Banks Power pack finally installed - WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!

[Libero]

Not only did I get much more power with Banks, it improved my mileage by about 2mpg on a Cummins 350

[Vickie 4369]

Originally Posted by ardbark

Well, I picked up the my coach this afternoon after a full PowerPack Banks install and headed straight to my test hill outside of town. This hill used to kick my butt, long gradual climb with no chance of getting a running start. In the past I would be at 25/30 in 3rd and running hot by the time I got to the top. Today I crested the bugger at 55mph in 5th. I'm pretty sure I could have probably pushed it just a bit and held 6th at 60+ if I had wanted to. And this was in 90 degree, breezy conditions!

It also seemed to run a little cooler. Now this might be because I'm not on the hill for very long, it races up the mountain now, or maybe what they say is really true, you can get all this extra power without extra egt's.

I don't know, but the difference in drivability is amazing.

Another difference I noticed right off was my shift points had changed. Did the MD3060 World have the capacity to "learn" back in 1996? It took a few miles to figure out where the new torque curve was, I'm wondering if the trans will eventually figure out how to smooth the shifts over time.

Regardless, although it's a damn pricey bugger by the time all is said and done, the Banks kits really do make an incredible difference.

Congrats, How many items do you buy that actually do what they say they will, this is what makes Banks so successful.

Ted.

[steveclv]

Originally Posted by Thor3650

As for the fuel savings, that will be hard to guess as it is just so much more fun to drive the MH!!!!! Thanks from a happy Banks customer.

I'm part way through my trip up to Idaho and we have the Banks on our 460 but not the transcommand. However we are 22,000#, 38' and towing a Smart Car and I have been keeping a mileage log because I really like the way the 460+Banks runs and the way it takes most hills. When it gets to 6-8% grades all bets are off because everything stuggles with them

Indio - Las Vegas via I15 - two really long, steep grades - 7.8mpg

Las Vegas - Bryce Canyon - I15 - SR20 - climbing to 8000' - 6.1mpg

Bryce Canyon - Ogden, UT - SR89 - I15 - descending to 2000' - 9.2mpg

Ogden - Idaho Falls - I15 - pretty level - 10.0mpg

This is all running at 60-65mph, anticipating grades and the first two legs were with the AC on full, the second two with low AC on 50% of the time.

I am pretty satisfied with those numbers for an 'old' design of engine and a fairly heavy coach. I do believe much of the credit goes to the Banks kit.

[steveclv]

And finally, Idaho Falls to North Fork, ID - climbs to 7700' and down - 8.2mpg

[Vickie 4369]

Originally Posted by steveclv

I'm part way through my trip up to Idaho and we have the Banks on our 460 but not the transcommand. However we are 22,000#, 38' and towing a Smart Car and I have been keeping a mileage log because I really like the way the 460+Banks runs and the way it takes most hills. When it gets to 6-8% grades all bets are off because everything stuggles with them

Indio - Las Vegas via I15 - two really long, steep grades - 7.8mpg

Las Vegas - Bryce Canyon - I15 - SR20 - climbing to 8000' - 6.1mpg

Bryce Canyon - Ogden, UT - SR89 - I15 - descending to 2000' - 9.2mpg

Ogden - Idaho Falls - I15 - pretty level - 10.0mpg

This is all running at 60-65mph, anticipating grades and the first two legs were with the AC on full, the second two with low AC on 50% of the time.

I am pretty satisfied with those numbers for an 'old' design of engine and a fairly heavy coach. I do believe much of the credit goes to the Banks kit.

Originally Posted by steveclv

And finally, Idaho Falls to North Fork, ID - climbs to 7700' and down - 8.2mpg

This is Great info because most people think they get a certain mileage no matter the conditions.

Ted.

[ardbark]

Originally Posted by steveclv

And finally, Idaho Falls to North Fork, ID - climbs to 7700' and down - 8.2mpg

Hey, I just got back from North Fork about 20 minutes ago

Left Logan, Utah yesterday (in the family truck) and drove up I15/28 through Salmon and as far north as North Fork and then back down 93 all the way to Challis, where I spent the night. Came back 93/26, a much nicer drive. I was scouting RV parks ahead of next month's trip.

I kind of dug The Village in North Fork. WagonHammer was cool too but they only have a handful of spots with sewer hookup and those are crammed in so close you could hear your neighbor chewing. Slideouts were literally inches apart on some of the rigs.

Ran into another very cool park about 20 miles north of Challis called Royal Gorge. He doesn't advertise much and isn't even listed in Woodall's. I stumbled onto the place. Right on the river, full hook-ups, really cute cabins, very grassy and shady, flat.... wait a minute.... I'd better not say anything else, the place was mostly empty and I haven't made reservations yet

[steveclv]

If you want Wagonhammer then ask for #7 - it's wider than the others and more space for slideouts. We were going to stay longer but the river is full of ash from an event upstream and it's ruined the trout fishing for a month or so until it clears - so we are looking for somewhere else to go from the 15th - thinking either Oregon coast or Yellowstone and then down into Colorado.

Village is ok, but is pretty basic but then we are in the edge of the wilderness here

LOL on Royal Gorge - hope it works out as there are not a lot of parks in the area.

[Dr4Film]

My Banks Power Pack installation is scheduled for July 31st. The Banks installation tech wants the coach for a little over one day to get the system installed, checked out and road tested.

I will report my findings of the differences once I have it back from the shop.

There is one heck of a grade to get to the wilderness park where I am currently hosting. Normally, I would have the treadle WAO on the floor all the way to the top.

We'll see what the differences are when I return home after the installation.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Alan24601]

Originally Posted by GULFSTREAM37

I am running the Bank IQ power pack on my 2007 Gulfstream 5.9 300 hp Cummins FRED chassis and could not be happier with the performance and all the extra gauges to keep an eye on things.

It also does diagnostics and clears codes.

Ted.

Mine says it has some sort of an incompatibility that does not clear codes. I need to check with Banks. Love what it did for power, fuel usage and peace of mind.

[AdamB]

Originally Posted by ardbark

Well, I picked up the my coach this afternoon after a full PowerPack Banks install and headed straight to my test hill outside of town. This hill used to kick my butt, long gradual climb with no chance of getting a running start. In the past I would be at 25/30 in 3rd and running hot by the time I got to the top. Today I crested the bugger at 55mph in 5th. I'm pretty sure I could have probably pushed it just a bit and held 6th at 60+ if I had wanted to. And this was in 90 degree, breezy conditions!

It also seemed to run a little cooler. Now this might be because I'm not on the hill for very long, it races up the mountain now, or maybe what they say is really true, you can get all this extra power without extra egt's.

I don't know, but the difference in drivability is amazing.

Another difference I noticed right off was my shift points had changed. Did the MD3060 World have the capacity to "learn" back in 1996? It took a few miles to figure out where the new torque curve was, I'm wondering if the trans will eventually figure out how to smooth the shifts over time.

Regardless, although it's a damn pricey bugger by the time all is said and done, the Banks kits really do make an incredible difference.

Hey Ardbark,

My motorhome seems similar to yours. I've got a '96 Freightliner X-Line chassis with a 230HP Cummins 5.9 12V & MD3060. Looking into doing this upgrade next year. How much am I going to have to save up for this upgrade? I'm always getting emails when they go on sale for 20% off. No problem if you'd rather not say. Thanks!

[Vickie 4369]

Originally Posted by Alan24601

Mine says it has some sort of an incompatibility that does not clear codes. I need to check with Banks. Love what it did for power, fuel usage and peace of mind.

You have to have the Key on Engine off to clear codes.

Ted.

[ardbark]

Originally Posted by AdamB

Hey Ardbark,

My motorhome seems similar to yours. I've got a '96 Freightliner X-Line chassis with a 230HP Cummins 5.9 12V & MD3060. Looking into doing this upgrade next year. How much am I going to have to save up for this upgrade? I'm always getting emails when they go on sale for 20% off. No problem if you'd rather not say. Thanks!

I bought directly from Banks and paid something like $1,350 (including shipping) for the full power pack kit. I should note however, I had already installed a ISSPro pyro so I had Banks exclude that from the kit, which probably saved me a few hundred bucks.

Flat rate for the install is about 16 hours, so you can figure your cost at 16 x whatever the shop rate is for your favorite mechanic. I would add another 10% on top of that, and of course tax, can't forget the taxman. I think shop rates for DPs average somewhere between $90 and $125 these days, but ymmv.

I ended up at about $3,100 complete. But I also had them fix a leaky exhaust gasket and troubleshoot a faulty Boost gauge while they were in there. That added maybe 2 or 3 hundred parts and labor.

Hope this helps.

[TdogKing]

Before I had The Banks System installed on my 1998 P-30 I went out to a open road and did about 3 runs from 0 to 60 mph. After it was installed I went back to same road and re-did the test. I found much improved power and speed but after having it on there for quite awhile i found it really didn't help mileage. I enjoy the extra power when climbing hills or passing tho

[Alan24601]

Today we achieved 10.3 mpg at 58 mph in our Banks equipped Discovery. Changed oil types to the Delo partial synthetic, not sure where the extra mileage came from but we never achieved that number before. Seems like our MH really likes 58 as it handled almost every hill on cruise control and exhaust gas temp was always in the safe zone. This was on the 5 north Sacramento to Oregon.