Tips for cleaning pleated cab air filters

[colken]

I have a New Holland Workmaster 55 with cab. I periodically blow out the cab pleated air filters with compressed air after knocking them on one the tires. Are there other tricks I can use to extend the effectiveness of these filters. The damn things are expensive! Thanks!

 

[RustyA]

On my Boomer 40 cab I use HVAC thin foam vent filters cut to fit over factory pleated filters. They can be rinsed out and reused multiple times. Keep a lot of debris out of the paper filters.

 

[pmsmechanic]

There used to be a solution/powder that John Deere sold that you mixed with water and you could wash your filters. I've washed cabin air filters for my Jetta in just straight water and it worked ok. You do need to let them dry in the sun before installing. I only did that once as I had no replacement filter and it was filthy.

 

[5030]

I use cool water and Dawn diswash detergent myself and let them air dry. All are expensive, no matter what brand.

 

[bigtiller]

I use 1/4" male & female couplers screwed together and about 30 psi. I use low pressure and high volume to clean everything, even me.

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[Beaver Cove Deere]

Blow them out on the reverse direction of your suction.

 

[tracter]

Vacuum them out in the reverse direction of suction or look around for a company that does air cleaner washing

 

[sixdogs]

Are these paper or synthetic mesh filters? My M7040 cab Kubota had synthetic filters that could have been confused as paper. I just blew them out washed in soapy water and back in the cab. Worked fine.

 

[colken]

Are these paper or synthetic mesh filters? My M7040 cab Kubota had synthetic filters that could have been confused as paper. I just blew them out washed in soapy water and back in the cab. Worked fine.

They appear to be paper.

 

[sixdogs]

They appear to be paper.

For cab tractors I have had, I blow them out in reverse of air intake flow and use a low psi because that's what the owner's manual said. First I tap the filter on the ground and a lot of the dust will fall out. Then reverse blow at 15-20 psi.

If the filter can be washed, and they will tell you if it can, I then put some Dawn dishwashing liquid in bucket of water and dunk the filter a few times. Then I let it dry and put it back in tractor.

Look up a parts list for your tractor and it will tell you for sure if paper or not and if there's a synthetic option. For my synthetic Kubota cab filters, they looked pretty tough so I just sloshed around in bucket of soapy water.

EDIT--after a mild amount of research, I suspect-- but am not positive they are washable paper. Look in the owner's manual. That would definitely extend the life of a cabin filter and if they get a little old it's not like an air cleaner that might damage an engine.
Also look to see if another tractor brand is the same as yours and maybe you can get a washable synthetic. Using the same filter is very common these days.I discovered my Kubota and Deere share the same air filters and verified with the filter makers #'s. If fact, they fit many dozens of different models. Who knew? Look around.