Cabin Air Filter Offers Front-Line Defense

Quick-installing cabin air filters make it easy to improve passenger air quality

From the dust and debris kicked up on the roadways to the exhaust and soot in the air surrounding any construction or mining operation, the world outside a cabin is a far cry from being a perfect environment. Because of that the occupants of the heavy-duty vehicle’s cabin are under constant assault.

The cabin air filter is a front line of defense for the driver as he copes with the outside elements that may enter the cab of his heavy-duty vehicle. Replacing the cabin air filter is a relatively simple process that begins with recognizing the signs a filter needs to be changed.

For any vehicle, the typical signs that the cabin air filter may have become saturated with contaminants or plugged with debris can be seen in the volume of air being delivered throughout the cab. Windows that easily fog up and are hard to defrost can often be a first sign of potential filter saturation. In heavy-duty truck and equipment applications, cabin air filters should be replaced according to the guidelines in the owner’s manual. Most cabin filters can be changed in 15 minutes or less.

According to Gary Bilski, Chief Engineer for Luber-finer, “Bottom line is—the cabin air filter is going to filter outside air that you are going to breathe inside the cabin,” said Bilski.

Whether it is simply incoming fresh air, or air entering the cabin during the use of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC), the environment inside the cabin of a heavy-duty vehicle is subjected to assault from pollen, bacteria, dirt, dust and soot. The basic function of the cabin air filter remains the same as it was more than 15 years ago. Located in the HVAC system of a vehicle, most cabin air filters are found at the outside air intake, where the outside air is able to be filtered before it comes into the cabin.

The new Luber-finer^® Extreme Clean HD^™ Premium Cabin Air Filter provides the necessary filtration and barrier to the outside contaminants that can invade a cabin and affect its occupants. Designed to remove sub-micron and micron-sized particles, including dust and pollen particles ranging in size from 5 to 100 microns, the Extreme Clean HD^™ Premium Cabin Air Filter can effectively filter many of these contaminants.

Fast Facts On Maintaining Cabin Air Filters

• In most cases, heavy-duty cabin air filter replacement is a job that can be handled in less than 15 minutes
• Refer to Owners Manual for specific OE recommendations for cabin filter location and detailed replacement process
• Cabin Air Filters should be replaced every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, or according to the manufacturer’s recommendations

About the Author:

John Gaither is the Director of Heavy-Duty Engineering for Luber-finer.

Luber-finer is one of the world’s largest suppliers of filters and filtration products. Luber-finer supplies products through industry-leading brands such as Luber-finer^® and PetroClear^®. Through its brands, Luber-finer serves the automotive, heavy duty trucking and several industrial markets. The company operates through a global network of manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and offices located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and China.