.brenda]

Gday Broncs,I have a snorkle and have done quite a few river crossings,BUT after removing bash plates today for the umpteenth time to change oil filter for christ sake get ya self a set of bash plates!! Mine are rooted Gunna research sum now

[Cowboy Dave]

Some will tell you it makes a performance/economy difference but I very much doubt it. Put the bash plates on the list for the birthday and grab a snorkel for Christmas? Keep in mind you can save a bit on the snorkel by staying away from the big brands and maybe even doing a self install.

[Broncs]

Thanks Todd!

Not a bad thought CD - has anyone installed a TJM snorkel on this forum?
i have found the safari install but wold prefer the TJM for looks.

[Cowboy Dave]

The TJM has a reputation as being the hardest install there is. Known as being a pain in the proverbial. Mainly due to the ducting from the main down pipe thing running inside the guard all the way to the front. Not the easiest to manoeuvre from what I've heard. Also they have apparently changed the head on their snorkels so that they now look a lot more like the safari head which arguably cuts across some of the benefits of their different look.

[todd.brenda]

I have a TJM snork and it and fair dinkum looks like a pain in the bum just to look at the installed unit

[Broncs]

Yes the new head dosent look the best - someone has a thread on it
what i dont really like with the safari snorkel is that it looks to much with the tube running right down the guard.

[Pearcie45]

If you do a bit of off roading but dont come across too many water crossings, then I reckon a set of bash plates first.

[Juggz]

I went the snorkel which has so far only been used to keep the intake (kinda) above Amaroo's dust cloud but my bash plates are absolutely munted after what could be described as a fairly easy drive. Especially the rear one.

I would suggest the bash plates.

[oldplodder]

Go bash plates unless you are doing deep water, or very dusty roads.
I chickened out on my first 4wd run with the car when new when I came across some very rough terrain with rocks. Didn't want to damage the sump with 200 kilometres on the speedo.
If you are doing sand, with superselect, hitting sand blows can push the tin back onto the diff actuator, and you loose 4wd.

[macca002]

I would go snorkel. The damage that can occur from water ingress is greater than the damage that can occur if you bust your factory bash plates.

Your factory bash plates can take a little bit of knocking - not much, but some. Water in the airbox, well there is little to no protection if it ever gets there.

[George Kyro]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Hard decision - i can get one or the other for my birthday

I do a fair bit of offroad, however i dont often come across a water crossing thats above the tyres.

is there any other main reasons you would have a snorkel?? Better Performace or fuel econ??

Hey broncs, tough desicion. If you want both the best thing to do is get the underbody protection (3 plates ) I have the tjm ones. And then spend 89 bux on the tigerz snorkel and you have the best of both worlds. You're probably going to say how good could they be but my brother has one on his brand new jk jeep and it is no different to other snorkels really unless you go the tjm (which I have too). As dave said they look like a real pain in the arse to install but I had mine done by tjm.

As for the economy side. There was an article on fuel savings/costs on 4wd mods a while back.
Interesting fact that stuck with me was that if you put a snorkel your car runs more efficiently as its being fed cooler air than what is under your bonnet and that the money yoh outlay (on average) for a snorkel you get back in a year just from the fuel savings costs.

Food for thought .

Both at same time with the tigerd cheaper alternative or snorkel and save money and buy bash plates !

Desicions desicions

[hcr83]

I have decided bash plates because for the amount of times I will be going through water above my headlights will be very very minimal, however I am always off-road at the 4wd parks and the plates cop a flogging.

Also, the fact that neither the TJM or the Safari snorkel look good on the Tritons I need more time for them to grow on me and from what I have read from other threads and posts, unless you install them yourself they seem to leak anyway.

[Broncs]

Thanks Fellas,

You are all making it harder

Everyone has good points but I wont be doing water crossings that often and I am leaning toward Bashys.
What George says about the Tigerz snorkel is good because what hcr says about installing yourself seems to be the only way you know they are water proof.

mite be something to do to tie up a day in the chrissy holidays - install a snorkel and save some bucks as well as have confidence in it.

[NowForThe5th]

Bash plates. You can cross very deep water with a blind made from an old tarp in front of the radiator but if you damage the delicate bits on your front diff or punch a hole in your sump you are knackered. The decision to cross water is a conscious one whereas hitting a rock or stump is generally not intentional.

The argument about cooler, cleaner air from a snorkel doesn't really stand up. The Triton intake is under the front lip of the bonnet so fresh clean air from outside goes straight in and moves plenty fast enough through the intake tube not to be really affected by engine bay temperatures, unless you were sitting in traffic. The difference in dust content between air at bonnet level and at the top of the windscreen is so small that it probably couldn't be measured.

[Duck]

What if you got the snorkel but did all of your 4wheeling in reverse No damage to bash plates

Bash Plates for sure, no better performance or economy with a snorkel. But TJM snorkel for sure

[Broncs]

I like your points 5th - Thanks!

Hey Duck - No thanks So you reckon a TJM snorkel is the best??

Just wondering if anyone has the ARB bash plates???

[viking shippy]

Bash plates.....
Reason....
Take the tin foil ome covers off I won't even call them plates

"Now have a look at the position of the bottom of the radiator and front diff actuator

Think...whilst doing ordinary 4x4 trips around the place can i afford to get stuck in a remote area with no 4x4 selection and locked in4x4 ...or a holed radiator..a..damaged sump or gearbox...in your new 4x4...

Water crossings without bash plates is very risky ...you just don't know what is in under the surface waiting to ruin your day...
If you get a snorkel first just don't go doing any of roading till you get decent 4mm bash plates

Take it from me and other older members will agree...I've had my truck for four years now...
On my first outing I demolished those crappy ome sump covers....you will damage your truck in the early days in some sort of way and like me continue to do so.....and on the second day I fitted bush skins from Kieran at morisset...NSW..
I've since bent two pairs of bush skins plates and have modified and reinforced the second pair......I have only recently installed a safari snorkel and it didn't improve anything other than my water crossing depth ability and it has a sweet sound.......it will NOT give you any real noticeable increase in power or economy.......Contrary to any advertised claim made by manufacturers for this model fourby...

[dexterboy]

Go both over time but if you want to save money with the snorkel do what the other members have said as i just had one fitted a Safari and it took them 4hrs non stop to fit.The cost was $740.

They said it was a modified version from Safari not sure what part maybe that waterbottle.

[tony222@bigpond.com]

Bash plates are a must as every one else said ... I've got the tjm bash plates on mine ... And get my snorkel fitted tomorrow at TJM end up going the airtec snorkel looks much more neater ,

Will add photos tomorrow after I pick it up after the fitting

Cheers
Tony

[viking shippy]

This is a safari snorkel $450 if you fitt it yourself
I think it looks great..and has a custom designed radiator bottle..that fits beside the the air box....

[George Kyro]

Now for the 5th and viking shippy make some very good points here that I didnt even consider.
Its kinda hard for me to give advice on whivh ones to go first when I was lucky enough to set the whole rig up in the one go.

Considering these boys have had there cars a lot longer than me and judging by what theyve said, not protecting your underside of your vehicle is like me going into a muay thai fight without my groin protection.

As for the tjm snorkel I actually think IMO is the nicest looking one on the market and I love that it doesnt run along the guards but then again some people may beg to differ.

Good luck man, I hope we haven't made you more confused lol