Fram Tough Guard Air Filters discontinued?

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irv

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Oct 8, 2006
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Location
Oshawa, Ont. Canada
I was in a local jobber tonight looking at Fram Tough Guard oil and and Air filters but all I could find were Extra Guard air filters?

I asked the clerk about the TG air filters and if they carried them, but he replied, that about a year ago, Fram discontinued making them?
Does anyone know if this is true, or maybe it's only true for us CDN's up here?
I see the Fram site still lists/shows them but like their new Extra Guard oil filters, that aren't shown yet, maybe the site hasn't been updated in quite some time?
http://www.fram.com/products/consumer-products/air-filters/fram-tough-guardsup-sup-air-filter/

Also, while I'm here with this post, I am curious how much better the Tough Guard air filters were/are compared to the Extra Guards?
I ended up just purchasing an EG as they were on sale for 20% off, and figuring, because my truck sees very little off road/dusty conditions, the EG is likely good enough for my needs?
 
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Haven’t heard of them getting discontinued. Wally World has shelves of them and I heard they have new anti drain valves in some US locations. However, take a look at the Fram Ultra. Look at the cut aparts on You Tube and make your own decision. The Fram Ultra is twice the money but CT puts them on at 20% off. Used to use Extra Guards but now only Fram Ultras. If I recall it’s about $ 7, 12, and 14 Can. for Extra Guard, Tough Guard and Ultra at WW . CT is similar but they put them on sale. Hope that helps.

SF
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
Haven’t heard of them getting discontinued. Wally World has shelves of them and I heard they have new anti drain valves in some US locations. However, take a look at the Fram Ultra. Look at the cut aparts on You Tube and make your own decision. The Fram Ultra is twice the money but CT puts them on at 20% off. Used to use Extra Guards but now only Fram Ultras. If I recall it’s about $ 7, 12, and 14 Can. for Extra Guard, Tough Guard and Ultra at WW . CT is similar but they put them on sale. Hope that helps.

SF


Tough Guard air filters, Snagglefoot, not their oil filters.
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Last I spoke with Motorking middle of last year. retail purchase places for Fram TG air filters were Amazon and Walmart.com. He said Walmart stopped stocking shelves if there was a K&N for the same application when they started carrying K&N, but assured me these have not been discontinued.

He also said Fram would have their own on-line store by the end of 2017 where TG air filters could be purchased - obviously that's not yet happenex and I have no idea if that's still in any Fram plan.

Purolator has definitely discontined their competitive blue colored lightly oiled media PureOne air filters, while STP started selling their competitive red colored lightly oiled media STP XL air filters.
 
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irv,

FWIW, Fram, STP, and some others reduced the pleat height of their air filters for Ram trucks significantly a while back. The PurolatorOne and CarQuest air filters however retained full pleat height. eBay is a good source for NOS full pleat height Fram TGA9401 & CA9401 air filters.

LINK

Pep Boys currently has $4 rebate on Purolator air filters. Go pick up a PurolatorOne air filter for your truck and set it side-by-side with the Fram CA9401 you bought and you'll see what I'm saying.
 
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I saw a bunch at walmart last year....
I scored the last TGA8039 for only $6 or so.

I hope it lasts a few miles....
 
Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
irv,

FWIW, Fram, STP, and some others reduced the pleat height of their air filters for Ram trucks significantly a while back. The PurolatorOne and CarQuest air filters however retained full pleat height. eBay is a good source for NOS full pleat height Fram TGA9401 & CA9401 air filters.

LINK

Pep Boys currently has $4 rebate on Purolator air filters. Go pick up a PurolatorOne air filter for your truck and set it side-by-side with the Fram CA9401 you bought and you'll see what I'm saying.


I wasn't aware of that, Nyogtha.

I was just in Wally World tonight and all I seen were Extra Guards as well, same with their oil filters, no TG's or Ultras.

I believe I did notice some of the new Extra Guard oil filters however. It was one type/number only and the box didn't say anything about the recommended mileage, just mentioned something about good for all cars.

Same price as the old one too, but very limited on what they had.
I also noticed many empty shelves where oil is sold. I did notice a pretty good selection of D-1 G-2 oils, in both Pennzoil and Mobil, but they were very limited with their weights.

My gut tells me the TG oil and air filters will be/are discontinued and all that will be available with be EG's and Ultras before long. Just a hunch.
 
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For the xxx9401 Fram air filters, the key attributes for full pleat height are opaque white pleat lock glue strips instead of translucent amber pleat lock glue strips, and Made in Mexico for full pleat height vs. Made in USA for reduced pleat height. I forget the transition year but it was when the now defunct Frampion relationship was established that country of origin changed and pleat height decreased.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
For the xxx9401 Fram air filters, the key attributes for full pleat height are opaque white pleat lock glue strips instead of translucent amber pleat lock glue strips, and Made in Mexico for full pleat height vs. Made in USA for reduced pleat height. I forget the transition year but it was when the now defunct Frampion relationship was established that country of origin changed and pleat height decreased.


I wasn't aware of this pleat height change but I am glad you brought it my attention, Nyogtha.
cheers3.gif


Like I just mentioned in another thread just now, one really has to watch for things like this, and many others, in this world we now live in.
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Originally Posted By: irv
I was just in Wally World tonight and all I seen were Extra Guards as well, same with their oil filters, no TG's or Ultras.

So far, at any parts store in Canada, I've only seen the base Fram air filters, the Extra Guards. The other variety might not even be available up here.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: irv
I was just in Wally World tonight and all I seen were Extra Guards as well, same with their oil filters, no TG's or Ultras.

So far, at any parts store in Canada, I've only seen the base Fram air filters, the Extra Guards. The other variety might not even be available up here.


I'm guessing the same as well, Garak. I have checked CDN Tire, Parts Source and Wally World and all carry EG's only, no TG's, unfortunately.
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
irv,

FWIW, Fram, STP, and some others reduced the pleat height of their air filters for Ram trucks significantly a while back. The PurolatorOne and CarQuest air filters however retained full pleat height. eBay is a good source for NOS full pleat height Fram TGA9401 & CA9401 air filters.

LINK

Pep Boys currently has $4 rebate on Purolator air filters. Go pick up a PurolatorOne air filter for your truck and set it side-by-side with the Fram CA9401 you bought and you'll see what I'm saying.


Nyogtha, thought you might be interested in seeing this? I decided to replace my air filter today with the new EG I purchased recently. To my surprise, the new one I purchased was taller than the one I replaced.

I am of course unsure when these were changed back and I was surprised, as I obviously didn't know, how short the pleats were of the one I took out. I can't remember when it was replaced last, but I am guessing at least 2 years ago?



 
Well it looks like my prior discussion with Motorking did some real world improvement. Looks like instead of a new supplier Fram got Champion Labs to comply with Fram's original pleat height spec for the CA9401. Hopefully they did the same with the Tough Guard TGA9401. Problem is those are still only readily available at Walmart.com and Amazon, where you have no idea whether you'll receive a thin one or a thick one until after the package arrives. If and when Fram honestly does have their own on-line store, presumably then one can order newer factory production on-line with confidence.

Or maybe you got NOS? Is that date code pic of the old skinny filter or new thick one? The white glue pleat lock strips on the thick new one match NOS Made in Mexico production.
 
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Originally Posted By: irv
I'm guessing the same as well, Garak. I have checked CDN Tire, Parts Source and Wally World and all carry EG's only, no TG's, unfortunately.
frown.gif


The next time I talk to my Fram supplier, I'll see what he knows.
 
Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
Well it looks like my prior discussion with Motorking did some real world improvement. Looks like instead of a new supplier Fram got Champion Labs to comply with Fram's original pleat height spec for the CA9401. Hopefully they did the same with the Tough Guard TGA9401. Problem is those are still only readily available at Walmart.com and Amazon, where you have no idea whether you'll receive a thin one or a thick one until after the package arrives. If and when Fram honestly does have their own on-line store, presumably then one can order newer factory production on-line with confidence.

Or maybe you got NOS? Is that date code pic of the old skinny filter or new thick one? The white glue pleat lock strips on the thick new one match NOS Made in Mexico production.


That pic was from the old, shorter pleat filter that I took out. FYI, I was at my local CDN Tire store yesterday looking for H9 headlight Bulbs for my Ram, to which I had no success. While there, I thought I'd check out the air filters that were in the same area as the bulbs/lights and found another 9401, which I opened and also seen the pleats were longer or the same size as the one I recently purchased at Part Source. CDN Tire and PartSource are suppose to be affiliated, FWIW.

Speaking of the new white glue pleat, I wasn't exactly real happy with the build quality of it. I debated back and forth if I should return it but I was unsure where my receipt was so I decided to install it anyways.
As you will see, the pleats are not uniform from one end to the other as there are a couple spots where the gap between the pleats is wider than normal. Thoughts on this?
 
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Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: irv
I'm guessing the same as well, Garak. I have checked CDN Tire, Parts Source and Wally World and all carry EG's only, no TG's, unfortunately.
frown.gif


The next time I talk to my Fram supplier, I'll see what he knows.


That will be interesting to hear what he has to say, Garak.

Thanks for doing that.
cheers3.gif
 
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