Driving off-road comes down to one thing – understanding your terrain. For trails that feature areas of shallow water, how you upgrade your 4×4 is just as important as how you drive when upholding the highest standards of performance and safety.
Alongside the snorkel kit upgrade, the addition of a breather kit is an improvement well worth making. Here we dig deeper into the breather kit to reveal its benefits, the conditions it is made for, and the top products available right now.
What exactly is a breather kit?
Known as a differential breather (‘diff breather’ for short), axle breather or diff breather extension, the breather kit actively vents pressure from your drivetrain to ensure any terrain, including those with shallow water, can be handled with ease and without vehicle damage.
We’ll let 4WDing Australia explain more about the inner workings of this important modification:
“An extended diff breather is a piece of hose that runs from your differential to a higher point on the vehicle (usually the engine bay). The hose is connected to the diff via a push fitting or hose tail and should have a filter on the other end. They are one of the first modifications you should do to a 4WD that is used off-road.
When is a diff breather useful?
Breather kits are excellent upgrades for avid off-roaders, with 4x4s that are regularly driven through water great candidates for a diff breather upgrade. Without a diff breather, even driving through a puddle that is close to or above your vehicle’s diff height has the potential to cause damage.
The ingress of cold water will cause the hot diff to shrink and take in air. The water itself will also mix with the differential oil (which is used to keep the gears and bearings of your vehicle lubricated) causing further damage and a potentially very costly repair.
The diff breather extension essentially cools down the differential quickly to ensure it doesn’t suck in air as you drive through water.
Do I need to upgrade with a breather kit?
Even if your 4×4 is already fitted with a factory valve or breather, it is well worth considering an upgrade. Aftermarket breathers are of higher quality, and provide vital insurance against vehicle damage and expensive repairs.
Which breather kit should I buy?
The ARB Differential Diff Breather Kit and Filter is considered the top breather kit on the market. Featuring not just one breather but up to four, this kit vents additional pressure much more quickly, especially when compared to the majority of factory differentials with one-way valve systems.
Damaging vacuums can be avoided and so too can expensive repairs with this high flow, zero back pressure system. Keeping your drivetrain clear of water is simple thanks to the ARB breather kit’s central high-flow air filter and manifold. The kit can be used across up to four drivetrain assemblies, vented to one central location, to ensure those water crossings don’t get the better of your 4×4.
The ARB Differential Diff Breather Kit and Filter is available with two breathers or four breathers.
