Fleetguard · HF Hydraulic · inline line
HF7981 filter element: specifications & equivalents
The HF7981 is a Fleetguard inline-line hydraulic filter element, rated at 51.2 µm absolute (51.2 µm at β75(c) per ISO 16889). Verify against the current manufacturer data sheet before ordering.
Specifications and cross-references are taken from the Fleetguard online catalog API. Where both TWA and Beta ratings are published the conventions differ — verify cleanliness targets, collapse rating and seal configuration against the current Fleetguard data sheet before ordering.
Specification table
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Filter type | inline line |
| Filtration rating | 51.2 µm |
| Rating basis | absolute |
| Beta ratio | 51.2 µm at β75(c) per ISO 16889 |
| Outside diameter OD | 70 mm |
| Inside diameter ID | 41 mm |
| End caps | open-ended cartridge element |
| Integral bypass valve | none (housing/valve-dependent) |
| Manufacturer part no. | HF7981 |
| Source catalog | Cummins Filtration / Fleetguard: Fleetguard online product catalog (fleetguard.com) |
| Last verified | 2026-09-28 |
Sources: Cummins Filtration / Fleetguard — Fleetguard online product catalog (fleetguard.com) — accessed 2026-09-28.
Fleetguard® and all model designations are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification only — ElementRef is an independent reference site, not an authorized Fleetguard distributor.
Dimensions & series range
| Outside diameter | 70 mm (2.756 in) |
| Inside diameter | 41 mm (1.614 in) |
Cross references & equivalents
| Equivalent model | Brand | Match level | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
|
↔ 121706 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 121706 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 21967 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 21967 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 221174 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 221174 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 4102506 page in verification queue | UFI | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 4102506 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 50715 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 50715 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 85807055 page in verification queue | UFI | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 85807055 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ 92073E page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists 92073E as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ FD11P10 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists FD11P10 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
| ↔ HD770 | MANN-FILTER | partial | MANN-FILTER's online catalog lists HF7981 (FLEETGUARD/CUMMINS FILTRATION) as a comparison number for HD770. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
| ↔ HD770 | MANN-FILTER | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists HD770 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ HF0798100 page in verification queue | Fleetguard | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists HF0798100 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ HF0798100JX page in verification queue | Fleetguard | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists HF0798100JX as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ MDH2586 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists MDH2586 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ P760155 page in verification queue | Donaldson | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists P760155 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
| ↔ PT9248 | Baldwin Filters | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists PT9248 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
| ↔ PT9248 | Baldwin Filters | partial | Baldwin's Form 561 Number-Finder cross-reference lists HF7981 (FLEETGUARD) as replaced by Baldwin PT9248. Form/fit listing without published performance data — verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ SH50715 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists SH50715 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ W02AP292 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists W02AP292 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
|
↔ WG292 page in verification queue | Aftermarket | partial | Fleetguard's online catalog lists WG292 as an interchange for HF7981. Envelope cross-reference; verify micron grade, collapse rating and seal configuration before substituting. |
Interchange levels: full catalog-confirmed drop-in · partial verify parameters · verify manual confirmation required. Links resolve to the equivalent model's specification page where available.
How the HF7981 model number is decoded
- HF7981Fleetguard HF-series hydraulic cartridge element part number.
- 70 mmLargest outside diameter.
- 41 mmLargest end inside diameter.
- 51.2 µm at β75(c) per ISO 16889Published efficiency ratings.
Typical equipment & applications
- Construction, agricultural and industrial hydraulic circuits
- Mobile-equipment hydraulic return and pressure lines
Selection pitfalls — read before you substitute
- “10 µm nominal” and “12 µm at β1000” can describe the very same media — one is reported at β≥200, the other at β≥1000 per ISO 16889. Compare ratings at the same Beta test point, not just the printed micron number.
- Nitrile (NBR) seals are standard for mineral hydraulic oil but fail early in some phosphate-ester fluids and at sustained high temperature; verify seal compound against the fluid data sheet (fluorocarbon/Viton executions may be required).
- End-cap geometry and the number/position of O-rings block interchange even when OD and length match — visually compare end caps before fitting, especially with aftermarket cartridges.
Frequently asked questions
What micron rating does HF7981 use?
What replaces the HF7981 filter element?
How do I read the HF7981 part number?
Is a same-envelope aftermarket element always a drop-in replacement?
How often should a hydraulic return-line element be replaced?
Other models in the HF Hydraulic series
All 2621 →Reviewed & verified by the ElementRef engineering desk against Cummins Filtration / Fleetguard on 2026-09-28. Read our editorial & correction policy.