Shmudda
Gold Member
Looking to do my 50 hr oil and lube changes real soon and I'm looking for both engine and hydraulic filter numbers from Fram. Anybody have them out there?
Craig
Craig
I've heard Fram is one of the worst filters out there.Looking to do my 50 hr oil and lube changes real soon and I'm looking for both engine and hydraulic filter numbers from Fram. Anybody have them out there?
Craig
I've heard Fram is one of the worst filters out there.
I would be careful on engine oil filters for the BX tractors, some of the crosses I have found are also used on motorcycle applications and the filter does not contain a full sized element. On the hydro nothing but the Kubota, just too many paramters that must be matched on hydraulic filters to make them work right and those pumps are expensive to fix.
David Kb7uns
I've heard Fram is one of the worst filters out there.
Years ago I worked part time at UPS. They serviced and repaired all their own package trucks. They used Fram oil filters. I always thought UPS was a very efficient company so I have used Fram filters too.
Sorry, no. There have been problems with new Frams coming apart. Not prevalent, but happening. A mechanic friend had it happen to him. Doesnt matter how clean the oil is if filter bits are being pumped around with it. He has gone to Wix filters.I'm with Shumudda...if you properly maintain the equipment and change the oil in regular intervals the oil filter is almost not an issue.
The problem (as pointed out in testing) is when you run the oil too long, don't properly maintain the rest of the engine and you stress the oil system with sludge, high heat, etc. Then you may find one filter that will out perform another. But regular, good maintainance will not cause one filter to do better then another.
I don't buy that unless you check every filter made for "coming apart".Sorry, no. There have been problems with new Frams coming apart. Not prevalent, but happening. A mechanic friend had it happen to him. Doesnt matter how clean the oil is if filter bits are being pumped around with it. He has gone to Wix filters.
larry
As some here know, I am involved in an industry that repairs vehicles and have actuarial statistics on breakdowns as well as COF (cause of failure). I could go on for pages on the problems with Fram filters. That doesn't mean that someone won't come on and say that they've used Fram filters for XX years with no problems. As far as that goes, an old college buddy has a Chevy Chevette that has over 200k miles on it and feels as if it is one of the best cars ever made. I have a 1962 Chevy Biscayne with 100k miles on it and it never came with any sort of oil filter and never had one on it! It still runs fine. Does that mean engines don't need any oil filter? Same logic.
The fact is Fram makes the least expensive filters. Besides filtering, there are valves inside the filters that must perform correctly such as a valve to prevent flow back (keeps from having all the oil flow back down out of the upper engine) and a bypass valve (allows oil flow when the filter element is clogged. Both of these valves are considered "unacceptable" in Fram filters. Also the oil flow of a filter is very important. If you have a very small micron filter element (traps smaller particles), it must have a far larger surface area or it restricts oil flow. If you have a small surface area of the filter membrane (like on Fram), the filter element allows larger particles to pass through. Finally, there is the actual can itself. I can crush Fram filters with my hands like a soda can. If that filter is struck by a stick or rock etc., it is much more likely to break than other brand filters. Also, I have had two Fram filters blow their can apart when I used to use them. One was on a VW Baja Bug. I missed a gear and redlined the tach and the Fram can sort of exploded. Again, I could go on for page after page of similar Fram problems but I see no need.
I'm definitely in the camp of people who wouldn't touch anything with the Fram name on it. I have nothing with an engine that I consider worthless or disposable. There are plenty of quality filters from Baldwin, Donaldson, Wix etc. that are readily available and made far better than Fram. I'll summarize what statistics tells me about Fram filters; Fram filters are trash. But, it's your equipment. What is your equipment worth to you? If you feel it's worth risking your equipment to save a couple of bucks, that's your choice.