Originally Posted By: 72customdeluxe
It looks like Fram didn't believe enough in their card board endcaps that are supposed to be fine to put them on an extended life filter
While I don't like Frams, I have commented recently that the choice to use metal for the extended guard most likely has to do with the three layer filtering media they use. The regular frams all have normal media...just one layer, however the extended guard has a synth and paper layer bonded together, then a metal screen behind that. I think the choice to use metal endcaps was for the deeper valley they could glue the filtering media into. This deeper valley, and hence more glue, probobly allows for some irregularities with this three layer media. I would imagine bonding this same media to a completely flat piece of cardboard would produce the occasional leak. When you only have one sealer surface to worry about, a flat piece of carboard is easy to handle. However, when you have three seperate layers....you need a little wiggle room.
When you look at the extended guard, look at the area where the media bonds to the endcaps. You'll see home much extra room is offered and home much extra glue is used...about 1/4". Now look at the Extra Guard...there is barely 1/16" of glue.
That said, the recommended change interval might have influence the choice as well.
To the original poster. Your car has an internal bypass correct? I don't see the bypass on these filters. If my car didn't have a baypass, I wouldn't mind using the extended guard, assuming I got it for cheap. That said, the extended guard still uses the [censored] clicker bypass (when present) as all the other frams.