The size of the stuff that ends up in the engine is way too fine for moving the filter up 1" to make any difference to
Now moving it to the top of the ROPS would make a big difference
The other problem is he elbow itself which just does not fit properly even when new so by the time it is 3 to 4 years old is too hard to make an airtight seal
This is why the FX comes with the proper filter as standard , the Donaldson 3 stage filter fitted with a flow gauge so you never touch it till the filter needs changing.
The idea that you can pull any filter off, tap the loose dirt out then refit it and have it make a proper seal is a myth.
If a filter comes off then it gets replaced .
It is fairly obvious that the F series of engines were designed as the FX then cheapened to make the FS & FR when Kawakasi wen from the choice for a commercial engine to replace the top end Hondas to just another option on domestic models
I fit a lot of Donaldsons to customers mowers, generally after the poor filter has allowed the bores to be polished glass smooth , which if they run a bagger can be as little as 3 years.
Back in the days when people would pay a reasonable price for a push mower, companies who valued their products like Victa down here & Lawn Boy over there fitted snorkels to their mowers so they pulled air down from the top of the handlebars and these mowers will run for 100 years on the original bores, if not longer.
Now days the go is to use a low filter so the engine sucks lots of dust causing the owners to get them serviced because the filter is causing the engine to run rich and the engines on lazy owners machines to wear out in a few seasons .
The modern lean burn accentuates this situation so people end up replacing what used to be a once in a life time item every 5 years if not sooner