aFe Air Filter options for aFe Cold Air Intakes

In general, throwing an aFe cold air intake on your F150, SVT Raptor, or Super Duty is an easy process. Making the choice about which kit to actually get is the toughest part. Each one of aFe's cold air intake kits comes with three different options for air filters and each one has a different part number. The real question is which one do you need? Like most of the answers in the performance parts industry, the short answer is "depends". The long answer is, well, kind of long. Today we'll break down all of aFe's air filter options so that you know which kit you need to grab when time comes to update your truck's intake system and get some more power flowing down to your wheels.

First up is aFe's classic and more "standard" air filter, the Pro 5 R. The Pro 5 R is a reusable and oiled filter assembly that offers up the best horsepower and torque gains out of aFe's air filter options. The Pro 5 R has five layers of filtering media that feature medical-grade cotton gauze with progressively tighter weaves to provide superb filtration of up to 98.6%. The unique design of the filter also allows much greater airflow than a typical factory disposable filter. aFe's Pro 5 R air filters are perfect for street-driven or track vehicles that want to maximize their power gains and don't really see too much off-road or other extremely dirty conditions. The Pro 5 R is a washable and oiled filter that will require cleaning and reoiling as part of a standard maintenance cycle.

The middle child of the aFe air filter lineup (as far as performance goes, at least), is the Pro Dry S. The Pro Dry S doesn't have quite the same airflow efficiencies as the Pro 5 R filters, but it makes up the slight loss of power with convenience and easy maintenance. True to its name, the Pro Dry S is a dry, non-oiled air filter that only needs to be rewashed without any oil. The Pro Dry S is made up of two layers of randomly woven fabric squeezed between mesh screens and offers up to 99.2% filtration efficiency, making it almost two percent better at filtering out dust and particulates as the Pro 5 R. Despite not being quite as powerful as the Pro 5 R, the Pro Dry S still outflows nearly any factory disposable air filter design and will still add some nice horsepower and torque gains to your truck. The Pro Dry S filters are generally recommended for use on street trucks in dustier climates or on trucks that see the occasional trail ride.

Finally we have aFe's hardest-working air filter system: the Pro Guard 7. This air filter is basically an up-gunned Pro 5 R and features five layers of progressive gauze with and additional two layers of synthetic fibers thrown in for good measure. The Pro Guard 7 even uses its own type of oil in order to boost filtration capabilities to their maximum. The Pro Guard 7 s up to 99.7% efficient at filter out airborne contaminants and can keep dirt, grime, and dust out of your truck's intake and keep it running strong under the most extreme off-road conditions. That's the good news, the bad news is that the Pro Guard 7 has the least efficient airflow out of aFe's filter options and won't make as much power as the other two. Still, if you're throwing together a dedicated off-road truck, then you'll definitely need a Pro Guard 7 over any other air filter option from aFe, if not the rest of their competition.

So, it all really depends on your application. The maximum performance street and paved track truck should probably invest in one of aFe's intakes with a Pro 5 R oiled filter. Pure street trucks, especially those in dusty areas, that need a little extra convenience ought to take a look at aFe's Pro Dry S cold air intake kits. The hardcore off-road enthusiast that loves scratched paint and mud in places that you didn't think you had, probably needs to go for the Pro Guard 7 air filter intake systems.