Pre Air Filter

[sanjoh]

I was shocked by what I found in the airbox (after the filter). Have done a few hundred offroad/sand miles recently.

Setup: Snorkel removed, OEM filter, no airbox mods.

The box and filter appear sealed.

Does anyone run a pre air filter?

I will install a K&N and am looking for ideas on the pre air filter.

John

[Stretch]

If you want maximum filtration, K&N is not an upgrade.

[Old Desert Rat]

I was shocked this past weekend by what I found in my airbox also. Started the Tiger to go for a ride, fired right up, idled for a few seconds then died. Would not fire again. Started checking the usual culprits and once I got to the air box I found nuts and other debris blocking the air filter.

Seems that a little mouse slayed the big Tiger!!!! Cleaned it out and replaced the air filter and now it runs like a champ. Never thought a little rodent would take up residence in an air box. Traps have been set in the garage to catch the little guy. Maybe I should change my name to Old Desert Mouse!!!

[sanjoh]

If you want maximum filtration, K&N is not an upgrade.

Thanks for your opinion.  I edited my post as we don't want to go there!

The stock setup is not working!

Does anyone run a pre-filter?

John

[TigerTrax]

Anyone owning a Tiger for a number of years will eventually come to the conclusion.... Don't mess with the Air Filter!

A few have made some modifications... but they almost always end up
partially disappointed.

[sanjoh]

Anyone owning a Tiger for a number of years will eventually come to the conclusion.... Don't mess with the Air Filter!

A few have made some modifications... but they almost always end up
partially disappointed.

Can't live with the 1/2 lb. of sand that gets past the air filter.  I suspect the motor won't last long on a sand diet!

[Stretch]

Thanks for your opinion.

Um... well, it's not really an opinion.  Honestly, I'm not saying this as some know-it-all jackass parroting something he read on the internet, it's a hard-learned fact based on my own experience.  I used to be a big fan of K&N air filters.

Here's da story...

I've been running dirt bikes, Jeeps, and trucks off-road for quite some time, and I had K&N's on every vehicle I owned.  You can imagine the expense involved in purchasing high-priced filters for two bikes, a Jeep, a Mustang, and an F-350.  I was sure that an oiled cotton filter was miles better than regular ol' paper filters.

Until the day I held the K&N from my truck up to the light before I serviced it.  The filter had never been cleaned or molested in any way, but when I held it up to the sun (old trick to check for dirt saturation), I saw scads of pinholes in the tops of each pleat, with thousands visible all over the entire filter.

I then held one of the pinholes right up to my eye, and I could read my license plate through the filter.  Any filter that allows you to read through it is not stopping smaller particles.

I bit the bullet and got rid of a few hundred dollar's worth of K&N filters and replaced them with Baldwin or OEM paper filters.

That's all I'm going to say.  I respect your opinion, and absolutely want you to run whatever parts and accessories you please.  I'm just a guy who has had problems with K&N's in the past and wanted to let you know.  I'm also not simply bashing a brand name.  K&N's oil filters are quite good.  


Anyway...

I understand that you're not satisfied with the factory setup, and I agree that a pre-filter would be capital idea.  

If the airbox is completely sealed, perhaps the snorkel or its opening can be modified to accept a piece of foam from a Uni filter... fab up a frame, and clamp a Uni pre-filter over it?

Maybe a thin sheet of it can also be glued to the 'dirty' side of the air filter.  

http://www.unifilter.com/online%20catal ... ersal.html

A small bead of grease can help seal the air filter's rubber gaskets and the other gaskets, grommets, etc in the airbox.

Also, czech out this (Steamer) pre-filter mod by Patrick...  http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,4385

[NortonCharlie]

The stock air box should work well.  I had a problem with mine, the dealer left out the grommet that seals the air box around the idle stepping motor.  That let a lot of dust and sand through.  Since replacing that mine is tight.  Could there have been a problem with the way the stock filter was seated (not upside down or something) or holes in the filter from over aggressive cleaning with an air hose.  Or possibly a stray rodent chewing holes through it.  I do a lot of riding on dusty gravel and dirt roads and the clean side of my air box stays clean aside from a little oil sucked in through the breather.

I would check that all the hoses are properly connected on both ends.

[sanjoh]

I use grease around all the grommets etc.

The uni may be an option. Perhaps a couple on the intakes inside the box?

or a thin rectangular filter in front of the baffle?

[Stretch]

I've also heard of folks using extremely fine nylon mesh to keep larger sand grains away from the main filter element...

[Stretch]

I do a lot of riding on dusty gravel and dirt roads and the clean side of my air box stays clean aside from a little oil sucked in through the breather.

That's not a bad idea either... keeping the inside of the airbox moist with oil (not enough to flow and cause hydrolock), to help trap particles that are floating around loose inside the airbox.  Kinda like the oil bath air cleaners found on antique cars and trucks, but with a filter to trap anything that gets through.

[blacktiger]

Thanks for your opinion.

Um... well, it's not really an opinion.  Honestly, I'm not saying this as some know-it-all jackass parroting something he read on the internet, it's a hard-learned fact based on my own experience.  I used to be a big fan of K&N air filters.

I'm with Stretch on this even though I use a K&N because I know that HPN, who built all the BMW desert racers, always use the stock BMW paper filters in the desert.