2023 Ford Everest build: Safari Armax snorkel

For many people kitting out a new 4x4 vehicle, a raised air intake snorkel is one of the first pieces of equipment to go on the list of accessories.

A well-designed and manufactured intake snorkel not only raises the engine’s air intake point to reduce the risk of water entry when crossing rivers and creeks, but also lifts it above the dust trail of vehicles ahead. In addition, it improves the amount and rate of airflow into the engine, which is important if you want to make the most out of any other modifications designed to improve engine performance.

When it comes to intake snorkels, the Safari 4x4 brand stands above all others in that it is sold and recognised around the world. In fact, Safari 4x4 has been developing and manufacturing snorkels for 4x4s for more than 40 years.

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Proudly Australian, Safari 4x4 does its development and manufacturing right here in Australia, and that its products are made to withstand the harshest conditions on the planet to provide decades of reliable service on your 4x4.

When Safari announced that it had a new Armax snorkel in development for the current model Ford Ranger and Everest, we had no hesitation in turning to this company for an install on our Everest. Safari 4x4 already has its ‘V-Spec’ snorkels available for the latest Ford 4x4s, and these are Ford-approved accessory products available via your Ford dealer when purchasing a new Ranger or Everest.

The Armax range of snorkels are designed bigger to deliver even more airflow to the engine to meet the demands of modifications such as tuning kits and larger exhaust systems.

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Internal combustion engines are, after all, just big air pumps and improving their efficiency and performance comes down to how much air and fuel you can put through them. A bigger, better flowing intake gets the air into the engine; tuning the engine manages how it is ingested and burnt; and a bigger exhaust system takes the burnt gases out of the engine. Safari uses an in-house chassis dynamometer to test the performance of its products fitted to vehicles to ensure the benefits are documented.

The polyethylene material used in roto-moulded Safari 4x4 products was developed to not only be tough and durable but to have high levels of UV stabilisation to cope with the harsh environment on the outside of your vehicle. It’s this quality that allows Safari 4x4 to offer a lifetime warranty on its snorkels.

The Safari snorkel on my 1985 LandCruiser, for example, is almost as old as Safari itself and it shows no signs of damage or fading after four decades of service, so it was a no-brainer to go with a Safari snorkel for our latest build.

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Installation

We chose to have the Armax snorkel fitted at Safari’s Melbourne headquarters, but it is a job that can be carried out by anyone who is handy on the tools and is confident enough to cut holes in the guard of their 4x4.

The supplied instruction book is comprehensive and detailed, listing all the tools needed to do the job, and it includes templates not just for where the snorkel is mounted on the vehicle but also for the modifications needed to be made to the airbox.

To achieve the extra airflow that the Armax snorkel is capable of (up to 25 per cent more) the intake of the factory Ford airbox needs to be opened up and this requires removing some strengthening ribs with a die grinder and cutting out the aperture. The supplied templates make this job easier but, like everything involved in this job, it’s best to measure twice and cut once!

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Stainless steel reinforcing brackets are included in the kit and these need to be affixed to the airbox to maintain its rigidity. A huge OE-style moulded rubber tube connects the modified airbox to the snorkel through the guard. The modified airbox still uses the factory air filter element.

Careful marking using the supplied templates will ensure you correctly drill and cut the holes in the guard and on the A-pillar to mount the snorkel in place. Again, check twice and cut once. In fact, I’d check three times to be sure.

Depending on the model, engine and spec of your Ford, you may need to relocate the horn or bend a bracket here and there to ensure it all fits within the inner guard. The snorkels are made to suit all model variants with either the V6 or bi-turbo diesel engines, while another variant of Armax snorkel is currently in development for the Ranger Raptor.

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If your Ford Everest or Ranger has flares fitted there is a cut-out in the lower edge of the Armax snorkel to clear them without any cutting. If you don’t have flares, like our Everest, an infill plugs that cut out on the bottom of the snorkel.
At the other end of the Armax, it’s capped with a four-inch Air Ram head with inbuilt water separator to drain any rain or other water away from the intake and keep it out of your engine. The Air Ram head is also designed to be quiet so you’re not bothered by any intake noise when out on the highways and tracks.

We have found that the snorkel does slightly amplify the resonances of the four-cylinder diesel engine but not to the point where it becomes annoying or loud. The Armax snorkel is big on the front of the Everest and flows well beyond what we have planned for the vehicle but it looks great and we know the capability is there for additional flow if required by any future modifications. But more than anything, we can drive with confidence into creeks and streams without being too concerned about water entering the engine via the Ford’s OE forward facing air intake.

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Despite Ford claiming a class-leading 800mm wading depth for the Ranger and Everest, we don’t think the forward facing intake is ideal and moving that intake through the guard and up high on the A-pillar gives us a lot more confidence for water crossings.

This is a great Australian-made product and, if it’s anything like the Safari snorkel on my Cruiser, it’s one that we reckon will outlive the Everest itself.

RRP: $880 (plus fitting)