Safari Snorkel releasing snorkel for 3rd-gen 4Runners

[JeepKiller]

I talked to some ARB guys at Overland Expo East and the guy said laughed and said that they arent making anything new for the 3rd gens because its nearly a 20 year old suv. He said theyre focusing more on making a higher end suspension system (through OME) and new stuff for the 5th gens.

 

[MandAtaco]

Hmmm, I swear I heard somone say this. LOL

 

[MillerPKA]

I haven't read through this admittedly, but I must be missing something. What would you want out of a 3rd gen specific snorkel that you can't get from the Tacoma snorkel? I just read the last page and there are people saying they are waiting for the 4Runner snorkel because they don't like the fit/finish of the Hilux 167, like there are no other options. The Tacoma snorkel is nearly an exact fit and looks as factory as a snorkel can look on these trucks. I Seems like there is a bunch of interest for this, and usually I'd be right there with everyone, but in my opinion we already have an excellent option.

 

[MattJakobs]

I haven't read through this admittedly, but I must be missing something. What would you want out of a 3rd gen specific snorkel that you can't get from the Tacoma snorkel? I just read the last page and there are people saying they are waiting for the 4Runner snorkel because they don't like the fit/finish of the Hilux 167, like there are no other options. The Tacoma snorkel is nearly an exact fit and looks as factory as a snorkel can look on these trucks. I Seems like there is a bunch of interest for this, and usually I'd be right there with everyone, but in my opinion we already have an excellent option.

I can totally understand this. I'm personally not a fan of the 167 look, however if I had a need for a snorkel, I'd save my pennies and buy the Tacoma snorkel. To me, the Tacoma one fits our body lines a lot better and I like the smaller arm. With many people swapping 4Runner to Tacoma parts, I don't see the big deal.

 

[regulator213]

FWIW ARB just stated it may be released around spring time next year. At this point I doubt they have any idea when it will be released. They are just telling us what we want to hear to get us off their backs for the time being.



They are currently working on the newer gen 4runner snorkel's and I'd seriously be surprised if they decided to continue, or even start, the 3rd gen snorkel after that. I'm just gonna go with the tacoma snorkel and get the extended tacoma tube.

EDIT: I WILL say that he also told me they just installed a prototype on one of their managers' trucks but that's as far as they've gotten. Again though, that doesn't mean it's done, even close, or if they'll actually decide to finish the product.

As far as I'm concerned it will VERY LIKELY be close to the same price as the Tacoma snorkel and if it looks like the Tacoma snorkel it will have to include an extra duct anyway so really what is the point on waiting? The Tacoma snorkel seems to fit great already and if you're like myself and many other T4R owners your electric antennae is already broken so that's not an issue either.

 

[JayRolla]

FWIW ARB just stated it may be released around spring time next year. At this point I doubt they have any idea when it will be released. They are just telling us what we want to hear to get us off their backs for the time being.

They are currently working on the newer gen 4runner snorkel's and I'd seriously be surprised if they decided to continue, or even start, the 3rd gen snorkel after that. I'm just gonna go with the tacoma snorkel and get the extended tacoma tube.

Please post this statement. Im tired of the hear say.

 

[Unner]

I haven't read through this admittedly, but I must be missing something. What would you want out of a 3rd gen specific snorkel that you can't get from the Tacoma snorkel? I just read the last page and there are people saying they are waiting for the 4Runner snorkel because they don't like the fit/finish of the Hilux 167, like there are no other options. The Tacoma snorkel is nearly an exact fit and looks as factory as a snorkel can look on these trucks. I Seems like there is a bunch of interest for this, and usually I'd be right there with everyone, but in my opinion we already have an excellent option.

For me it's the slight chance that it would clear CBI ditch light brackets, whereas the Tacoma one like you have won't clear them. If it did I'd probably have one just because I think they look mean. (I know, my snorkel would mostly be for looks, not a lot of water crossings down here). I don't like the 167 snorkel as much as the ARB, I think it works perfectly with the 3rd gen.

 

[regulator213]

Please post this statement. Im tired of the hear say.

In a new thread?

 

[JeepKiller]

There needs to be an "are not" in the title of this thread

 

[RussToy]

There needs to be an "are not" in the title of this thread

Come on...what's with the negative waves?? We have to think positive!!

Yeah Baby!!

 

[JeepKiller]

Come on...what's with the negative waves?? We have to think positive!!

Yeah Baby!!

Like I said earlier, I talked to an ARB rep at Overland East and he said we aren't getting a snorkel.

 

[Unner]

I'm not counting on it just because the 3rd gen is an old platform and big companies normally go after the newer vehicles since that's where the money is. There is a lot of he said she said in this thread though. Some people say they talked to a rep and said it's coming soon. Others said they talked to a rep and said there's no way. I'll just wait it out and see what happens.

 

[techno]

Like I said earlier, I talked to an ARB rep at Overland East and he said we aren't getting a snorkel.

My friend works at Safari and he says they are. But they keep getting delayed and priorities change.

 

[jpeaslee]

It seems like we'd have better odds at this point trying to get Bandit Runner to produce his snorkel than the odds of Safari/ARB actually getting theirs out in the market.

 

[JeepKiller]

There would be no reason to spend so much time developing a snorkel, making the molds for the machines to use, and making them for only 1000 to be sold. Even if the guy I talked to didn't tell me they weren't making one id still doubt it. It's a 20 year old suv that for the majority of the owners will never even see dirt let alone get modded. I see no logical reason why they'd come out with a 3rd gen snorkel. Would I like one? Yes!!! But I'd rather not get excited about something that probably won't happen. If for some reason they do make them then they'll probably be ridiculously expensive and in a small quantity. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GSPRunner]

I've been checking in with a guy at ARB for months on this, and while it keeps getting pushed back due to the development of the 5th gen snorkel, he says that 3rd and 4th Gen snorkels will be developed. Can't give a timeline though.

 

[techno]

There's a few reasons why a business case to develop one now might exist.
1. Tooling for the external part of the product all ready exists in the Tacoma version.
2. They all ready have experience with the 3.4l engine and it's needs.
3. The only design challenges would be regarding the stereo antenna and the intake tube inside the fender. (Assuming they keep that approach as opposed to the more external versions they have on other vehicles)
4. As the 3rd gens get older, they are more likely to be modified and taken off road. So the market for them is at least stable, if not increasing.

 

[MStudt]

There's a few reasons why a business case to develop one now might exist.
1. Tooling for the external part of the product all ready exists in the Tacoma version.

The tooling does not exist for this or it would have been made already. Although I see where you're going with this, that's not how it works in the plastic industry. These are made via plastic injection in a mold. It would be near impossible to alter these molds to adapt them to fit a 4runner. You'd have to machine the Tacoma mold to fit the 4runner, and then make inserts to convert it back to the Tacoma. Getting a mold this accurate to not show section lines won't happen. Plus, as the mold get used it will start to wear. The more it wears the less worse the inserts would fit. This would cause problems, and most likely the QA guys won't sign off on the product. It would be cheaper for them to have an entire new mold to fit the 3rd Gen.

Pricing for those molds are VERY expensive. For comparison a cell phone mold costs about $20k. I would imagine a mold of this size would be somewhere in the ballpark of about $180-$200k+. I've worked in the plastic injection industry for a bit.

 

[techno]

I understand your point too. I design plastic injection molded parts at my job. Since the Taco unit is a perfect match to the 4runner body shape, I'm suggesting that Safari use that part, unmodified, and design the rest (the inside the fenders stuff) as needed.

 

[MStudt]

I understand your point too. I design plastic injection molded parts at my job. Since the Taco unit is a perfect match to the 4runner body shape, I'm suggesting that Safari use that part, unmodified, and design the rest (the inside the fenders stuff) as needed.

Misunderstanding on my part. I was referring to the antenna aspect which would result in having to alter the physical mold which is where I though you were going (which I misread). Just having to make a new mold for the internals wouldn't be nearly bad. You might be able to get away with altering an existing mold since this wouldn't really be a cosmetic appealing part. Chances are Safari would go with making a new mold rather than taking the risk of ruining an existing mold.