Fram Air Hog - what happened to them?

[copcarguy]

Hey all!

I was on rockauto.com buying some brake stuff for my commuter car and came across a Fram PRA7774 Airhog for $6.84. Long story short, I bought it. It looks like a nicely made filter. I googled it and other sites are selling it for over $20. I seem to remember these from maybe 10 years ago as a K&N competitor? I then looked for the re-oil kits but I guess the Air Hog's were a short lived thing... For under $7 I can use it like a regular paper filter but I just got curious what ever happened / why Fram stopped making them. Thanks!

 

[edwardh1]

they spent zillions on advertising

 

[Wilhelm_D]

Originally Posted By: copcarguy
I seem to remember these from maybe 10 years ago as a K&N competitor? I then looked for the re-oil kits but I guess the Air Hog's were a short lived thing... For under $7 I can use it like a regular paper filter but I just got curious what ever happened / why Fram stopped making them.

You can still find the PK1 Oil and Cleaner kits in the pipeline:

PK1 Oil and Cleaner Kit

but the filters themselves were money losers.

Niche markets rarely work out for large corporations.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Oiled cloth air filters are not as good as paper. Their only good use is for very dusty applications, like moto bikes.

 

[Volv04Life]

Originally Posted By: copcarguy
Hey all!

I was on rockauto.com buying some brake stuff for my commuter car and came across a Fram PRA7774 Airhog for $6.84. Long story short, I bought it. It looks like a nicely made filter. I googled it and other sites are selling it for over $20. I seem to remember these from maybe 10 years ago as a K&N competitor? I then looked for the re-oil kits but I guess the Air Hog's were a short lived thing... For under $7 I can use it like a regular paper filter but I just got curious what ever happened / why Fram stopped making them. Thanks!


Foam Plane of Death!

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Oiled cloth air filters are not as good as paper. Their only good use is for very dusty applications, like moto bikes.


This doesn't make sense to me. Please Explain.

 

[HTSS_TR]

K&N is dominated on oiled filter, nobody can penetrate that market.

 

[David1]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Oiled cloth air filters are not as good as paper. Their only good use is for very dusty applications, like moto bikes.


I was told oiled air filters like the FRAM TOUGH GAURD and PUREONE AIR FILTER and K&N and cause damage to the Mass Air Flow Sensor.

For instance my Honda Accord V6, Fram nor Purolator make a oiled Air Filter for it.

K&N Does.. but I have been told not to use them... b/c they damage the Mass Air Flow Sensor

I have been told Regular Fram Air Filter or Honda OEM or even Driveworks paper Air Filter is perfect.

 

[Merkava_4]

I've had a Fram Air Hog PPA6479 on my daily driver since 2005. The filter still looks almost as new as the day I bought it. The filter never gets dirty because it's self cleaning. Dirt hits the filter and then falls off. Teflon frying pan principle. The quality of the filter is a thousand times better than K&N.

 

[TwoTrackinFool]

HUH wish I could find a air hog for my bike then . I keep reading how K&N's are garbage and case dusting . Now I'm scared to use one on my newest bike.
I've never noticed dirt on the clean side of my bikes but still the new K&N is still in the box as I'm still using the factory paper it showe's no restriction yet.

 

[circuitsmith]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The filter never gets dirty because it's self cleaning. Dirt hits the filter and then falls off.


I've never heard that theory.
I would think the tiniest particles would cling to the oil film.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
I've never heard that theory.
I would think the tiniest particles would cling to the oil film.


I'm guessing the dirt particle hits that wire mesh and then falls off. You should see all the dirt collected at the bottom of the air cleaner box.

 

[Bamaro]

Yup, thats the purpose of the oil.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
I've never heard that theory.
I would think the tiniest particles would cling to the oil film.


I'm guessing the dirt particle hits that wire mesh and then falls off. You should see all the dirt collected at the bottom of the air cleaner box.

Really, why bother with the filter media then?

 

[Motorking]

Originally Posted By: copcarguy
Hey all!

I was on rockauto.com buying some brake stuff for my commuter car and came across a Fram PRA7774 Airhog for $6.84. Long story short, I bought it. It looks like a nicely made filter. I googled it and other sites are selling it for over $20. I seem to remember these from maybe 10 years ago as a K&N competitor? I then looked for the re-oil kits but I guess the Air Hog's were a short lived thing... For under $7 I can use it like a regular paper filter but I just got curious what ever happened / why Fram stopped making them. Thanks!

Hi,
I am the tech director at FRAM. We attempted to penetrate this market with the air hog a few yrs ago and simply did not have the marketing resources to properly get the product established.
That being said a few facts about this type of filter-
It will not increase your horsepower unless the factory filter has so much restriction that it flows less air that the throttle body, the TB being the "smallest hole" in the air intake system. Any gains in HP are at WOT only. It also will not improve fuel economy in any fuel injected vehicle.
And, if you search the GMC truck forum, you will find an independent study showing that both K+N and UNI washable filters held less than half as much dirt as all brands of cellulose filters tested and let a whopping 7 grams of dirt into the engine before they became full. This compared to paper filters letting 1/2 to 1 gram pass in the same time. Look up the study, it is very thorough. The FRAM TG filter is oiled but the oil is impregnated into the media along with adding synthetic glass to the cellulose and will not harm any MAF in any engine.

 

[901Memphis]

You're worried about varnish Merkava_4 but you are letting abrasive dirt in your engine? I'd swap out any oil cotton gauze filter for a paper filter!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Thank you Jay.

As I said in the other post about Fram TG air filter, it's lightly oiled and the construction is better than Extra Guard, and Extra Guard air filter is usually better than Purolator.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
You're worried about varnish Merkava_4 but you are letting abrasive dirt in your engine? I'd swap out any oil cotton gauze filter for a paper filter!


There's three reasons why I stayed with the Fram Air Hog:

1. The throttle body and MAF sensor on the clean air side of the filter are absolutely spotless.

2. The seal on the standard Fram filter doesn't fit the air cleaner box anywhere near as well as the Air Hog.

3. The quality of the Fram Air Hog is leaps and bounds better than anything else available on the market.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
You're worried about varnish Merkava_4 but you are letting abrasive dirt in your engine? I'd swap out any oil cotton gauze filter for a paper filter!


There's three reasons why I stayed with the Fram Air Hog:

1. The throttle body and MAF sensor on the clean air side of the filter are absolutely spotless.

2. The seal on the standard Fram filter doesn't fit the air cleaner box anywhere near as well as the Air Hog.

3. The quality of the Fram Air Hog is leaps and bounds better than anything else available on the market.



I'm not doubting the cleanliness of your intake tract nor the quality of the filters construction or fit, but rather the efficiency of the media which is low and you're not going to see Silicon with your eyes you will see it in a uoa along with elevated wear metals.

 

[Errtt]

I remember seeing the Air Hog filters but never used them.
I do have a K&N on one of the motorcycles (came with it), and I keep it dirty rather than keeping it clean. Its been years since last cleaning/oiling. When I get to it again (may be a couple more years), I'll just buy a paper filter rather than doing another cleaning/oiling/re-install.