CLOSED: Fabulous Fabrications Snorkel Group Buy

[Wafflroo]

Looks like an amazing job! Did you use touch up on the exposed edges before you added the trim? And what did you use for cutting?

I did add touch up paint to the exposed metal. I bought a cheap harbor freight saw, made quick work of the cutting.

Also, decided to take it back off and work on trimming it more. I’ll try to figure out measurements from reference points on the vehicle. Suggestions welcome!

 

[radman]

Here’s my first attempt. Looks good enough to chop chop!

 

[1world1love]

Is everybody starting with a hole saw coming from the engine bay side? Seems like that might be a good for sanity since you know where that spot would line up on the template area.

 

[Wafflroo]

Is everybody starting with a hole saw coming from the engine bay side? Seems like that might be a good for sanity since you know where that spot would line up on the template area.

I just took a 3/8 bit right thru the center of the outlined area, then used the saw to cut from there.

 

[kcjaz]

no, just some measurements from various parts of the fender. So we're dealing with 2 sets of measurements and 2 slightly different shapes.

Wait what???? The vid in post #37 shows this:

 

[grinchy]

Wait what???? The vid in post #37 shows this:

View attachment 2908121

That’s more like it

 

[radman]

Wait what???? The vid in post #37 shows this:

That video is for a different company

 

[kcjaz]

That video is for a different company

Guess that would explain it. Maybe I’ll send Fabulous Fabrications a link….

 

[lx200inAR]

That video is for a different company

I didn’t realize it was different vendors either. Maybe next group buy we just skip the middle man.

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

www.alibaba.com

 

[kcjaz]

I didn’t realize it was different vendors either. Maybe next group buy we just skip the middle man.

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

www.alibaba.com

I wonder if these are really all the same Chinese made snorkel. Kinda looks that way.

 

[1world1love]

I wonder if these are really all the same Chinese made snorkel. Kinda looks that way.

Do you mean the ones from FF that we just bought?

 

[brasskey]

duplicate post

 

[brasskey]

I didn’t realize it was different vendors either. Maybe next group buy we just skip the middle man.

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

www.alibaba.com

I wonder if these are really all the same Chinese made snorkel. Kinda looks that way.

I would venture to say that the Chinese one is a ripoff of Fabulous Fabrications. I don’t know for sure, but it looks like Fabulous Fabrications makes all their products in house. Obviously, someone could ask them. But, I see many products on Alibaba that are a rip offs of other 200 Series products from established manufacturers. I’d be careful ordering from Alibaba if you’re looking for quality products. I ordered some TRD fender flares from Alibaba that the seller portrayed as the official TRD ones. Long story short, I got a shoddy rip off and Alibaba wouldn’t do anything about their blatant misrepresentation and poor product. So, I lost my money.

 

[1world1love]

Yeah, I might be concerned except FF is an actual fabrication shop where people go to have things fabricated to order. If you ordered a Gamviti roof rack from Gamviti you wouldn’t question it but you could almost certainly find a knock off on alibaba.

If there is anything made anywhere that can be put into a cad drawing, it will be knocked off.

Having said that, I’m not morally opposed to contacting the Knick off vendor and ask for one of their superior templates

 

[lx200inAR]

I would venture to say that the Chinese one is a ripoff of Fabulous Fabrications. I don’t know for sure, but it looks like Fabulous Fabrications makes all their products in house. Obviously, someone could ask them. But, I see many products on Alibaba that are rip off of other 200 series products from established manufacturers. I’d be careful ordering from Alibaba if you’re looking for quality products. I ordered some TRD fender flares from Alibaba that the seller portrayed as the official TRD ones. Long story short, I got a shoddy rip off and Alibaba wouldn’t do anything about their blatant misrepresentation and poor product. So, I lost my money.

Oh I agree.. I probably shouldn’t say middle man, as Chinese manufacturers are definitely their own monster. I

I think best case scenario is these were designed/engineered by one of the Aussie companies then farmed out to Chinese manufacturer and are now having their IP ripped off.

It would certainly be of dubious character to purchase these from a manufacturer that most certainly stole the idea.

As a side anecdote. Seeing the relative simplicity of this product, I looked up what it takes to bend a 4-5” metal pipe, and it is not trivial.

 

[radman]

Quick tip: cutting the bean out seems to be more accurate than fumbling with the outside trim. The black line is from the bean and 3-4 measurement verifications.

Also, jigsaw on fastest speed (and the blades I linked earlier) cut like butter.

 

[1world1love]

Sadly it’s only a matter of time before there are Dissent knock offs.

 

[radman]

As a side anecdote. Seeing the relative simplicity of this product, I looked up what it takes to bend a 4-5” metal pipe, and it is not trivial.

Their Facebook page shows a lot of pictures of them welding, sanding and powder coating these things. I don’t think any part of these is bent.

 

[lx200inAR]

Their Facebook page shows a lot of pictures of them welding, sanding and powder coating these things. I don’t think any part of these is bent.

Ahh.. the transitions looked smooth enough that I assumed it was bent. Can you tell when holding one in hand? I’m also not a metal fabricator…so what do I know?

If that’s the case, then seems like they’d be worth every penny with the labor necessary.

 

[radman]

The top of the bean suckkkks (closest to the a pillar) with a jigsaw. Take your time, or cut your blade down. If it’s too long, it will hit the metal below the fender and try to pop out.

Ahh.. the transitions looked smooth enough that I assumed it was bent. Can you tell when holding one in hand? I’m also not a metal fabricator…so what do I know?

Here’s a pic of the inside. It’s seamless from the outside: