Has anyone tried to put a filter in the air inlet for outside air before it gets to the heater fan? I just replaced my evaporator and heater core and am quite concerned about how much junk ends up on the evaporator. I did clean off the evap over a year ago when I replaced my heater fan. I could only feel the evap and brushed it off and vacuumed what I could. A lot of the fins appear to be disintegrating. I don't know if that was from all the junk from before or what would cause that.
After I had the HVAC back in I started thinking about filtering the incoming air. I wish I would have looked at that more when I had everything out. Before I put the glove box back in I looked at the baffle that opens for recirculating the cabin air. It is accessible with the glove box removed. That would be a convenient location for a filter if a box was modified to accept it. I may have to buy an HVAC box from a wrecker and look into that.
Any ideas on this?
By the way thanks to DTR and for those that have done this and written about it. This gave me the confidence to do this myself.
Stan

 

Geno's Garage sells them.

 

I've been running these for several years, work great, easy install.
I park under trees and could see the problems ahead without a filter.
CAB FRESH - FILTER

 

I hot glued some screen inside the intake grille on mine. Doesn't filter the air but does keep most junk out of the fan area.

 

Thanks guys. I must be living under a rock (snowbank this time of year here in Saskatchewan) that I did not know about that. Does Geno's also sell those plastic nuts that hold down that grill at the base of the windshield?
Stan

 

I also second or third the cab fresh from genos. Been so long since I bought it that I cant remember if it came with new nuts or not. I know I didnt have to go buy anything else to make it work. It says it filters out dust etc. That might be pushing it but it certainly keeps the chunks out. And must do a reasonable job on the dirt as I had to replace my blower motor a while back and it was a bit dusty but I thought suprisingly clean. You do want make sure and change the filter elements every so often. I have found 2 years works good for me and my local conditions.

 

I remember since I installed one not too long ago for a friend, it doesn't come with the nuts.
What I can't remember though is what I used for replacements as the truck was missing two of them before I got there.
I'm thinking I used a self tapping screw with a rubber washer built in, the kind used for metal roofing.

 

You should be able to get the clips from Fastenal. Try www.fastenal.com. A lot cheaper than the dealer!

Kurt

 

I know I am missing at least one of those and nuts and others are loose. I did check with a supplier that caters to the body shops and they did not have them. I did check with Dodge and I can't remember the price but I thought they were orerpriced.
Occasionally I have a rattle if wind conditions are just right and I think it might be that grill as I can't keep the remaining nuts tight.
Bill, explain what you did a little more. If I remember correctly the "bolt" that the nut threads on is plastic as well and is 1/4" diameter. That whole design looks like it was designed to cause problems.
Stan

 

I tried the filter fresh kit from Geno's, talk about a waste of money...

The first one I got had broken tabs in the mail, so I got a warranty replacement. The second one, which has only been on for a couple of months, broke most the tabs just from driving. So it's going back to Geno's.. The filter also holds water and then feezes, so no airflow when the truck is cold and frozen. The filter FILLS super quick. In 6 months I was ready for a new filter, but didn't want to change it for fear of breaking the final tabs...

It would be pretty easy to design a better one... And it would be best to put it in the cab...

Since I have taken it off I haven't noticed an increase in odor in the cab.

 

Wow, the filters for an '05 must be entirely different.
Pretty sure I could drive over mine without damaging them.
To clean I just squirt them with a hose, never been removed in many years.