Fram filters at Walmart look like seconds...

[jsharp]

In was looking at air filters this weekend for my 5.0L Ford and checked a number of Fram's, STP's, and Purolator's which is the brand I ended up buying.

One thing thing I noticed was that the Fram filters at Walmart seem to be substantially poorer quality than the *same* filter at Autozone, Advance Auto, or one of the local farm type stores.

The filters at Wally show a number of manufacturing defects IMO. The molding of the seal is poor and large amounts of the material are squeezed between the pleats of the filter media far past where the seal should stop. The media also has two lines approximately 1" wide where it is crushed against the backup screen, crushed the point of it looking like solid paper instead of pleats.

I checked more than 10 of these at different places, and looking at the same filter at any other store I saw none of these problems. If I had to guess, I'd say these filters were seconds and not good enough to ship to a supplier other than Walmart. And no, I'm not a bit surprised...

[ April 26, 2004, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[eljefino]

Does Allied Signal maybe have more than one factory supplying this popular filter? It wouldn't suprise me if Walmart's distribution system got theirs from a different source than the rest of the jobbers around your town. Maybe there is a lot number printed on the filter somewhere?

 

[cousincletus]

quote:

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Originally posted by eljefino:
Does Allied Signal maybe have more than one factory supplying this popular filter? It wouldn't suprise me if Walmart's distribution system got theirs from a different source than the rest of the jobbers around your town. Maybe there is a lot number printed on the filter somewhere?

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If Allied Signal had a plant in China or Mexico, you could bet that Wally Satan would get their filters there.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by jsharp:
The filters at Wally show a number of manufacturing defects IMO.

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I seriously doubt that FRAM has good enough quality control to do what you suggest.

All FRAM filters are seconds

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by XS650:

quote:

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Originally posted by jsharp:
The filters at Wally show a number of manufacturing defects IMO.

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I seriously doubt that FRAM has good enough quality control to do what you suggest.

All FRAM filters are seconds

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Good point. So maybe these were thirds.

Seriously, there were very noticable differences. It wouldn't surprise me if the ones that came off the line that were questionable went in the "to Walmart" pile so they didn't have to thow them out. I've known of suppliers who pulled this same crap with other accounts. Then again, maybe Wally just got a worse batch than usual and I'm sure their incoming inspection consists of "Is is orange? OK. Send it to the stores and have them put it on the shelf."

"Walmart - the only thing that falls faster than our prices is our product quality..."

[ April 26, 2004, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[tom slick]

i've seen several fram air filters that looked poorly constructed. the filters for walmart probably come off the line at the same run, so if 1 part is a little off then the rest of the batch is probably off.
the most noteable defect i've seen is the metal screen(support) poking through the sealing surface.

 

[jthorner]

I suppose it would be possible for Honeywell Fram to "bin out" the filters at the mfg. line for perceived visual quality. I know that in my many years in the semicondutor industry, grading or binning of products based on what specs they meet is standard practice. One mfg. line can produce a range of quality.

In semiconductors the different product grades are generally marked and sold to different specifications, including customer-specific specifications from time to time.

Maybe Fram does something similar put marks and boxes everthing the same.

Who really knows ?????

John

 

[liquidballbearing]

Why would you be using a Fram anyway???? Just curious.

 

[SteveD2]

quote:

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Originally posted by liquidballbearing:
Why would you be using a Fram anyway???? Just curious.

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There's nothing wrong with Fram air filters, except maybe quality control...

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

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Originally posted by ZmOz:

quote:

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Originally posted by liquidballbearing:
Why would you be using a Fram anyway???? Just curious.

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There's nothing wrong with Fram air filters, except maybe quality control...

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Isn't that reason enough?

They also have sub-standard material in some apps.


-T

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by liquidballbearing:
Why would you be using a Fram anyway???? Just curious.

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Just looking. I was shopping for what seemed to be the best looking filter for this application and it's possible the Fram was it. Not likely, but possible.

It seems like air filter quality is as dependent on application as it is on brand. The STP brand for my 3.4L Toyota seems to be very high quality. The STP filter for the 5.0L Mustang looks like a POS. Worse than a Fram in fact.

I ended up with a Purolator although after installing it I'm not sure I like the way it fits the airbox. The K&N I removed fits much better...

[ May 04, 2004, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[kansaisubaru]

jsharp,
why did you remove the K&N air filter and replace with another brand instead of cleaning it?

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by kansaisubaru:
jsharp,
why did you remove the K&N air filter and replace with another brand instead of cleaning it?

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The silicon reading was too high IMO when I did a UOA. I wanted to try a paper filter to see if it got any better...

 

[edwardh1]

with the cost pressure walmart puts on vendors the day will come when frams at wal mart ARE different from other frams.
in my toyotas size, the fram has 20 less pleats than a purolater
the toyota OE is only a couple bucks more on sale so wal mart and Fram are really screwing you

 

[JohnnyO]

The Fram Plot Of Global Domination continues at Auto Zone. They have all sorts of filters but the only catalog on the shelf to look up applications is Fram. I think a Fram rep sneaks in and steals the other catalogs.

 

[RH+G]

Well you are in the aAutozone in Pa and Im in the one in NY and we have the sampe problem. AUTOZONE is going DOWN

 

[RedWolf4000]

Arent most air filters basically made with the same materials and designs?? STP, ACDELCO, FRAM, WIX, they all look and feel pretty much the same to me. Actually, after inspecting all of my choices at my local autozone, i actually went with the FRAM air filter, as it showed the least defects of these brands. Now i wont touch there oil filters, but there air filters are basically the same quality of any other $5 air filter, in my case it was the best quality to one on the shelf at the time, as the STP was warped with no metal mesh, the ACDELCO foam/rubber seal on the outside was dry and cracking, ect. I think when you are buying a $5 air filter, besides color and brand name, your basically buying the same thing.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I too was at Autozone looking at filters for my TOyota tonight! THe Fram's while not the best looking filters did not suffer any of the problems you cited above. They did l;ook sloppy though and cheaply made. THe STP brand filter was made to much higher standards and had better materials and construction. THey did not have puralator brand for my Camry. I have always had great results with Puralator air filters in Toyotas.

None of the aftermarket filters match my OEM filter though. My OEM filter is some kind of white foam it is not paper at all. I am tempted to buy another OEM filter. I have never bought an OEM air filter before! Autozone wanted $13.99 for the Fram the STP did not have price lable!

Redwolf4000, Not all filter are the same. For exable Puralator like the OEM Toytas one for most aplications use a fuzzy lofted fiber not some compacted paper pulp. The filter material is also different from one company to another. My OEM filter is foam while the aftermarket ones are paper?

[ June 06, 2004, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
I too was at Autozone looking at filters for my TOyota tonight! THe Fram's while not the best looking filters did not suffer any of the problems you cited above. They did l;ook sloppy though and cheaply made. THe STP brand filter was made to much higher standards and had better materials and construction. THey did not have puralator brand for my Camry. I have always had great results with Puralator air filters in Toyotas.

None of the aftermarket filters match my OEM filter though. My OEM filter is some kind of white foam it is not paper at all. I am tempted to buy another OEM filter. I have never bought an OEM air filter before! Autozone wanted $13.99 for the Fram the STP did not have price lable!

Redwolf4000, Not all filter are the same. For exable Puralator like the OEM Toytas one for most aplications use a fuzzy lofted fiber not some compacted paper pulp. The filter material is also different from one company to another. My OEM filter is foam while the aftermarket ones are paper?

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I was at Advance Auto looking at filters for my 4Runner last weekend. The Purolators they had looked to be as poor quality as the Frams at Walmart. Crushed elements, lots of sealing material pushed into the filter part of the media, etc. And they were over $16 each.

The STP I'm using now looks like a good filter and it was only $6.50 but I think it might be a bit too restrictive so I thought I'd check some other brands. At this point, I'm going to get a stock Toyota filter and see what it looks like. I'm betting the quality will be like the rest of the truck. High...

[ June 07, 2004, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]