Cabin air filter retrofit kit?

[Uriel]

I have a 1996 Ranger XL. There are no standard cabin air filters. Recent forrest fires have inspired me to get one. I have not found anything that works. Has anyone had luck in this? Please let me know if you have a suggested fix. Thank you in advance.

 

[Grumpaw]

There are no aftermarket retro-fit kits available. The cabin air filter systems are integrated into the vehicles vent/ac/heat system. To retro fit would require a complete tear down of the dash and vent systems of a 24 year old vehicle, even if you could find the parts to make it fit.
There are vehicle air purifier systems that you can find online...just google it up. They clean the air inside after it has entered the vehicle.

 

[ericbphoto]

 

[Dirtman]

You could take up smoking, then you won't even notice the fires...

 

[snoranger]

You could take up smoking, then you won't even notice the fires...

It may be cheaper to buy a newer vehicle.

 

[sgtsandman]

There is no retrofit kit. Like mentioned above, to do what you want to do would require major modification or replacement of the entire heating and ventilation system.

 

[Danny74]

There are no aftermarket retro-fit kits . . . . To retro fit would require a complete tear down of the dash and vent systems . . . .

.... to do what you want to do would require major modification or replacement of the entire heating and ventilation system.

I appreciate the guidance of an experienced member and moderator from the form. Could you guys please tell me what issues you encountered when you both try to do this retrofitting process? Try to be as specific as you can and maybe add when you attempted to do the mod and what year Ranger you attempted this on.?
I'm an engineer, and I'm going to be modifying my Ranger to accept a cabin air filter. Any information about things that you've encountered could help me streamline the process. This way when somebody else asked about it I can give a response as knowledgeable like you gentlemen but respond with a specifically how difficult it is as well as exactly how long it will take and what materials will be needed. I don't want to be just making hypotheses, and have other people mistaken them has facts. I'm trying to be helpful as I can to my fellow Ranger enthusiast.


Also, I will ask this question here that I've asked on many other forms.
It could save me a lot of times and research if somebody would be able to let me know, what years of, pickup trucks and explorers & escapes., did Ford first manufactured the vehicle with the cabin air filters.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You missed their points... they never modified anything.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’ve never modified the system. I base my comment on the vehicles I have had and currently have that have a cabin air filter and my general knowledge of the HVAC system and it’s ducting in the U.S. Rangers built from 2011 and before.

No provision was ever made or thought of for those Rangers. So, while it may be possible to do it, it would take some major rework in order to do it.

 

[Kira]

One thing which will help is a photo or good drawing of the system's ducting.
There may be a spot where "all the air" passes through (say, after the heater core / evaporator box) which has a spot which would have enough "removable" plain duct so a filter and holder can be added.

One benefit you might not get is the CAF's ability to protect the AC evaporator given that you'll fit your CAF wherever you can.

If the cowl is the entry point for all incoming air, perhaps shoe-horning something like Volvo had in 850 series vehicles would work. Volvo's air intake was in the cowl on the right (passenger side) under the cowl. It was an open hole the size of a paperback book. Volvo had a frame which fit into the hole and accepted a rectangular filter.
Good luck with your project.

FUNNY: My friend got a used 1997 Ford F-150 and I found a genuine Ford kit to install a cabin air filter. The bottom of the glove box had a recess you cut away to gain access to a run of duct.

EDIT: I just noticed that the OP's post is 20 months old. ....wonder how he made out?

 

[Danny74]

One thing which will help is a photo or good drawing of the system's ducting.
There may be a spot where "all the air" passes through (say, after the heater core / evaporator box) which has a spot which would have enough "removable" plain duct so a filter and holder can be added.

One benefit you might not get is the CAF's ability to protect the AC evaporator given that you'll fit your CAF wherever you can.

If the cowl is the entry point for all incoming air, perhaps shoe-horning something like Volvo had in 850 series vehicles would work. Volvo's air intake was in the cowl on the right (passenger side) under the cowl. It was an open hole the size of a paperback book. Volvo had a frame which fit into the hole and accepted a rectangular filter.
Good luck with your project.

FUNNY: My friend got a used 1997 Ford F-150 and I found a genuine Ford kit to install a cabin air filter. The bottom of the glove box had a recess you cut away to gain access to a run of duct.

EDIT: I just noticed that the OP's post is 20 months old. ....wonder how he made out?

Awesome, I would love to see photos of that retrofit. Where it goes. But it sounds like the same spots that I was thinking about doing. Also I too wonder how the original poster made out. But seeing how is your posted over your old and he never respond yet I'm not sure if he's still active on the board. I wasn't, and I have my notifications off so I didn't know about the response until I checked today

 

[Kira]

Yeah, so many boards, so little time.

I wish I could get to a Ranger in a junkyard to measure it etc.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to y'all.