UNI Filter is CRAP

[79XS11F]

I know many may not like this post but ENOUGH already. This UNI air filter I paid $49.00 for is CRAP. By it's very design it not not be used on the XS1100 with any convenience what-so-ever. The foam liner that takes the oil just get tangled up in the clips that hold the bottom of the filter box bolts in place and can not be installed without damaging the filter itself. What good is an air filter that gets ripped up during the install and take 20 minutes to install . I would not buy one again at any price and this one is already FLATTENED out on my garage floor and in the trash. K&N from my other bike is now installed.
Rob

[rockjok]

I've got a uni on one of my XSs and it works well but the filter housing is one that uses e-clips rather than the small "cotter" style clips. I was warned in a previous post about this hangup problem.

I got really frustrated with K&N since I could never get them to fit after cleaning them. I discovered that the trick is to NEVER use hot water 'cause they shrink. I wish I hadn't been so dumb since it would have saved me several replacements in past years.

I just finished cleaning out one airbox from a bike I had in storage last winter. The mouse poison I set out in the fall had disappeared from it's container and ended up in this airbox. Next year maybe I'll try plain old traps.

I installed a couple of 1" filtered breathers in the bottom of the airbox on an SF. I'm hoping it wasn't a mistake but I figure I can always plug them up if there is a problem.

Rob

[79XS11F]

It took 45 minutes to get that piece of crap out of my air box. The foam part was FULLY involved with the bolt clip. I could not get one of the screws out or all the way in. I had to twist the bottom of the box and Rip the filter out through the side. And when I say RIP I mean rip. I had to get into the box with long needle nosed pliers and cut the steal part of the UNI filter in half, CRUSH it while it was in the box and remove it. Then I had to remove the foam liner in bits. MAN AM I PISSED.
Rob

[John]

Sorry to hear about your mishap with the Uni filter. I have been using one for many years with no problems like the one you experienced. I discoverd that very same problem when I first put it in the airbox, so my fix was remove the pins, and use a small piece of gasket paper with a small hole in it, and just slip that down over the airbox screws. Problem solved.

[webbcraft2150]

Ditto what John said. Been runnin mine for 6-7 years now. Mine came like a foam outer wrap. I just fold it over the OEM filter screen and slip it back in the air box. Takes longer to dry than it does to get it in and out of the bike.

[mason79]

i like the filter, and since the first" snag" i took the clips off the offending screws,i think the fronts and do fall out when unscrewed completedly, but i alone know what i did so thats not a problem, , the foam don't clean that well they discoluor,so i remove the entire foam and rotate it around the cage, to give it a new surface to breathe with.
i'm surprised you lost your cool with it and smashed it. the way you build and rebuild bikes, seem to have limited equals.

heck i guess you were having a bad day...

[skids]

Yeah, Rob. It brings back the memories! I bought two from JC Whipme for my two 78 E's. I installed them both. A few days later, I had to take out the bottom of the air box on one. I was sweating bullets. I used a very large gin-su knife and sawed the bastard into bite sized chunks. I twisted a wingnut so hard that it bent a wing! When I finally got the airbix apart I was sickened by the thought that the other bike had one too!!! Luckily the clip tore the foam and it came apart.

Originally posted by 79XS11F
It took 45 minutes to get that piece of crap out of my air box. (snip) MAN AM I PISSED.
Rob