I always have the dealer service mine just because I stay out of town all the time and they can't void my warranty if they did the work.

 

True, True

 

I never heard of fram filters grenading but here's my story with em anyway. I used a fram filter once on my jeep TJ. first time i did the oil used valvoline max life oil and a fram heavy duty filter. that filter didn't implode... i hope but it did leak. it didn't leak much but there was always a tiny bead of oil on the damn thing. so next time i switched to mobil 1 filters and no leaks. but i aint surprised fram sucks just from my experience.

 

I wonder why they wouldn't give the specific filters that have been blowing up? We all know it's the Frams, so why not just say it?

 

I figured I'd put in my .02 here, too. I also have had bad personal experience with Fram. I installed one once, using the recommended install procedure printed on the filter (gasket contacts flange, turn1/4 more). When I went to remove it during the next oil change, the filter actually twisted in half. I dumped most of the old oil all over me from the filter. I thought I installed it to tightly, but the top half came off without much effort using a screwdriver. I've never had that happen before or since. Guess it is only fitting the company's first slogan was: "The Dipstick Tells the Story" due to the fact that the company seems to be run primarily by dipsticks.

I only use 2 brands on my truck now- Wix or Baldwin. I prefer Baldwin since we used them exclusively in the big truck and I know how well they hold up under extreme conditions of pulling excessively heavy loads at extremely high rates of speed. Baldwin's main focus is on commercial rigs, but they do make a filter that fits my 5.9 Cummins. Jake Brake could probably tell ya all about Baldwin filters and what he's seen at his shop.

As far as warranty related issues, as the OP said- Dodge can "recommend" all they want, but they can't restrict the original factory warranty. If they did, you'd have to get it in writing. Oddly enough, the Fram filter warranty says exactly that. Seems they've had questions regarding this issue before.... HHMMMMMMHere's a link to the warranty: http://www.fram.com/pdf/Warranty.pdf

Baldwin warranties not only include the filter, but they also includeMACHINERY DAMAGE- both parts and labor. I'll attach a link to the home page in case anybody would like to research dealers or filters for their own rigs. To see the warranty itself, go to the literature page and click on the Cummins engine brochure. The warranty is on the upper right hand corner of page 1. http://baldwinfilters.com/start.html

I'm sure the Wix warranty will read much the same as the Baldwin warranty, but you have to be a member of the Wix website to see the literature or other product information. I don't run Wix often enough to become a member, but I do know they make a really good filter. Hope this helps. Sorry this post isso long, but since you're here, what else you gonna do???

 

Sorry we don't use baldwin filters (good filter though). We strictly run Fleetgaurds and for those special applications CAT and International filters. Since we don't stock baldwin's, we have a common problem because baldwin fuel seperators don't have a clear fuel bowl that threads to the bottom and Fleetgaurds do. Makes them difficult to change if ya don't have a bowl in stock.[:@]

 

does this mean there air filters are bad as-well.... thats what i have been throwing in my air box because i got a good deal on a set of 3 of them off ebay[:-]

 

Ya get what ya pay forI've seen a few of the cheapo brand airfilters actually get suck up into the intake piping (still all in one piece) just collapsed inward on itself on a few OTR trucks and they were almost brand new. Can't remeber the brand though.

 

so by the sounds of that jake the 2 out of 3 that i have not used yet are prob better left in the orange box??

 

Mayfair wants specifics. Here Ya Go!

http://www.fram.com/pdf/FramItstheLaw.pdf- the "because too many dealerships are having to put up with our crappy filters" link

http://www.fram.com/pdf/Warranty.pdf- the Fram warranty link again- same as posted above, but thought you may want to reference it against the other links I'm stickin on here

http://www.fram.com/pdf/FramDisclaimer.pdf- the "aw crap, we still have issues and now possible lawsuits" link

http://www.fram.com/pdf/CumminsBulletin.pdf- the "cuz Mayfair asked" link. I could've listed out the filters myself, but thought you'd have fun reading it yourself. I especially like the last part, where it says Honeywell will be responsible if your engine burns up. Due to verbage in another warranty document (posted above in a previous post) you can read that they are only obligated to give you another crappy $5 filter.