Metal or composite...

They seem to be 'apples to apples' between the AirRaid and AF1... I'm sure that there's pros and cons on both... not sure of what all they are but, I'm sure it's like anything else.

 

FOr AF1 or Airaid intake..

I always why its costover $250-300!

I m guessing, for filter cone- $30-50, custom pipe stainless from any store, maybe $100?? and homemade almuniin heat shield maybe 10 bucks..rough- $150-180...

WHat do you guy think??

I m just curious the price on each part break down the list and price..

YOMAN!

 

You are probably right. The relative value is in locating, buying, and assembling those parts.

I like to pay a little more to be lazy - gives me more time for

05FKR

 

Did you ever factor in the countless hours and dollars spent on R&D?

 

Markup and shipping also factor in more than you would think. Rightfully so.
Also, it's a well known fact that you can't just throw a filter and a pipe on the new 5.4s and expect trouble free service. That has to be worth something...Kevin

 

This is the most important thing in the price guys. R&D isn't free...

Same thing is true with just about any product you can think of on our trucks...

Take tires for example. I can assure you that all of the companies are making the 18" tire for much less than the asking price of $150. Rubber is fairly cheap and the manufacturing process certainly doesn't take long on a tire (I've watched them being made -- it's alarming how fast they knock them out) but, the hours spent on R&D where some engineer is locked in front of a computer for hours and hours and hours.... well, his salary isn't free either... someone has to pay the piper and us, as consumers, do this every day on just about everything we buy.

So, in summary, while the price might bite a little hard for some, the pay back in overall gains, in my opinion, is well worth it.

RP

 

Ok let me try to explain this....

Aluminum conducts heat better than composites. This is one of the reasons they use it for an intake manifold. Aluminum will "suck" heat from the heads getting the intake hot. Composites will not readily conduct heat, so they won't "suck" the heat from the heads and composites don't absorb heat very well either. This keeps them from transferring the radiated heat from the engine compartment.

Stainless steel is a poor heat conductor compared to cold rolled steel , iron , aluminum etc.. The stainless intake tube has a constant flow of air while the truck is running. So the induced heat is comparatively low. The AF1 intake tube is also isolated from the metal engine components with rubber so heat conduction from there is minimized as well as mechanical vibrations.

I hope this helps..

 

$300... name brand company, R&D'ed and made specific for my vehicle, and i don't have to worry about the truck running lean.

Or you can pay 180 to have a homemade intake, not know what your gonna get out of it, Will probably be running lean and in the end, your screwed if something happens because you don't have a company to blame or warranty to get things fixed.

To each his own, but i see nothing good out of making one. I'd rather pay the extra cash... remember, you get what you pay for. JMO.... please, nobody take offense to this.

 

Yea, I agree, it's in the R&D - Rest & Drink - that's why I pay a little more.

 

Are the horsepower gains you state with stock ECU or with your " chipped " truck? It seems to me 20-25 hp is a very healty gain with no other mods!

 

I've made no personal HP gains on my truck. I can tell you, with utmost confidence, that my butt dyno doesn't lie...

While I can't put a number on the ponies that I've gained, I can assure you that I 'feel them'.

As for the numbers that Mike has mentioned, I believe that the truck was stock but, I'm not certain. I'm going to try to get him over here to address a few of the questions. I don't want to speak on behalf of Mike's R&D as it's not my place. I can only speak for my R&D for Mike on my truck. I am tuned and have a Magnaflow... those, obviously, account for some of the gains that I felt prior to the addition of the AF1. Beyond that, post-installation of the AF1, I felt even more...

RP

 

you need to dyno the truck and settle it. the only way I am buying is if I see a dyno comparing it to stock.

 

You probably will keep your money in your pocket and miss out on the advantages of a less restrictive intake then...Kevin

 

While I agree with kevhunt on this one. It would be nice for Troyer to dyno a stock truck and than a truck with tuner, intake, and exhaust. All alone and then with all of the mods. Just so we can see some actual numbers, but dyno'ing does cost money. Maybe Mike can come and chime in on this for us.

 

I would guess he has already put in on a dyno, but not sure why not posted numbers.

My only complaint is this, with the new MAF and all the air intakes being recalled and delayed because of a lean condition, why in the world are they not posting a dyno sheet with a A/F chart???

The comment dynos cost money.... most dynos you have get several runs with a wideband for less than $75. Small piece of mind if you have any concerns running lean/rich.


Chris