Is anyone using a Banks exhaust brake and if so what do you think of it?  I'm looking for a little help in down hill braking but not something that will overwhelm the transmission.  The Banks is less expensive than a PAC or BD E-brake but need to splice in there down pipe.  The truck and trailer are under 15,000 pounds.

54 minutes ago, IBMobile said:

Is anyone using a Banks exhaust brake and if so what do you think of it?  I'm looking for a little help in down hill braking but not something that will overwhelm the transmission.  The Banks is less expensive than a PAC or BD E-brake but need to splice in there down pipe.  The truck and trailer are under 15,000 pounds.

I have one. Put it on about 8 years ago. It worked fine up to a year ago. The something to it and it would not close and would not open but to about 85%. I think seal went in the actuator but not sure. Cant seem to find time to open it. Tried to price a new actuator but no one that sells them that I talked to could get just the actuator. Banks was jot much help though I did try real hard, other pressing financial matters.

 

That being said the brake worked great. My 5th wheel weighs 15K. I could come down the mountain from Ashville NC on I40. 6 to 7% grade in 4th and only use the service brakes 5 or 6 times to maintain speed. If you came down l40 to my house from there you might remember that grade. I will glady fix mine when I make time or even replace the actuator one day.

1 hour ago, dripley said:

If you came down l40 to my house from there you might remember that grade.

I remember that grade, thought it would never end.  How was the down pipe to fit? 

13 minutes ago, IBMobile said:

I remember that grade, thought it would never end.  How was the down pipe to fit? 

It actually came with a down pipe that fit the elbow with the butterfly in it.

Here is picture looking down from above the elbow. Front of the engine to the right.

 

The down pipe is flared to meet the elbow. The down pipe has a braket on it that bolts into two ears on the elbow. One of the bolts and ears is visible to the left of the elbow.

Edited March 10, 20205 yr by dripley

Do you have to cut the stock down pipe and weld the new Banks pipe to it further down by the bell housing? 

I already had a banks exhaust so the down on it worked with the exhaust brake. Not sure  how it would work with  different exhaust. But IIRC itnwas supposed to work with the srock exhaust just smaller down pipe. I will get you a picture of mine in a bit. 

 

The banks exhaust fit right with all the stock hangers but its been way to long ago to remember what the stock exhaust looked like.

My BD came with a flange that replaces the one on the turbo using 5 bolts, then the downpipe I had bolted right up. 

I already had a banks exhaust so the down on it worked with the exhaust brake. Not sure  how it would work with  different exhaust. But IIRC itnwas supposed to work with the srock exhaust just smaller down pipe. I will get you a picture of mine in a bit. 

 

The banks exhaust fit right with all the stock hangers but its been way to long ago to remember what the stock exhaust looked like.

 

Slippy fingers on this repost.

26 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

My BD came with a flange that replaces the one on the turbo using 5 bolts, then the downpipe I had bolted right up. 

The banks came that way, an elbow that holted to the turbo then the down pipe.

Hereis wherethe down pipe connects to the exhaust. The clamp in the upper left is about 3 inches in front of the cross member. It woud appear to be a better picture of a fass cooler.

 

_

Edited March 10, 20205 yr by dripley

I have 2 friends that have nothing but bad to say about banks customer service but swear by the parts. One of them has a brake on his I'll talk to him about it. Told him about this site but he hasn't signed up yet. 

1 minute ago, Gregturley said:

Told him about this site but he hasn't signed up yet. 

Thanks and get him over here.

2 minutes ago, Gregturley said:

I have 2 friends that have nothing but bad to say about banks customer service but swear by the parts. One of them has a brake on his I'll talk to him about it. Told him about this site but he hasn't signed up yet. 

I have to agree with this. When I bought the Banks stinger plus from them tney were all ears and very helpful. But have not experienced that from them since. Granted I have only tried to contact them 3 or 4 times many years after buying the system, getting a response from them was not good. I guess when you got $2500 you want to spend they are all ears.

@IBMobile im trying but this is a guy that used a flip phone up until 2 months ago. Hes scared of the internet. Big brother is watching.

 @dripley what I've heard from them and others convinced me not to buy banks products. Customer service is important part of business. I think how you treat a person after the sale says a lot you. I quit doing business with people because of how they have treated friends.

What has anyone heard about other brands? Are there some equally as good or even better than Banks by your experience?

 

I just called Source Automotive for information about their experience on different brands and said that they use Pac Brake because the parts are easy to get and that they have experienced the frustration with Banks so they go Pak Brake. Owner also said that Pac Brake compressors go out sometimes within a year, only two so far, but the aftermarket compressor is better than the original. So far have not come back. Talking with Rip he indicated they install a lot of them. Hoping this helps that Southern Cali mechanical genius named IBMobile. 

Edited March 11, 20205 yr by JAG1

I do beleive the draw back for the Banks is getting parts. But mine ran for 7 years without the need for any. Not sure how much better any of them can be since all it does is block the flow of the exhaust. The butterfly in the Banks closes off all but maybe an 1/8" space around the OD of the elbow it sits in. Best I could tell after looking at others is they do pretty much the same thing. I think Pac brake is a bit more sofiticated with some thing on the butterfly. Could be a different brand though. The whole object of the e brake is the block the exhaust flow and turn the the engine into an compressor. JMHO.

Edited March 12, 20205 yr by dripley

I am still using a PacBrake that I originally bought new and put on my '99 truck when it was new.  Then in late 2001, I bought the '02 truck and put the same PacBrake on the '02.  It is a vacuum operated exhaust brake  and I have replaced the vacuum operated cylinder twice.  I have never replaced the control valve and the butterfly valve has been operating flawlessly.  I have been using it for over 20 years and over 400,000 miles and it is still working fine.

 

I know there is a PacBrake model called PRXB that is designed to produce significantly more braking power at low engine rpm's.

 

- John

I'm in the middle of piecing together a pacbrak set-up. Just got the butterfly free and polished up. Checking vacuum cylinder now to see if it leaks. 

 @Tractorman what do you lube yours with? I ordered pacbrake lube should be here Sat. Should i use copper anti-seize on the shaft or just the lube? 

 Like most my projects cost is a big factor. If vacuum cylinder is bad I'm going to make a air controlled activator. Hope to have it on in 4 or 5 days I'll let you know how it works.

Greg, if you use the the brake everyday I dont think lube is needed. Mine came with none and I never put any on it. I dont beleive John has either. Not sure what kind of lube would survive in that harsh of an environment. I ran mine form7 years 1 year more with the actuator off of the truck and the butterfly still moves freely. So freely I had to wire it open or it just closes on its own. John's has been going 20 years without lube. Just use it. 

 

I need to add a little something though. Mine has a controller. This closes it until the engine warms to 140*, wont let it it come on until 35 mph, shuts it off at 15mph, but most importantly it shuts it off as soon as I give it throttle. That last is pretty important, you will send egt's thru the roof very quickly with very little throttle if its closed. 

Edited March 12, 20205 yr by dripley

My exhaust brake is always ON. 

 

90% of all my stopping is done off the exhaust brake and service brakes are used typically below 25 MPH. 18 years later my exhaust brake is still going. If mine failed tomorrow I would switch over to a PacBrake PRXB which is possibly the best exhaust brake. 

@dripley thanks. I found a pdf from pacbrake on one of their older set up. No controller used with it. Could be wired as manual or use cummins ecm to activate it. Uses a momentary switch on throttle pedal. Closes brake when pedal is at rest and opens when you step on pedal. Looking at it i can build it easy enough with a switch to turn the system on & off, micro switch, relays and air solenoids. I have most what i need already. 

 I'm not sure about by vacuum cylinder though. Held with no leaks the other day now its got a slow bleed down. Might be going air actuated. 

 I like tinkering and building crap and if this works I'll have a max of $80 in it, including initial trade. It came with a turbo i swapped for.

 1st pic is vacuum.

 2nd is cummins ecm as controller

 3rd is manual control

 

14 hours ago, dripley said:

 

I need to add a little something though. Mine has a controller. This closes it until the engine warms to 140*, wont let it it come on until 35 mph, shuts it off at 15mph, but most importantly it shuts it off as soon as I give it throttle. That last is pretty important, you will send egt's thru the roof very quickly with very little throttle if its closed. 

Edited 13 hours ago by dripley

 

"That last is pretty important, you will send egt's thru the roof very quickly with very little throttle if its closed."

 

I respectfully don't agree with this.  In October of 2018, Mopar1973Man posted a similar statement.  My reasoning is that when the exhaust brake is activated, only a fixed amount of exhaust gases can get through the orifice in the butterfly valve in the exhaust brake.  So I am not repeating myself, I found the old post and you can click on it below to see more of my explanation.

 

Click "Tractorman replied to a topic"

 

- John

 

Edited March 13, 20205 yr by Tractorman

2 minutes ago, Tractorman said:

 

"That last is pretty important, you will send egt's thru the roof very quickly with very little throttle if its closed."

 

I respectfully don't agree with this.  In October of 2018, Mopar1973Man posted a similar statement.  My reasoning is that when the exhaust brake is activated, only a fixed amount of exhaust gases can get through the orifice in the butterfly valve in the exhaust brake.  So I am not repeating myself, I found the old post and you can click on it below to see more of my explanation.

 

- John

 

Mine got stuck closed for some reason a good while back and under accelaration the egt's spiked like crazy. They even go up from say idle temps under braking. Nothing of concern temp wise but elevated. Do your egt's not rise from idle temp under braking? 

Now i will say l did not push it to the limit like you. Just saw things spiking very quickly with little to no power, backed off and figured this cant be good for anything. That was my experience.