[bofer84]

So i got a dilemma here. Saved up some money, and now i need your help spending it. Should i buy the rockrash4x4 light bar, or the AEV snorkel?? I have a stock 4 door rubicon. i always worry about hydrolocking, and that light bar looks really cool. I already have a set of Lightfoce 240s, so i dont really need the extra light, but it would look cool. Then again so would the snorkel, and it would give me piece of mind here in the fl mud...ahhh, you see what im getting at, i have no idea what to do..HELP

Here are the links to both.

Light bar http://www.rockrash4x4.net/products.htm
Here is another picture: you have to scroll half way down. http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1563&page=2&highlight=rockrash

AEV snorkel: http://www.aev-conversions.com/products/jk_snorkel/

 

[StubEXrube]

JMO- I am suprised that either of those two things are so high on the wish list. I have absolutly no idea what mods you've already done to your jk, but there are A LOT of other mods that JK owners feel the need to do long before either of these. Depending on what you already have, where you wheel, how often you wheel, and how hardcore you get...these would be my suggestions...(even if some of these things are out of budget for now, and the money has to be saved for the time being).

front bumper that is winch capable
winch
gears
skidplating
quality f/r driveshafts (depending on status of lift)
quality air compressor (unless you don't air down...and you SHOULD air down)
some trail tools (quality sockets/ torque wrench/ grease gun/ tons of other asst tools)
snatch strap/ tree protector/ shackles
seat covers

If you don't have at least some or all of these things, and you offroad enough at night to justify the lights...Or go through enough deep water to justify the snorkel...then you might consider changing your priorities. JMO. Good luck.

 

[TEEJ]

If you have just those to choices, the snorkel is going to be more useful, as you mentioned not need more light...and it doubles as a cold air intake, etc.



I'd do rock rails if you didn't already have them, etc...first though....except I don't know what you already have.

 

[bofer84]

i already have rock rails as i have the rubicon. I am playing the waiting game on lifts, but will probably go clayton. As for a bumper, well it will be a custom bumper, i want to eventually fit a warn m8274 between the frame rails

im leaning towards the lightbar for some reason

 

[venom]

lightbar=something to hit on garages and low trees and you said yourself you don't need the light

snorkel= might save your motor

so of those 2, I'd say snorkel

That's one of the next things going on my rig.
I'd like the light bar, since I use my rig for catching rattlesnakes at night, a few more lights would be welcome (I already have upgraded headlights, 4x 100W halogens and 2 HIDs) but I just clear my carport by about 3/4" as it is
So until I go nuts and put 40"s on it and forget parking in the carport, the lightbar will have to wait for me.

 

[Crazy X]

snorkel is my choice

 

[under_psi]

i have had both at one point, although not on a JK...and...they were BOTH useless, and were more in the way than beneficial.....

both are like magnets for limbs and trees when trail riding...

also, if you hit either on a tree, expect some decent damage to the side and or windshield frame....

 

[Beat95YJ]

Both are almost completely not needed for wheeling in the US. Unless you swamp race in florida or wheel in Belize you do not need the snorkel. OE jeep airbox's work very well even when water is up to the hood line. You have said that you do not need more light.

I would put down the JC whitney catalog and look towards hard parts. Skids, chro-moly tie rod, lift kit, oil pan skid, etc. True these won't make you as cool at the mall...

 

[TEEJ]

I have to respectfully disagree with the east coast thing on the snorkel...we DO have a lot of wet areas that can, and DO, hydrolock engines on a frequent basis...due to hidden drop offs or other errors primarily.

Places like the Pine Barrens are NOTORIOUS for this, as you can enter a puddle, and tool along just fine, and then the bottom gets softer, or you run into a underwater rut, etc.

I've pumped the water out of too many engines through the spark plug holes to think this is not a problem.



Of course, depending on WHERE, and HOW a person wheels, it may be a foo foo decoration, like a light bar that you don't need lights on.

But, IF you DO wheel where its a good idea to have a snorkel, it DOES work.



As I've said before though, I'd make sure I had all the armor I needed before a snorkel.

 

[venom]

If you get out and walk every mud/water crossing before driving through it
or
avoid those altogether, absolutely no need for a snorkel

however if you frequently hit wet stuff and don't mind the way they look, why not add the little bit of insurance.

Around here the flood gauges along the access roads generally run up to the 6' range, and that's ON the road.
Thing about deserts and plains, when it DOES rain, it rains hard and all that water has to go somewhere, so it gets deep fast!

Plus around here, mudbogging is a favorite activity so the little mud hole you may just want to get across to get to the other side of the lake probably has 44" bogger ruts waiting to surprise you.

 

[paragon]

i have had both at one point, although not on a JK...and...they were BOTH useless, and were more in the way than beneficial.....

both are like magnets for limbs and trees when trail riding...

also, if you hit either on a tree, expect some decent damage to the side and or windshield frame....

agreed. Had a bud that had a light bar on a YJ and it torqued the whole windshield frame and firewall when the light bar hit acting like sort of a lever.

The snorkel is even more fragile. A snorkel that was hood high back at the cowl might be more realistic. The JT has "snorkel" that is just a rise off the hood. I'd bet dunking everything over hood depth would pose more issues than just hydro-lockup.

 

[venom]

snorkels arent for driving a submarine, they're for the occasional 'oh $hit' splash or deeper part of a hole dunking that you didnt know was there
more to cover a momentary visit from the f-up fairy than to try to launch torpedos :mr-t:

eh whatever, I say if you want one, put it on
if you don't then don't

I drive trails trying watch out and not to bust a plastic flare, or get tree branches through my soft top window or tear off my mirrors.
Yeah stuff happens, it always will- but if I can drive so as not to tear other bits off, why not just remember it's there?

besides, it's tucked in way tighter than the flares so you'd rip that off before hitting snorkel - mirrors too, and its lower than the windshield top, so unless you fold your windshield down, it's no higher.

 

[TEEJ]

If you get out and walk every mud/water crossing before driving through it
or
avoid those altogether, absolutely no need for a snorkel

Well sure, and we don't need armor or a lift either, if we see a rock, we can just go around it.



Hell, with enough by-passes, we can all just drive RAV4's.

 

[TEEJ]

there
more to cover a momentary visit from the f-up fairy than to try to launch torpedos :mr-t:

LOL



I love the F-Up Fairy part, that's GREAT!

 

[bofer84]

think im just going to buy a warn m8000 for 499 shipped to my door. Its a little more practical than the light bar, and i will eventually get the snork what say you??

 

[StubEXrube]

think im just going to buy a warn m8000 for 499 shipped to my door. Its a little more practical than the light bar, and i will eventually get the snork what say you??

A great investment! That's what I indicated earlier. Priority one for any stock or lifted vehicle that will actually be driven off road. You can also be the hero after the next ice storm when you are able to pull someone out of a ditch or get rid of that tree limb in the middle of the road. To be serious....Having a winch at the ready will allow you to feel more confident going thru mud and into situations where you might have previously avoided. Plus if you are taking the jeep solo to hit the trails, go fishing, etc...then you will likely feel much safer knowing that you can use self recovery to insure getting back home. Excellent choice!

 

[venom]

plus you have an excuse to buy a new bumper, since the winch mount plates cost almost as much as some of the winch mount bumpers!

 

[07_Rubi]

get the snorkel and later add some windshield mounted lights...that's plenty of light

 

[bofer84]

thinking of going with expedition ones from stubby. Its pretty much the same price as a winch mount:bounce:

 

[SDMF]

thinking of going with expedition ones from stubby. Its pretty much the same price as a winch mount:bounce:

I have the basic DX, no complaints.