Hydraulic Filters for Tractors

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sloeffle

Minister of Fire
Mar 1, 2012
1,284
Central Ohio
Stopped at the dealer a few days ago to pick up the two hydraulic filters for my tractors 300 hour maintenance. Normally I buy all of my filters through filter1.com but Wix doesn't make a hydraulic filter for my tractor ( Yanmar YT347 ). One of the filters was $89 and the other was $44. Can someone tell me what's so special about these filters that they can charge that kind of price ? My assumption is nothing. My buddy said the oil filter for one of his tractors is $100. I would love to know the profit margin the dealer and the manufacturer(s) are making off of these types of items.

The hydraulic fluid ( TF 500 ) was $23 a gallon also. :eek: I found a Mobil-1 equivalent online and it was pretty close to the same price.
 
There is a huge difference in OEM and aftermarket filters. I had a E series Bobcat mini ex that was brought to my shop. It wouldn’t track in high speed and wouldn’t operate fast when it was below 40 out until it had ran about an hour.

I did all kinds of pressure tests and it passed everything. Right up to the flow tests. The problem was fixed by scrapping the NAPA (Wix) filter and replacing it with the $150 bobcat filter. There was too much restriction in the aftermarket filter.

I won’t ever run an aftermarket filter on any equipment anymore. The investment is too large to risk damage because the aftermarket is close to OEM. I’m on my phone, I have pictures of cutting that Napa filter in half and comparing it to a bobcat filter. If I get time today I’ll find those and post them.
 
There is a huge difference in OEM and aftermarket filters. I had a E series Bobcat mini ex that was brought to my shop. It wouldn’t track in high speed and wouldn’t operate fast when it was below 40 out until it had ran about an hour.

I did all kinds of pressure tests and it passed everything. Right up to the flow tests. The problem was fixed by scrapping the NAPA (Wix) filter and replacing it with the $150 bobcat filter. There was too much restriction in the aftermarket filter.

I won’t ever run an aftermarket filter on any equipment anymore. The investment is too large to risk damage because the aftermarket is close to OEM. I’m on my phone, I have pictures of cutting that Napa filter in half and comparing it to a bobcat filter. If I get time today I’ll find those and post them.

100% agree. Recent similar experience with a Mopar vs. Wix fuel filter swap for an 2018 Ram with a Cummins. The Wix filter looks like a Chinese tinker toy, wouldn't install it after seeing it. Wix is slipping fast these days.
 
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@Medic21 - so what you are telling me is that I should scrap the Wix oil filter I just put on ? :(
 
I will only buy JD filters for my JD. It’s not the place to flint on.
 
@Medic21 - so what you are telling me is that I should scrap the Wix oil filter I just put on ? :(

No. I can't speak to the quality of all Wix/Napa Gold filters. I still use them regularly on my vehicles, etc. There are some applications where you can see the lower build quality, lack of filtration, less surface area, lighter materials, etc..

I won't make a blanket statement on filter quality, but keep an eye on Wix a little more closely going forward.
 
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I won't make a blanket statement on filter quality, but keep an eye on Wix a little more closely going forward.
I've heard good things about Baldwin, and Donaldson filters. Anybody have experience with either of these brands ?
 
Shouldn't that mopar filter be a cummins filter for the Dodge if you're trying to be all OEM. I think they sell you fleetguard at the cummins shop, maybe it was donaldson.

My ford 7.3 diesel gets motorcraft filters from walmart. 10$ and holds 2 quarts.
 
As a mechanic and shop owner, I won’t accept the liability of using them. A lot of manufactures are starting to require their filters for warranty.
Yep, I was told that if I wanted to keep the 10 year warranty on my tractor, I would have to run Yanmar hydraulic filters and fluid. They didn't mention Yanmar oil filters though. Yanmar can keep their crappy 15w-40 dyno oil though. I'll stick with Mobil-1.

Is saving $50-$100 dollars on filters worth a $5k hydraulic pump?
I've been using WixXP filters for a number of years now. I have no problem using Yanmar oil filters. I think your last comment answered my question though. Back to the dealership to get a Yanmar oil filter.

Thanks for the insight.
 
Shouldn't that mopar filter be a cummins filter for the Dodge if you're trying to be all OEM. I think they sell you fleetguard at the cummins shop, maybe it was donaldson.

My ford 7.3 diesel gets motorcraft filters from walmart. 10$ and holds 2 quarts.
A lot of manufactures with semis used fleetguard for filters. The difference being the system was engineered using them.

A lot of the fuel systems are now a 1 micron Or less filter With the common rail high pressure systems. if you read the specs on aftermarket vs OEM on fuel filters there are a lot that actually don’t meet the engineered specs with fuel filters.
 
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Shouldn't that mopar filter be a cummins filter for the Dodge if you're trying to be all OEM. I think they sell you fleetguard at the cummins shop, maybe it was donaldson.

My ford 7.3 diesel gets motorcraft filters from walmart. 10$ and holds 2 quarts.

Here's the filters in question:
1610650757213.png
 
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They're different but I can't say either is bad. I actually like the wix construction more for a few reasons including the more open pleats.

I buy motorcraft fuel filters for my ford diesel. The fuel system is very sensitive and expensive in these high pressure diesels.
 
I've heard good things about Baldwin, and Donaldson filters. Anybody have experience with either of these brands ?
Yes. Very common in big diesel stuff.
 
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They're different but I can't say either is bad. I actually like the wix construction more for a few reasons including the more open pleats.

I buy motorcraft fuel filters for my ford diesel. The fuel system is very sensitive and expensive in these high pressure diesels.

That's an understatement. Up close, the quality difference between the 2 of these is vast. I use Wix gold on most daily drivers, and have a shelf full of them, as I have master installer status and get them cheap. In this application, the Wix fell way short.
 
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Yep. Also sending regular oil samples to the lab you can really extend those service intervals by huge margins.
The oil industry would hate for the oil analysis industry to release what it knows.
 
I used to think Wix filters were a good aftermarket option. I’m not so sure anymore we have had some issues in the last few years. The last one being a tractor that was giving low oil pressure alarms and it wasn’t even due for a service. The problem started when the customer changed engine oil and installed a Wix filter. All it took to fix the issue was to install an OEM filter.
 
I used to think Wix filters were a good aftermarket option. I’m not so sure anymore we have had some issues in the last few years. The last one being a tractor that was giving low oil pressure alarms and it wasn’t even due for a service. The problem started when the customer changed engine oil and installed a Wix filter. All it took to fix the issue was to install an OEM filter.

The problem most certainly appears that many of their filter lines are now being manufactured with foreign parts, and or completely out of country, this latest fuel filter was an example.