A forklift usually carries more than one filter of the same kind. The air cleaner often holds a main element and a safety element, and fuel and hydraulic systems can have several filter positions depending on the truck. This guide shows how to match the filters, what matters about service indicators and seals, and how to carry truck manufacturer part numbers over to Mann Filter, Donaldson and HIFI.
Which filters a forklift has
HIFI's application lists show how finely a truck is broken down. For some models they separate Air 1 and Air 2, oil, transmission, fuel (pre-filter, primary, secondary) and hydraulics (suction and return). No truck has every position.
| Filter type | Job | Typical catalog label |
|---|---|---|
| Air, primary | Holds back dust, changed by service indicator or schedule | Primary, main element, Air 1 |
| Air, secondary | Protects the engine during a primary change or if the primary is damaged | Secondary, safety element, Air 2 |
| Oil | Protects the engine from wear caused by particles in the lube oil | Oil filter, lube spin on |
| Fuel | Retains dirt particles from the fuel | Pre-filter, primary, secondary |
| Hydraulic | Removes fine particles from hydraulic oil | Suction, return, in-line |
| Transmission | Filters transmission oil where the truck has one | Transmission filter |
Primary and secondary air filters
The secondary element sits behind the main element. Mann Filter describes it as keeping the engine protected when the main element is replaced or damaged. The secondary element C 12 100 x is listed in the catalog as exactly that. On several product pages Mann names a matching secondary element with its own number next to the primary.
Donaldson gives a replacement point for the safety element at every third primary change, and says to remove it only if it is damaged or due. The Filter Manufacturers Council Technical Service Bulletin 89-3 gives the same rule and adds that a safety element is never cleaned. Both cover engine air filters in general, so your truck manufacturer's manual comes first.
Service indicator instead of a visual check
The bulletin advises replacing an element only when the maximum intake restriction set by the engine maker is reached. A dusty element can have life left, and a clean-looking one can be clogged. Restriction is read with a water manometer, a dial gauge or a permanently mounted service indicator, at maximum airflow. The bulletin gives common engine maker limits of 15 to 20 inches of water for gasoline and LP engines (3.75 to 5.00 kPa) and 20 to 30 inches of water for diesel (5.00 to 7.50 kPa). The value in your truck's manual is the one that counts.
Donaldson makes the same point in a service sheet. The indicator is reset after the change. If you distrust an indicator, check it against a manometer or replace it.
Axial seal and sealing surface
Donaldson lists the seal type in its catalog, for example a primary element with axial seal. The seal type is part of the part description and decides where the element seals in the housing. Elements that look alike are therefore not freely interchangeable. The bulletin also warns that elements can differ in length by a fraction of an inch, enough to make a reliable seal impossible.
From the Donaldson service instructions and the bulletin, the practical routine for a change is this.
- Wipe the housing interior and the sealing surface with a clean damp cloth before the new element goes in.
- Inspect the new element for cuts, tears and dents on the sealing surfaces and do not fit it if it is damaged.
- Look at the old element. A dirt pattern on the clean side means the seal leaked or dust bypassed it. Fix the cause before fitting the new element.
- Do not force the cover shut. If it does not seat, reposition the element.
- Check hoses, clamps and flanges all the way to the engine for leaks, and never leave the housing open longer than necessary.
Reading cross references correctly
A cross reference assigns a truck manufacturer number to a filter from Mann, Donaldson or HIFI. In our catalog it sits in the part name, for example "replaces Linde 000 983 9002". A cross reference is a pointer, not a vehicle approval, as the manufacturer pages themselves show. For the oil filter H 932/2 Mann lists the Linde number 000 983 9003, but the application table on the same page lists engines from other machines. For the air filter C 10 006 Hyster and Yale appear only as OE numbers, and no forklift is in the vehicle list. For the hydraulic element HD 55/1 Jungheinrich shows up only through the number. Still on P 990 is the same case. For C 11 100 and C 1176/3, by contrast, Mann names the Linde H10 series and the Still R series in the application list.
So the number is only the starting point. The data plate, engine type and the fitted filter decide.
Overview by truck brand
The number column reflects the catalog entry. Treat the parts as suggestions to check.
| Truck brand | Filter type | Truck manufacturer number per catalog | Filter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linde | Air | 000 983 9002 | Mann C 11 100 |
| Linde | Oil | 000 983 9003 | Mann H 932/2 |
| Linde and Still | Air | Linde 000 983 9012, Still 141 790 | Mann C 1176/3 |
| Still | Air, secondary element | 147494 | Mann C 12 100 x |
| Still | Fuel | 0149359 | Mann P 990 |
| Jungheinrich | Air | 500 2275 1 | Mann C 11 103/2 |
| Jungheinrich | Hydraulic | 510 6155 2 | Mann HD 55/1 |
| Hyster and Yale | Air | Hyster 1559418, Yale 580048839 | Mann C 10 006 |
| Hyster and Toyota | Hydraulic in-line | Hyster 1360557, Toyota 675022054071 | Donaldson P550477 |
| Toyota | Air, secondary, axial seal | 236122455071 | Donaldson P112212 |
| Hangcha and Heli | Air, primary | not stated | HIFI SA 16069 |
| Hangcha and Heli | Air, safety element | not stated | HIFI SA 16252 |
The Donaldson catalog lists P112212 under the Toyota 2FD100 with the 2D engine, together with a primary element with axial seal. The hydraulic element P550477 appears there under a Hyster H 13.00 XL with OE number 1360557. In HIFI's forklift application list, SA 16069 and SA 16252 appear as the Air 1 and Air 2 pair.
Oil, fuel and hydraulics
Oil and fuel filters belong to the engine. HIFI's lists therefore give engine make and engine type next to the truck model. For matching, the engine counts, not the truck series alone.
For hydraulics, catalogs distinguish suction, return and in-line filters. A hydraulic element such as HD 55/1 is, according to Mann, an element for high-pressure filters. The construction is part of the match. Work on the hydraulic system always follows the truck manufacturer's procedure, because the system is under pressure and carries loads.
We do not state replacement intervals for oil, fuel and hydraulic filters. They depend on model and engine and are set in your truck's maintenance schedule.
Check the fit before ordering
- Read the truck data plate for model, year and serial number.
- Note engine type and engine number.
- Compare the number on the old filter or housing with the truck manufacturer number.
- Compare shape and dimensions with the element in the housing, especially length, diameter and seal type.
- For air filters, find out whether the housing carries a secondary element.
If in doubt, send us the data plate and the number from the old part. The fit is checked against data plate and OEM number before delivery.
FAQ
How often should the air filter safety element be replaced?
Donaldson and Service Bulletin 89-3 both give every third primary change. A safety element is never cleaned. For your truck, the manufacturer's maintenance schedule comes first.
Is the truck manufacturer's number enough to order a Mann or Donaldson filter?
It is the best starting point but not proof of fit. Mann lists some truck numbers only as OE numbers, with no truck in the vehicle list. Check the data plate, engine type and dimensions on the old filter.
When is an air filter really spent?
When intake restriction reaches the engine maker's limit, as shown by the service indicator or a manometer. A dirty look alone is no reason to change it, according to the bulletin. Take the limit for your engine from the manual.
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