Bravo Snorkel installation
#1
Bravo Snorkel installation
I spent my weekend installing the 'fully-sealed' Bravo snorkel and wanted to post a separate thread for anyone considering this option. I won't go into why you might want this over the LR RAI, that's covered in separate threads.. which I'll link to later.
The positives:
1. It's made entirely of LDPE and weighs only 4kg
2. It comes in 3 'snug' fitted parts that can be properly sealed from the Ram style head right through to the airbox.
3. Fixings to the fender and A-pillar are reasonably sturdy - I wouldn't expect this one to fly off like the LR RAI has.
4. No baseline noise increase, even at highway speeds. My WildPeaks drown everything else anyway.
5. No noticeable increase in dP on idle. Vacuum registers 1.43 - 1.6 psi with a clean air filter.
Things to be aware of:
1. Because it's fully sealed, install requires access from the wheel arch and removal of the center and rear intake ducts. The original center duct is made of fibrous material with a skeleton insert. It's wrapped in a waterproof sleeve and cable tied at the front and rear intake ducts.
2. Prepare to be on your knees for a few hours while securing the snorkel from inside the wheel arch.
3. If you wheel a lot, you will cop a lot of dirt around and above the wheel arch when accessing the ducts. Bring a good vacuum cleaner.
4. Make sure you fit the pieces together BEFORE bolting on the snorkel so you know how to squeeze the new centre duct sleeve to slip onto the snorkel piece. It's a snug fit, as it should be.
5. Apply sealant to both sides of the centre duct. If you want to reuse the blue sleeve, fit this over the duct beforehand. Not much room to get it on later.
6. Screw the top bolt into the snorkel body and fit washer, nylex nut from inside wheel arch after you have positioned the snorkel through the top fixing hole over the fender gap. You won't be able to locate the top thread if you try and do this from the inside.
7. Once the two M8 snorkel bolts are screwed on securely through the fixing holes to the fender, you can try and fit the new center duct piece (with sealant already applied), but be sure to remove the bolt holding the front duct piece so you have room. This bolt also holds front, centre ducts and snorkel piece together while your glue is drying.
8. Apply sealant liberally by hand on the joints you can get to. Although it's a nice fit when assembled, it's good to have some extra waterproofing on all joints. After sealant application, I also cable tied the blue sleeve on both sides of the joints the following morning. Because of the limited space, this seemingly simple task was a complete PITA.
9. Once you are done cleaning up down there, prepare yourself for drilling holes into your A-pillar.
10. Secure the bracket onto the snorkel and mark out a guide for cutting the plastic A-Pillar cover. Remove the bracket and cut plastic very carefully. I used a multifunction power tool that I could rest on the A-Pillar to avoid slips.
11. Once you've succeeded in not butchering your truck, now prepare to drill 3 x 5mm holes directly into the A-Pillar. Yikes. Actually, it's not that bad, but you want to have the bracket fixed to the snorkel first, raise the bracket slightly with a plastic tool and drill through the bracket rivet holes with a 4.6mm drill piece. This way you can be sure the holes line up when you put the washers in underneath. Once holes are in the aluminium Pillar, (its only a few mm thick), upsize your holes to 5mm for the rivets, but take the bracket off first.
Everything else can be gleaned from the installation guide.
Pics below..
Installation guide
LtoR: original front duct, new ram head, new center duct, new snorkel
Underside of airbox with bunghole
Finished front to new center duct piece. Note the bolt on front duct to remove during installation.
New center duct to new snorkel. Note the sealant. Blue sleeve not required, but adds another layer of protection. Its very tight up there! Top bolt is not accessible once the center duct is on.
Cutting the plastic
A-Pillar bracket installed directly onto A-Pillar
Original center duct piece. Note the vertical length of the rubber seal which rests against fender from inside. The LR RAI is bolted on from the outside. There is no active seal between the original center duct, fender and LR RAI.
The finished product!
If you are interested in what other options are currently available and why you might consider them over the stock JLR RAI then see the thread below.
https://landroverforums.com/forum/2020-defender-60/ndm-snorkel-118202/page2/
My motivation for installing the Bravo was having to turn back a few times from a flowing river directly on to the intake side.
The positives:
1. It's made entirely of LDPE and weighs only 4kg
2. It comes in 3 'snug' fitted parts that can be properly sealed from the Ram style head right through to the airbox.
3. Fixings to the fender and A-pillar are reasonably sturdy - I wouldn't expect this one to fly off like the LR RAI has.
4. No baseline noise increase, even at highway speeds. My WildPeaks drown everything else anyway.
5. No noticeable increase in dP on idle. Vacuum registers 1.43 - 1.6 psi with a clean air filter.
Things to be aware of:
1. Because it's fully sealed, install requires access from the wheel arch and removal of the center and rear intake ducts. The original center duct is made of fibrous material with a skeleton insert. It's wrapped in a waterproof sleeve and cable tied at the front and rear intake ducts.
2. Prepare to be on your knees for a few hours while securing the snorkel from inside the wheel arch.
3. If you wheel a lot, you will cop a lot of dirt around and above the wheel arch when accessing the ducts. Bring a good vacuum cleaner.
4. Make sure you fit the pieces together BEFORE bolting on the snorkel so you know how to squeeze the new centre duct sleeve to slip onto the snorkel piece. It's a snug fit, as it should be.
5. Apply sealant to both sides of the centre duct. If you want to reuse the blue sleeve, fit this over the duct beforehand. Not much room to get it on later.
6. Screw the top bolt into the snorkel body and fit washer, nylex nut from inside wheel arch after you have positioned the snorkel through the top fixing hole over the fender gap. You won't be able to locate the top thread if you try and do this from the inside.
7. Once the two M8 snorkel bolts are screwed on securely through the fixing holes to the fender, you can try and fit the new center duct piece (with sealant already applied), but be sure to remove the bolt holding the front duct piece so you have room. This bolt also holds front, centre ducts and snorkel piece together while your glue is drying.
8. Apply sealant liberally by hand on the joints you can get to. Although it's a nice fit when assembled, it's good to have some extra waterproofing on all joints. After sealant application, I also cable tied the blue sleeve on both sides of the joints the following morning. Because of the limited space, this seemingly simple task was a complete PITA.
9. Once you are done cleaning up down there, prepare yourself for drilling holes into your A-pillar.
10. Secure the bracket onto the snorkel and mark out a guide for cutting the plastic A-Pillar cover. Remove the bracket and cut plastic very carefully. I used a multifunction power tool that I could rest on the A-Pillar to avoid slips.
11. Once you've succeeded in not butchering your truck, now prepare to drill 3 x 5mm holes directly into the A-Pillar. Yikes. Actually, it's not that bad, but you want to have the bracket fixed to the snorkel first, raise the bracket slightly with a plastic tool and drill through the bracket rivet holes with a 4.6mm drill piece. This way you can be sure the holes line up when you put the washers in underneath. Once holes are in the aluminium Pillar, (its only a few mm thick), upsize your holes to 5mm for the rivets, but take the bracket off first.
Everything else can be gleaned from the installation guide.
Pics below..
Installation guide
LtoR: original front duct, new ram head, new center duct, new snorkel
Underside of airbox with bunghole
Finished front to new center duct piece. Note the bolt on front duct to remove during installation.
New center duct to new snorkel. Note the sealant. Blue sleeve not required, but adds another layer of protection. Its very tight up there! Top bolt is not accessible once the center duct is on.
Cutting the plastic
A-Pillar bracket installed directly onto A-Pillar
Original center duct piece. Note the vertical length of the rubber seal which rests against fender from inside. The LR RAI is bolted on from the outside. There is no active seal between the original center duct, fender and LR RAI.
The finished product!
If you are interested in what other options are currently available and why you might consider them over the stock JLR RAI then see the thread below.
https://landroverforums.com/forum/2020-defender-60/ndm-snorkel-118202/page2/
My motivation for installing the Bravo was having to turn back a few times from a flowing river directly on to the intake side.
Last edited by VillaDazzler; 10-23-2023 at 09:53 PM.
#2
Beautiful. Great post. Thanks for all the details. I've been eyeing this one for a while.
The blue sleeve. Is that part of the OEM setup and you've reused it as a secondary layer of protection? My understanding from your post is that this is not a component of Bravo's design itself.
Great insurance in deeper crossings and nice looking Tuffant sliders.
The blue sleeve. Is that part of the OEM setup and you've reused it as a secondary layer of protection? My understanding from your post is that this is not a component of Bravo's design itself.
Great insurance in deeper crossings and nice looking Tuffant sliders.
#3
Beautiful. Great post. Thanks for all the details. I've been eyeing this one for a while.
The blue sleeve. Is that part of the OEM setup and you've reused it as a secondary layer of protection? My understanding from your post is that this is not a component of Bravo's design itself.
Great insurance in deeper crossings and nice looking Tuffant sliders.
The blue sleeve. Is that part of the OEM setup and you've reused it as a secondary layer of protection? My understanding from your post is that this is not a component of Bravo's design itself.
Great insurance in deeper crossings and nice looking Tuffant sliders.
Last edited by VillaDazzler; 10-24-2023 at 12:14 AM.
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