Cover photo: Safari 4X4 Engineering, who make snorkels for just about every Cruiser. Go and have a look at their kits.
Ask a South African Cruiser owner why they fitted a snorkel. Most will say dust, not rivers. The long gravel roads to the Kgalagadi, the sand tracks in Botswana, a farm road in the dry season. A few will admit it just looks right on a 79.
The proper name is a raised air intake. On a stock car, the engine breathes through an opening low in the front wing, near the wheel. A snorkel moves that opening up to roof height, where the air is cleaner.
This guide covers which Cruisers already have one, what a snorkel really does, which kit fits your engine and what it costs here.
The short answer
- A V8 79 or 76: it came with one. At most, change the head on top.
- A new-shape 79 or 76, from 2024, with the 2.8 four-cylinder: there is no snorkel. If you drive long dust roads, fit a kit made for the 2.8.
- A 4.2 diesel or 4.0 petrol 79: the same story as the 2.8. Fit one if you live on gravel.
- A Cruiser that stays on tar and good gravel: you don’t need one.
- Planning deep water: a snorkel is only one part of the job. The axle vents and a sealed air box matter just as much.
Does your Cruiser already have one?
In Australia, the new 2.8 70 Series comes with a snorkel from the factory. South Africa is different. Here, only the V8 got one.
Toyota South Africa’s single cab spec sheet from March 2025 shows it clearly. It ticks “Snorkel” for the 4.5 V8 and for no other engine. The V8 station wagon had one too. So did the 70th Anniversary 79s of 2021, which were V8s.
The 2.8, the 4.2 diesel and the 4.0 petrol never had one. The current spec sheets for the 79, 76, 78, 300 and Prado don’t list a snorkel at all.
| Land Cruiser (SA) | Snorkel from the factory? |
|---|---|
| 79 or 76 with the 4.5 V8 | Yes |
| 79 or 76 with the 2.8 (2024 on) | No |
| 79 with the 4.2 diesel or 4.0 petrol | No |
| 78 (the Troopy) | No |
| 300 and Prado | No |
| 200 | Check your car |
Sources: Toyota South Africa spec sheets, 2024 to September 2026.
Toyota South Africa has since dropped the V8 from the 70 Series. That means no new 70 Series sold here today has a snorkel. If you buy a new one and want one, it is an add-on.
What a snorkel really does
It breathes cleaner air. Dust hangs low. The car in front, your own tyres and a trailer all throw it up. At roof height there is less of it. Less dust reaches the air filter, so the filter lasts longer between cleans. The makers say so, and owners agree. Nobody has published a local test with numbers, so treat it as common sense, not science.
It breathes cooler air. The air up there has not been warmed by the engine bay.
It keeps splash out of the intake. Most snorkel heads shed some rain. In a river, the intake sits above the bow wave. That is the wave the front of the car pushes up when you go in too fast.
It does not add much power. One Australian test on a V8 station wagon measured how much each set-up held back the air. Most of the gain came from a better head, not from a whole new snorkel. Local owners who measured their V8s found much the same. A bigger snorkel is not a power upgrade on its own.
Water crossings: the snorkel is only one part
This is where most of the arguments start. A snorkel does not let you drive deeper. Plenty of owners believe it does, and it can cost them an engine.
Here is why. Water can reach the engine by other routes too:
- The air box. This is the plastic box under the bonnet that holds the air filter. If its joins and drains are not sealed, water gets in there.
- The breathers. These are small vent pipes on the axles and gearbox. They let air in and out as the parts heat up and cool down. Hot axles in a cold river suck water in through them.
- The fan and the wiring. The fan can throw water around the engine bay. Plugs and sensors don’t like a soaking.
So a snorkel for water only works as a package. It needs a sealed air box, a sealed snorkel and raised breathers. Ironman sells a breather kit for the diffs, transfer case and gearbox for R3,070.
What about the factory V8 snorkel? Owners who have tested it say it was never sealed for deep water. The air box behind it wasn’t either.
Toyota South Africa does not publish a wading depth for the 79 or the 76. You will see a figure in Australian articles. It does not apply to cars sold here. Check your owner’s manual, walk the crossing first and go slowly. Our recovery guide covers what to do when a crossing goes wrong.
The cling wrap test. Owners on 4x4community use this one. Cover the snorkel head with cling wrap and start the engine. If it keeps running, air is getting in somewhere else. That means water can too.
V8 or 2.8: not the same kit
Snorkels are made for an engine, not a year. The V8, the 2.8 and the 4.2 draw their air from different places. Safari, for one, sells separate kits for the new-shape 2.8, the new-shape V8, the old V8 and the 4.2.
| Engine | What the job involves |
|---|---|
| V8, old or new shape | Swaps out the factory snorkel. Safari says its V8 kit needs no body cutting. |
| 4.2 diesel or 4.0 petrol | Cuts a hole in the front wing, using a template. |
| 2.8, new shape | A new route for the intake, with its own pipes and brackets. Ask your fitter if the wing is cut. |
Sources: Safari 4X4 Engineering fitting notes, Evorevo4x4 and Summit 4x4 product pages, 24 September 2026.
Four traps catch people:
- An old V8 snorkel will not fit the 2.8. It is a different engine. Our 2024 facelift fitment guide covers the other parts that changed.
- Some store pages name two engines for one part. One Safari kit we saw online claimed to fit both the 2.8 and the V8. Safari itself sells separate parts. Ask for the part number and check it.
- Australian kits for the new shape. In Australia the 2.8 has a factory snorkel. The Safari and TJM kits for it are built to replace that. Safari warns of a fitment issue on cars sold outside Australia and New Zealand without one. TJM calls its new-shape kit an “OE replacement”, meaning it swaps out the factory part. An SA 2.8 has nothing to replace. Ask the seller in writing if the kit fits an SA 2.8.
- Old titles lose their dashes. A store title like “2007, 2024” can mean 2007 to 2024. That is an old-shape kit. Square headlights mean old shape. Round headlights mean new shape.
One more thing. A cut wing stays cut. If you later take the snorkel off, a hole is left behind.
The head on top
On the V8, the cheap upgrade is the head, not the snorkel. The factory one is a round cap that owners call the “mushroom” or “Toyota hat”. Many owners say it holds the engine back and hums. Swapping it is the most common V8 snorkel job.
| Head | Price |
|---|---|
| Summit steel grille head, 88 mm | R280 |
| Evorevo snorkel head | R499 |
| Summit ram head, 77 or 88 mm | R650 |
| LA Sport head (Opposite Lock) | R795 |
Store prices, 24 September 2026, VAT included.
A ram head faces forward and scoops air in as you drive. There are also pre-cleaner heads. They spin the air so the heavy dust drops out before the filter. CycloRam is one, designed in South Africa, at R2,650 to R3,300. The dust figures on its page are the maker’s own claim.
Whatever head you fit, rivet it or clamp it well. Owners report heads coming off at speed.
What snorkels cost in South Africa
Most snorkels sold here are local kits or imports sold under a store’s own name. They cost a few thousand rand. The big Australian brands cost several times more.
| Snorkel for a 79 or 76 | Price range (parts only) |
|---|---|
| Old shape, 2007 to 2023, any engine | R1,999 to R4,950 |
| New shape 2.8, 2024 on | R2,295 to R4,500 |
| TJM Airtec, new-shape 70 Series (check it fits an SA 2.8) | R11,995 |
| Safari, 4.2 diesel (Safari Centre, Cape Town) | R9,500 |
| Safari Armax, V8 (Safari Centre, Cape Town) | R15,500 |
Prices seen 24 September 2026, VAT included, fitting extra. Store kits from Land Cruiser SA’s accessory comparison across 13 stores.
Live prices · 24 September 2026
Snorkels for the new-shape 79 and 76 (2.8) in stock now
5 in stock at 4 South African stores today, from R2 295 to R3 995. Typical price about R2 999.
Live prices · 24 September 2026
Snorkels for the old-shape 79 and 76 (2007 to 2023) in stock now
7 in stock at 6 South African stores today, from R1 999 to R3 995. Typical price about R2 295.
Ironman 4x4 Africa also sells a kit for the old-shape 76, 78 and 79, at R4,950.
Who sells what
- Safari is a name sellers often mention in their ads, usually as “Armax”, its bigger kit. It has two listed South African distributors: Terrain Tamer Africa in Bellville and Safari Centre in Goodwood, Cape Town. It is the dearest option and has a kit for each engine.
- TJM kits come through Opposite Lock and Go-4LO.
- Ironman 4x4 Africa sells its own kit through its own stores.
- LA Sport (LAS) is sold by Opposite Lock and Go-4LO, and Opposite Lock says it is made locally. It has separate kits for the V8, the V6 or 4.2, and the 2.8.
- Runva kits come through Alpha Accessories, including two for the 2.8.
- Store kits from Evorevo4x4, The 4x4 Store, Summit 4x4, 4x4 Wholesalers Africa and Express Bakkie Covers make up the budget end.
Forum old hands like to say that many cheap snorkels come from the same factory with a different sticker. Maybe. What matters more is how well it is made and fitted. Check the seams on a budget kit before it goes on.
Other Land Cruisers
| Model | Price range (parts only) |
|---|---|
| 300 | R2,499 to R13,995 |
| 200 | R1,999 to R4,950 (Safari R11,499 at Safari Centre) |
| Prado 150 | R1,999 to R2,390 |
| Prado 250 | R11,995 (TJM, the only one listed) |
Store prices, 24 September 2026, VAT included, fitting extra.
Browse every snorkel on our snorkels and recovery page, or see everything for the 79 on the 79 accessories page.
Fitting: time, cost and sealing
TJM lists about three hours to fit its 70 Series kit. No store or fitment centre in South Africa publishes a fitting price. So get the fitting quoted together with the part, and compare the total.
Places that fit snorkels include Summit 4x4 in Rosslyn, Opposite Lock, Ironman 4x4 Africa branches, Safari Centre in Goodwood and 4x4 Mega World.
A good fit matters more than the brand. Owners on 4x4community tell of a fitment centre that skipped the air box work on a V8 Armax. Another received a V6 snorkel for a V8. So before you drive off:
- Check that every join is sealed and every clamp is tight.
- Do the cling wrap test.
- Check the part number on the box matches your engine.
- Keep the invoice.
Warranty and insurance
A new 79 has a Toyota warranty of three years or 100,000 km. That matters most for 2.8 owners, since every 2.8 is still young.
In 2021, the Competition Commission published guidelines for the car parts trade. They say you may fit other parts at a fitter of your choice while the car is under warranty. So a snorkel does not void your whole warranty. But if a bad fit lets dust or water into the engine, Toyota can refuse that engine claim. That is one more reason to pay for a careful fit.
For insurance, tell your insurer about the snorkel. Add it to the insured value with the rest of your kit. If you plan big water crossings, ask your insurer how it handles engine damage from water before you go.
The look, and resale
Be honest: a snorkel on a 79 looks right. Plenty of owners admit that is part of why they fitted one.
On live listings, at least 1 in 5 used V8 79s is advertised with a snorkel. For the used 2.8s, it is about 1 in 14. Sellers list it next to the bull bar, the canopy and the tow bar.
Snorkelled 79s ask a little more. But they are usually fully kitted, so the extra belongs to the whole build, not the snorkel. Don’t fit one expecting to get the money back.
Building more than a snorkel? Our lift kit guide covers the next job most owners tackle.
Who should do what
| You drive | What to do | Rough cost (parts) |
|---|---|---|
| A V8 79 or 76 | Keep the factory snorkel. Change the head if it hums. | R280 to R795 |
| A V8 that tows or has a tune | A bigger kit, but only with the air box work done too | About R15,500 (Safari Armax) |
| A 2.8 on long gravel or sand | A kit made for the SA 2.8 | R2,295 to R4,500 |
| A 4.2 or 4.0 on a farm or dust roads | An old-shape kit for your engine | R1,999 to R4,950, or R9,500 (Safari) |
| Regular planned water crossings | Snorkel, sealed air box and a breather kit | Snorkel plus R3,070 for breathers |
| Town and tar | Nothing | R0 |
Store and dealer prices, 24 September 2026, VAT included, fitting extra.
The bottom line
A snorkel is a dust tool first. If you have a V8, you already have one, and a better head is the cheap fix. If you have a 2.8, 4.2 or 4.0 and spend long days on gravel, fit a kit made for your engine. Have it fitted with care and do the cling wrap test. And never treat it as a licence to drive deeper. The rest of the car sets that limit, not the snorkel.
Thinking of a different Cruiser instead? Every Land Cruiser for sale in South Africa is on our listings page.
A big thank you to the people whose photos made this guide: Safari 4X4 Engineering, Toyota South Africa Motors, Ironman 4x4 Africa and @4x4_lifestyle_centre. Go and see their work, and support the local fitters who keep South Africa’s Cruisers breathing clean air.
