Hey guys I'm upgrading my atv this summer to a 4x4 wheeler. Not sure on the exact bike I will be buying but probably a Kawasaki prairie 360 or 490 (cheap but work good). If I do I want to get new tires on it and snorkel it. I won't go in that deep of mud/water but better safe than sorry. Is it worth putting a snorkel on an atv? Does it do any damage to the motor or other parts? And yes I do realize I will have to rejet the bike. Thanks.

 

Welcome to the forums.

If everything is sealed up properly, and you don't have to shut it off under water you should be ok.

 

The snorkel should not be an issue however give carefull consideration to al the other maintaince that will be required by running in deep water/mud.
I never run in anything deeper than half way up my tire diameter or slightly deeper with my Praire 300 atv. Others I used to ride with went much deeper and all the work they had to do and things they needed to replace was not worth the trouble. Remember while your engine and electronics need to be sealed well, the bearings can't be sealed so wheel bearings, pivot bearings and lots of other non-sealed bearing will need to be replaced frequently from the muddy water. To me the trouble was not worth the fun. Just some food for thought....

 

Where your quad has the venting for the air intake and the CVT transmission is pretty much what decides how deep you can go. The higher the intakes, the deeper you can get through.

 

If you want to go in water that deep, get an Argo. I've never seen the point of drowning an ATV just for kicks. But, if you have the money to spend you can spend it how you like. Back in 95 I drove my Bayou 300 through some pretty deep flood water that was close if not to the top of my tires (I was about 20 yards from the river) and had me spooked I could have got caught in the current. Like I said though; just because I wouldn't doesn't mean anyone else can't if they desire.

 

Where we ride in NH and ME waterholes are part of life. Some don't have ways to go around and we can get fined for going off trail or worse, lose the trail if we go off trail and upset a landowner. Been up to the front rack more times than I wanted to.