# pex pipe for snorkel



## ctluongo (Aug 14, 2009)

hey guys have been reading the site for years, use to have a brute but she went to the boat graveyard haha, well my question is why has now one used pex pipe for a snorkel, i am no plumbing expert but i work in the hvac field and am trying to figure out maybe some pros and cons to useing pex as a snorkel material well just let me know what you guys thinkm


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## blue beast (Feb 16, 2010)

i guess ima little dumb...what is pex pipe..


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

^PEX is a flexible plastic pipe that uses push-lock style fittings (most of the time)
It is commonly found in many mobile homes... I didn't realize they sold it in large enough size to snork anything though. I have two sticks of 1/2" PEX tubing out in the loft of the barn that I keep for repairs for my house if needed as well a big bag of various fittings. It does seem to me that this stuff would bend/re-shape itself each time the motor got hot..... Maybe I'm wrong. I don't believe I'd use it on my bike, I'd prefer to stick with rigid PVC.


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## rmax (Nov 21, 2009)

x2 on the hard pipe , to me thats like when you put a bolt in a fuel or oil line to stop the flow, it will always seap around the threads


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## ctluongo (Aug 14, 2009)

yea i understand the hard pipe and i also believe hard pipe is better but now i have a polaris sportsman and i dont like the nut cruncher style nor do i want to lose use of my front rack so i was going to do stealth snorks, i see what u r saying about heating up but what about like a heat wrap, i am just throwing things out there to see if anyone has any ideas or tips i have snorkled quite a few bikes and these polaris are a pain


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## ctluongo (Aug 14, 2009)

and also pex is rated at 200 degrees, so i would imageing with just a little heat shield it mite be ok


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

I know that Triangle ATV runs heavy duty flex hose on their popo's....and they go extremely deep. That stuff is basically just extra thick spa hose, can't really be rated for much heat either. I guess if they can use that then you may be ok with pex. I'd do a little homework on it, but for what you want to do it may work.

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## TankLT (Sep 7, 2011)

The pex is flexible enough that the only connectors should be to the boxes and the tips. Is there a source to buy small lengths of the 2 or 3 inch stuff?


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## greenkitty7 (Jan 26, 2011)

hard line FTW. I hate flex hose, or SPA or any thing like that.


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## skid (Jun 18, 2009)

greenkitty7 said:


> hard line FTW. I hate flex hose, or SPA or any thing like that.


 I like the hard pipe as well but there is times when it can't be used (grizzly 700)


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

Pex is a cool idea and can be heated to bend with no connections. Not sure what happens with heat. better flow through 1 solid tube though...and 4 the record the new Pex is becoming an industry standard in construction.


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

Roboquad said:


> and 4 the record the new Pex is becoming an industry standard in construction.


Yep. See it a lot in the new houses in our hood


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## ctluongo (Aug 14, 2009)

well i am gonna get started on the pex snorkels, i will get some pics of how it is done, never know it may be great idea that will help others with all these new 4 wheelers where there is just not enough room to work with. if anyone wants to know i believe most plumbing supply houses carry pex into 3 inch, i went to 3 diffrent ones today and all had it in stock and would cut it to any length, my regular supplyer said i can have it for free with in reason.


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

You will need a heat gun to change the shape, if you screw it up, heat it again and it will return to its original streight shape. Pretty cool stuff. I also think the large diameter is offered in red or blue. Have to check with your suppliers. Pics...pics....pics....


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

Really excited about the outcome. Can't wait to see it.


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## J2! (May 8, 2010)

The only problem I see with using pex is you have to use the crimp type connectors. If you ever have to take it apart to work on it you will have to cut it and redo the bands and crimp them again. You might be able to use hose clamps, but not sure about that. And yes they are using it ALOT in new construction, even commercial work. As far as using it in homes, I would rather have my good ol' copper pipe, right now I still don't trust that stuff with pressure on it. That's the same stuff they used to put in mobile homes. Remember SEVERAL years ago when there was a HUGE recall on that stuff because the "crimped" fittings were blowing out and leaking. Looking forward to seeing pics when you're done.


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## No_Substitue_For_A_Brute (May 4, 2011)

They make push together fittings for PEX too that can be taken back apart. I use them every time I redo an area of the house because I hate those bands, always seem to leak with me. 

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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

The new pex is different from the old mobile home polyethylene crap. I think the trick will be finding a way to connect to the air box. maby hose clamp with a snap ring inside of some sort. Plumbing house would have some good ideas. I just pulled my snorks off....take pics...


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## skid (Jun 18, 2009)

J2! said:


> The only problem I see with using pex is you have to use the crimp type connectors. If you ever have to take it apart to work on it you will have to cut it and redo the bands and crimp them again. You might be able to use hose clamps, but not sure about that. And yes they are using it ALOT in new construction, even commercial work. As far as using it in homes, I would rather have my good ol' copper pipe, right now I still don't trust that stuff with pressure on it. That's the same stuff they used to put in mobile homes. Remember SEVERAL years ago when there was a HUGE recall on that stuff because the "crimped" fittings were blowing out and leaking. Looking forward to seeing pics when you're done.


this piping is different then the stuff you are talking about, poly b was the stuff that was falling apart. If the pipe was exposed to uv rays it would break it down, pex stands for poly ethylene cross linked. poly b or poly butylene was not cross linked, it was straight strands put together which made it not very strong. I have worked with pex since 98' and its the industry standard in canada, unless you are doing a commercial job which requires copper for fire rating reasons. Just a little FYI.


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

_*x2....I just said that*_..:haha: off topic but I was working on my winch today, just decided to top off the battery and found the connection screw loose. I thought my starter was on it's way out.* GOOD NEWS.* fixed the winch and starting problem....win-win.


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

Thats always a +


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Well get to work on the idea and lets see pics. A parts list and how-would be worth some serious rep points on this idea too for those guys that have similar bikes. I'd be interested in this idea for when my 05 brute gets ready for snorks for not having to do all the cutting and gluing, just want to see how well it does first.


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## wcs61 (Jun 7, 2011)

They do make a stainless pipe sorta like PEX but it is also crimped when connected. This would be good for 3" snorkels but the fittings would probably look like crap and cost out the wahzoo. Look up VIEGA.NET


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

PEX is cool because there are just no joints. No fail points...only the factory connect areas, the rest gets heated and bent into shape. I'm going to do some research on this one. Used to have a plastic supplier as a vendor. Let you know what I come up with...


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## ctluongo (Aug 14, 2009)

well this is not exactly turning out the way i thought it would, i am haveing a lot of issues with it, my biggest problem is finding time to work on it, i am hopefully gona have pics on sunday, but i imagine i will only have the belt completed the air box is a real tight bend and i just dont see how i am gonna get it to go, just give me some time guys and i will let everyone know


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## edtman (Jul 4, 2009)

Ever try electrical conduit and a hotbox? At least it will hold its shape after it cools. I dont think that will be the case with the PEX. But good luck anyways.


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

good idea. do they make 2.5 or 3 in. Have a heat gun, will that work like the hotbox???


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## edtman (Jul 4, 2009)

Not sure on the 2.5 but definitely 2 and 3 in. I cant see why a heat gun wouldnt work. It will be like a wet noodle when it is ready. Usually stays workable for a few minutes.


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## J2! (May 8, 2010)

HaHa I'm an electrician, I was bending some today in a pvc heater, and a heat gun. LOL Yeah they make a 2 1/2 in.. And if heated in a box, like you said it will be easy to bend for about 2 to 3 minutes. The box will work better because it will heat up a longer section at a time. I have also made my own from an old metal tool box with three holes in it, two for the pipe to go through, and one to put the heat gun in. It's shedule 40 just like plumbing pipe but it's not gonna take the heat quite as well, therefore if it's close to the motor somewhere, it's gonna heat up again and get soft. Maybe someone will try it and give us some feedback. I have thought about it several times, but didn't want to risk messing something up.


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