AIRRAID Intake for the Toyota Tundra – A Review

Since 1997, AIRRAID has been building a solid reputation as a designer and manufacturer of air filters and air intakes. Over time, the company’s innovations in the field have helped to make it a go-to choice for many truck owners looking for extra power and fuel efficiency. We tested out the AIRRAID intake system on our 5.7-liter Toyota Tundra to see what we could learn about its ease of installation, the quality of the product in general and how it affected the driving experience offered by our truck.

Installation

The AIRRAID intake system comes with an open-element air filter (available in oiled and non-oiled versions), an intake tube, an air dam that is intended to shield the filter element from hot engine air and all of the required stainless steel mounting hardware. We were immediately impressed with the fit and finish of the intake, as all of the parts were well-formed without any sharp edges from the plastic molds, cracks or other appearance flaws.

AIIRAID intake installed under the hood.

The instructions that came with the AIRRAID kit were easy to follow and presented no particular challenges. As with any intake installation, the first step is to remove the stock air box and disconnect all of the attached hoses. Next, you need to assemble the AIRRAID “cool air dam” panels, which form the barrier between the engine bay and the filter and which fit snug against the hood using weatherseal to prevent any air from sneaking over the top of the dam. Next, you need to remove the MAF sensor and re-install it inside the AIRRAID intake tube before attaching that tube to the air dam and the throttle body and then re-attaching all of the associated hoses. Tighten up the last of the bolts holding down the mounting brackets and you are good to go.

Performance

One of the first things anyone ever notices after installing an intake like this is how it changes the sound of the engine under the hood. AIRRAID has done an excellent job in terms of balancing the “whoosh” of the extra air entering the engine with the desire for a reasonably quiet sound at cruising speeds. The intake does turn up the volume under full throttle, but that is really the only time that most drivers will hear it.

AIRRAID intake.

More noticeable is the improved throttle response at almost all engine speeds, as well as a roughly 10 horsepower boost that matches what AIRRAID claims for its product. We also noticed better fuel mileage with the intake installed, although since our test truck was also sporting a DynoMAX exhaust system we can’t be sure if the extra couple of miles per gallon are a result of the intake.

AIRAID air intake dyno results.

Wrapping Things Up

The AIRRAID intake for the Toyota Tundra is perfect for drivers looking for extra performance without feeling like a boy racer due to ultra-loud engine noise every time they tip into the throttle. Playmodel There will be those reading this review who will be hesitant to believe AIRRAID’s horsepower claims due to the fact that the intake doesn’t suck air directly from underneath the fender. We feel that the AIRRAID design is such that enough cold air is already entering the engine bay via the fender cutout for the intake to be effective, and our overall positive experience with the product makes us confident in our recommendation.