Does Your Jeep Need A Snorkel?
No doubt a Jeep with a snorkel, all safaried out looks pretty epic! But is it functional, just for show or a mod that actually makes sense? The snorkel was designed to help with two specific scenarios in mind, water forging, and dust management. If you never plan to cross deep water, or never find yourself on a dusty trail behind a few friends kicking up some serious dust, then you don’t need a snorkel. For everyone else, you might want a snorkel.
Primary Purpose Of A Snorkel
Most Jeepers think the primary purpose of a snorkel is for water forging. This isn’t the case, the primary purpose of a snorkel is about air filtration and cooler air intake. The raised intake gets your primary air intake higher where there is less dust and cooler air, which helps push cleaner air into your intake. Many premium snorkels even have a prefilter in the snorkel that pre-cleans the air before it even reaches the engine air filter, which can help keep your engine clean and let it run longer. The raised intake of a snorkel can also help with water forging. However, it’s not advisable to submerge the entire engine compartment (which is below) the raised snorkel intake due to the electronics under the hood.
The Best Jeep Snorkels
After assessing if you need a snorkel or not you are likely going to start investigating which snorkel is right for you. When it comes to snorkels we are big fans of premium snorkels made by reputable brands. Engine air filtration is not something you want to skimp on or trust with cheap low-quality products. Here are our top picks when it comes to air filters.
1. Rugged Ridge XHD Snorkel With Pre Filter.
Rugged Ridge makes really high-quality Jeep parts and accessories, and their XHD snorkel is no exception. We suggest the kit with the pre-filter to help improve air quality entering your air intake. Check current price on Amazon.
2. The ARB Air Snorkel:
ARB understands dust and water fording. Many of the best trails in the Australian Bush encounter a lot of both of those. They build products designed to handle the toughest terrain on the planet which is why we know we can trust their design, engineering, and quality. Pick one up at Extreme Terrain.
3. AEV JK Snorkel System:
The quality behind AEV products is next to none. The companies primary focus is making products that interact and feel and function like OEM. Their snorkel can be equipped with a pre-air filter head which we are big fans of. AEV makes a high-quality heat reduction hood that has built-in vents for easy installation. Of course, you can go the traditional trimming route but if you were looking for an all-in-one solution replacement hood and snorkel this is the kit for you.
Not For Everyone But Right For Some
Not everyone who owns a Jeep Wrangler needs a snorkel. But for Jeepers who spend a ton of time in the dust, or plan to go beyond factory fording heights a snorkel can be just what you want. It is important that you read the fording specifications and do the measurements based on your tire height and lift kit to ensure you are never committing to more fording than is safe.