OK, so after much research without success, I decided to be the first person (I believe) to attempt and document a Safari Snorkel installation on my TD 150 GXL.
Here's my photo step-by-step guide (until I spat the dummy, read on!) if anyone is considering doing it themselves...
Remove - Airbox SImple.
Fill the Airbox drain holes with silicon. I used general stuff per this photo but actually went and purchased some Sikaflex to ensure a permanent job. I glued the drain valve lips together using rubber cement (aka puncture repair kit glue). It worked a treat...
Remove front drivers side mud flap. This is attached with 4 self-tapping screws and 2 clips. Pop the center of the clip out to remove the clip.
Remove the inner wheel arch guard. This is held in place with a few bolts and 11 plastic clips. This clips are a pain in the arse and the only way you can remove them whole is to pinch the tabs with a set of pliers from behind. You can do this with about 4, but you will need replacements for the rest. You will need to cut or lever them until they break apart.
I went to Toyota to buy these clips, but when we looked on the drawing it only showed 6. Hence, this is the reason I had to leave the last two in. Having the arch still attached didn't hinder the majority of the operation, but in hindsight removing the whole liner and the wheel might have created more room to work.
Template. This is a two person job. Given the curve between the arch and the main wing body this needs as many hands on it as you can. Even with the tape, the template still lifted. This was the most important part of the job...
Marked with a felt tip pen. Remove template. Install template check again about 3 time. This may sound irrational but i have to say I wasn't at my most rational knowing I was about two drill 5 holes and 2x 3 1/2" wounds into my $65k pride and joy.
Marked and centre punched... Eeek! I felt a little bit sick right now!
Pilot holes. The only way is forward from here.
Hole saw. Let's get the big gun out of the way first. 89mm. Slow and steady is the key. Very light pressure otherwise it has a tendency to pick up and lock. This is especially apparent when cutting the second hole as the saw liked to pick up on the cut edge from hole 1. My advice would be to angle the cutting force towards the front of the car for the second hole.
SLOW and STEADY...
Step drill. What a tool! Made light work of every hole. clean, simple and fast. Didn't even leave a burr...
I used a grinder and cutting disk to remove the points. The instructions call for a electric saw but the grinder did a perfect job.
Even a Dremel with a cutting disk could do this.
De-bured using my Dremel and mini grinding wheel. Then all treated with a coat of rust proof primer.
Install the S.S. studs into the snorkel with loctite.
Mount the top bracket to the snorkel and do a trial fitment. It fits...HOOORAAA! Perfect first time! Maybe this "measure three times, cut once" the wife keeps talking about might have some merit!!!
*Note the oval shape of the snorkel...
This is a two person job again, hold the snorkel in place and align the A pillar part of the snorkel equally with the door edge. Mark the bracket (critical this is done well) and remove. Remove the bracket from the snorkel and place it over your location markings. Once centered, mark the three hole centers. A second pair of hands also can come in handy for this too..
Center punch, pilot and 8mm step drill. Job done.
Install plastic screw mounts. These are the square kind that fit into the round hole and provide a guide for the S/S self tapping screw to screw into. I decided to fill each of these with ample quantities of silicon. I can just imagine water getting inside of the A-pillar as this is full of sound-deadening foam as found in the footwell compartment.
Fit bracket, install snorkel! PERFECT! I even surprised myself. Every hole lined up perfectly and even the holes with slots for added adjustment were dead center. I was very pleased with myself. I used plenty of silicon on the rear rubber washers just to make sure if I missed any primer that the steel edges were fully rust-proof.
Grind off the tabs on the airbox using the Dremel. This allows for the rubber hose to go on instead of the normal suction port.
Install hose! This is where I stopped taking photos. What a mission!!! The trick is to install the oval end first before the airbox is reinstalled. Getting a good fit top and bottom on the oval hose was near on impossible. We either had a gap at the top or a gap at the bottom. Once we had it even all the way around with a minimum 3mm gap, you then tightened the hose clamp... You read it correctly, a round hose clamp on an oval pipe.
The hose clamp would slip forward, the hose clamp would slip backwards, if you overtightened it it would slip back and cause the hose to pop off. We eventually got it (i can't take credit, a mate did it for me as I had spat the dummy, so I shampooed his Patrol interior for him whilst he figured it out) but I'm not impressed with the whole concept. Basic logic tells you that the pressure is all on the two ends with very little force on the top and bottom sealing surfaces. With this in mind, I hopped in the wife's car to Supercheap and picked up a tube of Sikaflex. This wasn't in the instructions but I've gone to too much effort to get this water tight to let a leaking hose clamp ruin my engine. This is an over exaggeration as the hose is on there tight, but I smothered the whole seal area with a good coat of Sikaflex. I am now covered in the stuff and though paint thinner did remove some of it, I think I'm going to have to wait for a new layer of skin to grow!
Air box in, round hose fitted. Hose clamp perfect (almost as if it's designed for a round hose!!!) I removed the second battery to create some more room. Job done!
DONE!
Result? I'm very pleased! I must say I would like to know what ARB do with the oval hose clamp seal. I am much happier knowing i have 6mm of SIkaflex over the whole seal.
Would I do it again? Yes! Would i recommend others to do it? Yes! (at your own risk of course!) Did I feel like I wanted to throw up when I put the first centre punch in the wing? Yes!
I am convinced the pickup power has increased significantly! The wife tells me it's probably in my head, but there is definitely a dramatic increase. I can't actually believe that Toyota think the best place to put a suction port of a 4x4 engine is directly above the driver's wheel. Until tackling this job, I didn't really understand just how much dust my engine must have been sucking when diving on dirt roads!
Go on, give it a go! 89mm Hole cutter and step drill cost me $80 (I already had the arbor) but I will definitely use the step drill many times over again. I'm happy to help or lend my tools to any WA PPer that is up for the challenge.
Here's my photo step-by-step guide (until I spat the dummy, read on!) if anyone is considering doing it themselves...
Remove - Airbox SImple.
Fill the Airbox drain holes with silicon. I used general stuff per this photo but actually went and purchased some Sikaflex to ensure a permanent job. I glued the drain valve lips together using rubber cement (aka puncture repair kit glue). It worked a treat...
Remove front drivers side mud flap. This is attached with 4 self-tapping screws and 2 clips. Pop the center of the clip out to remove the clip.
Remove the inner wheel arch guard. This is held in place with a few bolts and 11 plastic clips. This clips are a pain in the arse and the only way you can remove them whole is to pinch the tabs with a set of pliers from behind. You can do this with about 4, but you will need replacements for the rest. You will need to cut or lever them until they break apart.
I went to Toyota to buy these clips, but when we looked on the drawing it only showed 6. Hence, this is the reason I had to leave the last two in. Having the arch still attached didn't hinder the majority of the operation, but in hindsight removing the whole liner and the wheel might have created more room to work.
Template. This is a two person job. Given the curve between the arch and the main wing body this needs as many hands on it as you can. Even with the tape, the template still lifted. This was the most important part of the job...
Marked with a felt tip pen. Remove template. Install template check again about 3 time. This may sound irrational but i have to say I wasn't at my most rational knowing I was about two drill 5 holes and 2x 3 1/2" wounds into my $65k pride and joy.
Marked and centre punched... Eeek! I felt a little bit sick right now!
Pilot holes. The only way is forward from here.
Hole saw. Let's get the big gun out of the way first. 89mm. Slow and steady is the key. Very light pressure otherwise it has a tendency to pick up and lock. This is especially apparent when cutting the second hole as the saw liked to pick up on the cut edge from hole 1. My advice would be to angle the cutting force towards the front of the car for the second hole.
SLOW and STEADY...
Step drill. What a tool! Made light work of every hole. clean, simple and fast. Didn't even leave a burr...
I used a grinder and cutting disk to remove the points. The instructions call for a electric saw but the grinder did a perfect job.
Even a Dremel with a cutting disk could do this.
De-bured using my Dremel and mini grinding wheel. Then all treated with a coat of rust proof primer.
Install the S.S. studs into the snorkel with loctite.
Mount the top bracket to the snorkel and do a trial fitment. It fits...HOOORAAA! Perfect first time! Maybe this "measure three times, cut once" the wife keeps talking about might have some merit!!!
*Note the oval shape of the snorkel...
This is a two person job again, hold the snorkel in place and align the A pillar part of the snorkel equally with the door edge. Mark the bracket (critical this is done well) and remove. Remove the bracket from the snorkel and place it over your location markings. Once centered, mark the three hole centers. A second pair of hands also can come in handy for this too..
Center punch, pilot and 8mm step drill. Job done.
Install plastic screw mounts. These are the square kind that fit into the round hole and provide a guide for the S/S self tapping screw to screw into. I decided to fill each of these with ample quantities of silicon. I can just imagine water getting inside of the A-pillar as this is full of sound-deadening foam as found in the footwell compartment.
Fit bracket, install snorkel! PERFECT! I even surprised myself. Every hole lined up perfectly and even the holes with slots for added adjustment were dead center. I was very pleased with myself. I used plenty of silicon on the rear rubber washers just to make sure if I missed any primer that the steel edges were fully rust-proof.
Grind off the tabs on the airbox using the Dremel. This allows for the rubber hose to go on instead of the normal suction port.
Install hose! This is where I stopped taking photos. What a mission!!! The trick is to install the oval end first before the airbox is reinstalled. Getting a good fit top and bottom on the oval hose was near on impossible. We either had a gap at the top or a gap at the bottom. Once we had it even all the way around with a minimum 3mm gap, you then tightened the hose clamp... You read it correctly, a round hose clamp on an oval pipe.
The hose clamp would slip forward, the hose clamp would slip backwards, if you overtightened it it would slip back and cause the hose to pop off. We eventually got it (i can't take credit, a mate did it for me as I had spat the dummy, so I shampooed his Patrol interior for him whilst he figured it out) but I'm not impressed with the whole concept. Basic logic tells you that the pressure is all on the two ends with very little force on the top and bottom sealing surfaces. With this in mind, I hopped in the wife's car to Supercheap and picked up a tube of Sikaflex. This wasn't in the instructions but I've gone to too much effort to get this water tight to let a leaking hose clamp ruin my engine. This is an over exaggeration as the hose is on there tight, but I smothered the whole seal area with a good coat of Sikaflex. I am now covered in the stuff and though paint thinner did remove some of it, I think I'm going to have to wait for a new layer of skin to grow!
Air box in, round hose fitted. Hose clamp perfect (almost as if it's designed for a round hose!!!) I removed the second battery to create some more room. Job done!
DONE!
Result? I'm very pleased! I must say I would like to know what ARB do with the oval hose clamp seal. I am much happier knowing i have 6mm of SIkaflex over the whole seal.
Would I do it again? Yes! Would i recommend others to do it? Yes! (at your own risk of course!) Did I feel like I wanted to throw up when I put the first centre punch in the wing? Yes!
I am convinced the pickup power has increased significantly! The wife tells me it's probably in my head, but there is definitely a dramatic increase. I can't actually believe that Toyota think the best place to put a suction port of a 4x4 engine is directly above the driver's wheel. Until tackling this job, I didn't really understand just how much dust my engine must have been sucking when diving on dirt roads!
Go on, give it a go! 89mm Hole cutter and step drill cost me $80 (I already had the arbor) but I will definitely use the step drill many times over again. I'm happy to help or lend my tools to any WA PPer that is up for the challenge.
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