FTS 5th gen Snorkel Install

[eddiebx]

I don't want to sound like the idiot here, but I have always been curious...so I have to ask...wouldn't you guys have to be in like 35-40"+ of water to actually put the snorkel to use? :bolt:

I'm just assuming that the hole (through the fender) where you plumb into the stock intake box is about the height of where the water would be sucked in from if you had no snorkel?

 

[Ryan1975]

UPDATE: I have been working with FTS and if 10 people want to get a snorkel I can import them for an end user price of $392 Shipped to your door. That's $221 cheaper than full price. If (doubtful)20 people ordered the price would drop to $366

The army dude from hood will take one

 

[Ryan1975]

I don't want to sound like the idiot here, but I have always been curious...so I have to ask...wouldn't you guys have to be in like 35-40"+ of water to actually put the snorkel to use? :bolt:

I'm just assuming that the hole (through the fender) where you plumb into the stock intake box is about the height of where the water would be sucked in from if you had no snorkel?

The biggest benefit is opposite of water - dust. Following other vehicles down dirt road can clog a filter quick. Trying to get the intake above the dust clouds helps immensely

 

[joneseyyy]

Hmmm...I'm thinking!!! Can you turn the top of the snorkel (the inlet) backwards to further help in dusty conditions?

 

[Omar RVA]

Hmmm...I'm thinking!!! Can you turn the top of the snorkel (the inlet) backwards to further help in dusty conditions?

Typically you'd use a pre-filter in those instances. Something that looks like this (forgive the Jeep in the image search photo, though the AEVs are pretty sweet):

OA

 

[TOY2G]

I don't want to sound like the idiot here, but I have always been curious...so I have to ask...wouldn't you guys have to be in like 35-40"+ of water to actually put the snorkel to use? :bolt:

I'm just assuming that the hole (through the fender) where you plumb into the stock intake box is about the height of where the water would be sucked in from if you had no snorkel?

Correct, for The snorkel to be used as intended and to prepare your vehicle for water crossings you must seal up your air box as well as other components on the vehicle that are susceptible to water. All this comes into play when your vehicle pass side wheel well is submerged in water.

The army dude from hood will take one

9 more to go. :cheer2:

Hmmm...I'm thinking!!! Can you turn the top of the snorkel (the inlet) backwards to further help in dusty conditions?

This^, I see this pretty often, not sure if it helps, but I guess it couldn't hurt.

Typically you'd use a pre-filter in those instances. Something that looks like this (forgive the Jeep in the image search photo, though the AEVs are pretty sweet):

OA

We use to stock the pre filters (still avail) but in the US nobody buys them. I sat on 2 of them for about 18 months and ended up giving them away.

 

[zopperman]

Seriously? They make a 5th gen snorkel but not a 4th gen one? Bitter.

Also, [MENTION=64685]TOY2G[/MENTION] what is your life? buying toyotas and traveling to greenland because you want to say you've driven there? Even more bitter.

Begrudgingly, nice job on the snorkel, it looks pretty clean with the body lines.

 

[TOY2G]

Seriously? They make a 5th gen snorkel but not a 4th gen one? Bitter.

Also, [MENTION=64685]TOY2G[/MENTION] what is your life? buying toyotas and traveling to greenland because you want to say you've driven there? Even more bitter.

Begrudgingly, nice job on the snorkel, it looks pretty clean with the body lines.

I have a snorkel that may fit the 4th gen, it was made for the Prado 120 but it may fit the 4th, so I bought a couple to try, and never grew a pair.

My life is work, I spend 65+ hours a week at my office and warehouse, I do love buying Toyotas but we are about to make some life changes and the meaningless spending is going to come to a close.

Time to get a 5th gen man......it will look newer, feel cheaper and go slower, but at least you can have that car payment you have been wanting.

 

[DannyLlama]

Time to get a 5th gen man......it will look newer, feel cheaper and go slower, but at least you can have that car payment you have been wanting.

:fish:

 

[TOY2G]

:fish:

I know man, :sorry:
I love my 5th gens, but I gave up alot of little things to have a newer vehicle. I lost my bump start ignition, sheet metal is 2 thousandths thinner, lost my projection headlights, lots my LED tail lights, lost my back window roll down, V8 gone, antenna in rear glass is no more, Auto Close trunk gate gone, and center diff lock stolen.

so yea, they look newer, cost more, have cheaper materials, and less features... but I get to post in the 5th gen section now, so it all works out in the wash. :behindsofa:

 

[TOY2G]

I posted this in another thread...... Just adding the text here so everyone can enjoy my whining. Lol





It blows my mind sometimes how peoples mind work. There is a perfect fitting, and well made snorkel on the market now for 5th gens, something people claim to have been wanting forever, but the cost was too high.

So I buy one, pay out the nose to ship it here, install it on my truck and to my surprise, it fits perfect, and looks just as bad as FJ and wrangler snorkels.

I have posted the short write up on 3 forums, I have spent hours working with FTS and my Shanghai factory to figure out how to get the cost down close to Safari prices for everyone, and I have fielded some pretty odd questions.

I have come to the conclusion that Safari is right to not build one, people don't want a snorkel on their 5th gen, they just want one to be avail if they change their mind. I have gotten 30 responses and and a few PMs and the census is... The snorkel, it too shiny (it painted Fiberglass so you could paint it any color or texture you want), it's fiberglass (the material ALL snorkels use to be), and it's too big on the fender part (like the FJ, Landcruiser, Wrangler, exc). :cry2:

It's a functioning snorkel made to fit our trucks out of a proven material.. Sure it's fiberglass, what's the problem, afraid in all your hardcore rock crawling you are going to take it out with a bolder or tree? At least fiberglass can be repaired easily. I can see that people want to add "snorkel" to their mod list but do not want to install or use a snorkel.

Perhaps we can get them to make a stick on fender accessory (like the hood scoops or chrome vents) that looks like a snorkel to fill the void in the market.


Sorry for the rant guys, I have just got a lot of silly questions and generally disapproving responses to this snorkel. I don't work for FTS, I cannot get them to shorten the body, I cannot get them to LineX the snorkel, I cannot get them to send the cad file to me, I cannot get them to make it two pieces.

If you want a pretty well built, custom fit 5th gen snorkel, this is your option.

Note: I know I said this before, but I have tried to find a solution for a 5th gen snorkel for about 18 months, I went as far as to contact a injection molder and Eli at Ironman Off-road. Bottom line, to make the 5 molds required to produce the 5th gen snorkel and get a single snorkel into production requires roughly a $100k investment. This translates into a ROI starting at over 9200 snorkels to reach the black (not even turning profit). Even if technology could in a few years cut production cost in half or even 75 percent, they still need 2000-4000 people willing to buy a snorkel. This entire forum could not get 100 off the shelf if they were free.





FWIW. I am ordering 2 (full priced) snorkels from FTS this week, one more for me and one for GD2013. FTS says they have only sold 2 in 13 months, one to me, and one to CA. With a demand like that, I assume they will not continue offering these for much longer.

 

[Rubberdown]

I was kind of wondering why no one seemed to jump on board with your snorkel. Hell it looks like a snorkel and performs like a snorkel, what else do people want? That being said, I will never ever get so hard core I would need a snorkel. I am still paying this thing off, I'm not gonna go sink it!

 

[marshal]

no one likes it because it doesn't look pretty, doesn't matter if it performs or not. thats why everyone is up in arms about ARB's bumper for the 5th gen.

I'm just glad i don't want a snorkel, they serve no purpose to me

 

[TOY2G]

I was kind of wondering why no one seemed to jump on board with your snorkel. Hell it looks like a snorkel and performs like a snorkel, what else do people want? That being said, I will never ever get so hard core I would need a snorkel. I am still paying this thing off, I'm not gonna go sink it!

no one likes it because it doesn't look pretty, doesn't matter if it performs or not. thats why everyone is up in arms about ARB's bumper for the 5th gen.

I'm just glad i don't want a snorkel, they serve no purpose to me

In the US Overland market, aesthetics are king, function always take a back seat. Yet, we still wonder why none if these companies will take the US market serious and support it.

I have only needed a snorkel once. But with the 3 bug overland trips coming up in our trucks, deep water crossing are going to be a real part of our future....otherwise I would not have hacked up my perfect fender.

 

[Narkhelek]

So far we have the following people committing to the FTS snorkel:

1. @Ryan1975
2. @Narkhelek

This is likely to be your one and only chance to get a snorkel for a 5th Gen under $600. Who else is in?

 

[TOY2G]

So far we have the following people committing to the FTS snorkel:

1. @Ryan1975
2. @Narkhelek

This is likely to be your one and only chance to get a snorkel for a 5th Gen under $600. Who else is in?

I will hold off on my order to see if we can get ten. I count for one, so we are 7 shy. It's very very slow shipping, so I want to get the order in so I can have it installed before we hit the road in June.

I will keep an eye on this thread for any more takers.

Thanks man

 

[TOY2G]

Are you guys doing anything to low hanging electronics for water crossings?

Also, have you tried asking them to make it with ABS?

Sorry man I missed this one.

I won't likely mess with the electronics, what is there should be weather tight to some extent. I do not intend to seek out holes to sink my trucks in, I do suspect I will get into some water, in AK and in NS, but having no experience, I will have to play it by ear.

I will be adding the accordion style diff breathers, and doing a smoke machine test to check for cabin leaks (other than the rear vents)

As far as ABS, the tooling alone is in the tens of thousands of dollars, they were kind enough to offer to make them if I cover the cost of the molds. Given they have sold none of these snorkels, I'm pretty sure they won't be in eating the money to make any improvements. Heck, even their template is hand drawn. Lol.

 

[KCcarguy]

For me aesthetics doesn't matter much. When I'm relying on a piece of equipment to prevent catastrophic damage to my vehicle while traveling in isolated areas, I want a quality product from a reputable company. I have never heard of FTS. Do they make other 4x4 products? Any history on the company?

 

[TOY2G]

For me aesthetics doesn't matter much. When I'm relying on a piece of equipment to prevent catastrophic damage to my vehicle while traveling in isolated areas, I want a quality product from a reputable company. I have never heard of FTS. Do they make other 4x4 products? Any history on the company?

They make a ton of stuff, this snorkel it one of about 200 products, to include 5th gen skid plates. In all honesty I bet there a few companies out there that you have not heard of. Fact is, I learned of FTS on this forum and because of the business I do in China, I was not in a rush to order a snorkel from them. As it turns out, Taiwan is far superior to China in many aspects related to quality. You have to keep in mind, FTS did not invent anything here, fiberglass is not new, however thickness, and fitment were my concern, and to my surprise, it is both sturdy and it fits. :becky:

All that said.... FTS leaves me scratching my head.. they make a snorkel for the Sequoia and for the 5th gen...... Both US only vehicles..WHY.?


I have one of their snorkels on one of my trucks, I still do not trust them because 1 is far too small of sample group. Time will tell man.

Here is a link to their site so you can look at what they do..
? FTS ??We Design, Develop and Make Performance 4x4 Accessories?

 

[joneseyyy]

Count me in for one Toy2G if you get to the magic number of 10. I'm willing to take the plunge; I've already been in a few water crossings where the bow wake was at or above the headlights - this is def. a functional piece for me.