Jeep Snorkels for Beginners

A problem many off-roaders experience at least once is the issue of water across the trail. A puddle is no problem, but this is a wide channel that is over-the-hood deep. In many instances, there have been those that decide to just go for it, bogging down their vehicle, getting stuck, and end up needing to be rescued.

Jeep Snorkels

The problem they face is that their air intake falls below the water line, meaning they just filled their intake manifold with muddy creek water. To conquer this, manufacturers came up with an ingenious design: an intake snorkel.

To raise your intake with a snorkel, you’ll need a few things:

An aftermarket snorkel kit. These Jeep snorkel kits come in a variety of heights and designs, so it’s best to analyze the terrains you’ll likely be faced with and choose accordingly. Most kits come with any mounting hardware you may need and take a couple of hours to install.

Masking tape. If you need to do any body panel cutting to fit your snorkel, masking tape will help you map out the area and keep the paint at the edges of the cut from chipping.

Hammer and center punch. Again, if cutting a hole in the fender is necessary, a center punch is necessary to map out the bolt holes for your template and to make the first incision.

A drill and the necessary bits may also come in handy, both for making the initial holes and for making the cut for the snorkel. With a hole saw attachment, you can easily cut out a perfect hole in whatever size you need for your particular snorkel intake.

Primer and factory touch up paint. Once your cuts have all been made, you should prevent rusting by covering the exposed edges with paint.

At this point, simply follow the setup instructions for your chosen snorkel, which may simply snap together or may require a screwdriver, torx bits, or a bolt driver. Generally speaking, snorkels are an easy installation and can be tackled by most do-it-yourselfers.