Your air filter is going to be important, no matter what kind of vehicle you drive. That’s certainly going to be the case with semi-trucks. These behemoths of the road need all of their parts to be functioning correctly, and the air filter is definitely on that list.
Semi-truck parts are usually easy to obtain if you have a supplier that has what you need in stock. If you don’t know much about air filters, though, you may not necessarily know when your semi-truck needs a new one. Let’s run through a brief crash course on semi-truck air filters right now.
What is the Purpose of a Semi-Truck Air Filter?
Let’s start with the basics. A semi-truck air filter’s purpose is essentially the same as that of any other air filter in any kind of vehicle.
The air filter is intended to remove airborne contaminants. That includes a long and diverse list of microorganisms, pollutants, and particles.
These can easily harm the environment and pose health risks to humans. You won’t just see air filters in vehicles, though. They are also a vital part of many different manufacturing processes and industries.
How Often Do You Need to Change Them?
There’s some contention on exactly how often you will want to change your semi-truck’s air filter. Some people say you should do it every 15K to 20K miles, while others say that you can push it to as long as 30K miles of use.
You will always want to pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendation when it comes to such things, but you should also note the conditions under which you usually drive.
If you drive the semi-truck in a dusty environment a lot, like the American Southwest, then you will likely want to change out the filter more often. Dusty or dirty conditions mean the air filter will get to a point where it’s no longer at an optimal condition faster.
How Much Do They Normally Cost?
As for how much an air filter costs for a semi-truck, you can usually get one for as little as $10-$20 in some instances. However, you will only pay that little if you plan to switch it out yourself.
If you pay a professional mechanic to do it, then that can cost quite a bit more. You might be looking at a price tag of $40 or even upwards of $100, in some cases.
While that’s not crazily high, you might still decide to learn how to do this on your own if you want to save some money. If you need to learn this skill, then watching some instructive videos on YouTube probably makes sense.
You will certainly want to make sure that you have switched out the semi-truck’s air filter correctly, though. If you’re entirely not sure that you have the technique down, you might watch a mechanic do it first.
With a working semi-truck air filter, you can be sure your semi-truck is going to operate at peak efficiency.