[dieseldoc]

For those of you who have experience using the Banks SpeedBrake I would like to hear your thoughts. I'm particularly interested in towing experience and to hear if it performs as billed. Also, the install seems pretty simple - is this true?

Thanks

 

[dieseldoc]

Nobody out there have any experience with the SpeedBrake?

 

[DaleDMax]

Hello i have one that i installed. It is easy to install as long as you have patience (i do NOT) it does as stated i have not towed with it yet but i have tested on hills 6% grade and it kicks in within a sec or 2. slows it to set speed. You can also use brake assist which takes over control of engine braking with the use of foot brake in other words if the computer is doing the downhill braking and you just sit there, brake assist (foot brake) once depressed will perform the same function but to the speed you want not the pre set speed, used for city driving for eg.can be used together to enhance stopping distance at hwy speeds. Install is easy if you have experience with mechanics, i had some from school and found the hardest part was connecting the trans coupler and the wiring harness under the hood. Those damn harnesses are so difficult to take apart but i figured it out after an hour of frustration(they are plastic and will brake if played hard with) find a small flat head screw driver i mean tiny, a electrical component screw driver similar to a watch repair should do, place it between the slide on the harness(top portion of harness)and under the handle of harness and gently push it in and down while pulling the handle back towards yourself..do not over pull or push too hard. the tranny male to female is easy if you know that it has a release that has to be squeezed on both sides of sensor(very tight fit small hands are good here) but first take a .5lb hammer and bang the heat shiels out of the way bt hitting it downwards making the opening wider for those small hands. Zap strap all wires to something. the 6 pin connector under the dash board is deceiving it shows(in manual) that 4 wire is for tuner another 2 wire for the speed brake!! WRONG the tuner 6 pin with 4 wires is for the speed brake (Fig 14 in install manual) this caused another delay as nothing worked and i have been working on it for 5 hrs by then. if you do what i stated it will save you hrs of frustration.

Dale

 

[dieseldoc]

Thanks DaleDMax

 

[farmer14]

my god its all plug and play! plug into main wireharness--plug into bottom of tranny --fish through fire wall to the pda or iq--zip tie 20 to 30 min tops. had it for a year and love it! just got the EFI version from a vendor but have yet to try it and compare

 

[DaleDMax]

20-30 mins top if you work alot on trucks. It takes time for first timers like myself and others that have no experience..well none since 1985. the wire harness is a bitch no doubt if you never seen it before or have not been told any tricks. and the trans is a bitch if you have hamhocks for fingers like me, so i gave the info so someone can learn from my dealing not everyone is a shmee at this stuff.

 

[farmer14]

i do NOT work on trucks, really wish i did though. i just pull titties for a living. it comes with good directions, have no fear about install. i meant no disrespect to you in any way daledmax. just unclasp the main harness plug banks in each end then unplug the tranny plug in the back, the same one if you did the transgo.. takes the longest to fish in firewall

 

[Killerbee]

For those of you who have experience using the Banks SpeedBrake I would like to hear your thoughts. I'm particularly interested in towing experience and to hear if it performs as billed. Also, the install seems pretty simple - is this true?

Thanks

there are simpler alternatives found in tuning options. I will leave it at that, don't want to go off topic.

 

[DaleDMax]

Don't Void warranty for a tune

there are simpler alternatives found in tuning options. I will leave it at that, don't want to go off topic.

I agree some on here say a tuner can do some of the work for a 1/3 the price, however a tuner can and will void your warranty. I talked to a GM mechanic here and he noticed my speedbrake setup, (i had it dismantled) he said leave it together when having service done. I thought warranty might have an issue, he said GM looks for tuners for HP and Torque, Banks is reputable and not an issue for Speedbrake. Not saying all dealers think this way but why take a chance.

 

[Diesel 4me]

I personally do not have the speed brake yet but will be purchasing it soon. All the guys that I have read about on these forums loves the way it performs. Take a look at some of the responses from DuraMac .... he is sold on this unit. Another thing you might consider is going to bankspower.com and reading up on their testing. That's my 2 cents :drink

 

[dieseldoc]

I agree some on here say a tuner can do some of the work for a 1/3 the price, however a tuner can and will void your warranty. I talked to a GM mechanic here and he noticed my speedbrake setup, (i had it dismantled) he said leave it together when having service done. I thought warranty might have an issue, he said GM looks for tuners for HP and Torque, Banks is reputable and not an issue for Speedbrake. Not saying all dealers think this way but why take a chance.

Thanks, that was my thought too. The people who I have talked with about warranty say that really not an issue with this Banks product. As this does not really change the trucks program, there is no record in the computer that it was even there so no problems when they submit the programmer history to GM. Also, as the product does not boost engine performance, don't really care so much. But, I'm sure some stealerships could void warranty if want to be real a-holes.

 

[1953drtelco]

You mean they're dealers that aren't a-holes??? I guess I have to keep looking...

 

[DuraMac]

DaleDmax.. the way you explained it sounded real challenging. I found it extremely simple and had it done in an hour taking great care to run the wires real tidy etc coz I'm real fussy, could have halved that time easily. Seems there are things I read in your post I did not remember installing and wonder if its the same that I installed???
I recommend it to anyone, even if you are not towing. I tried it out around town with my 5'er and have yet to hit the road for a long trip but it does perform real well and links in to the tranny brain and ABS to read whats going on. Very worth the money for all that integration. It brakes so good I have had mine lock up a back wheel on a slippery road, immediately it disabled itself throwing an error it received from the ABS. I was very impressed. If it did not do that I could have got in trouble as it was a steep hill. I do not know of any other product with this level of safety

 

[DuraMac]

FYI - here is a pic of my installation.. and thanks for the plug Deisel4me

 

[Phild101]

DuraMac, I did electrical installs on various oilfield equipment for a living here not too long ago and I muct compliment you on a beautiful install. As well as the detail in the above pics of the install. I am looking at the speed break too for my 5er and the service manager really didn't say much about it, didn't really know what it was. After I told him want is did and how it worked he said the only thing would be if the turbo went they might be able to link it to the banks device. He did not tell me not to put it in or that it would void warrenty though.

later
Phil

 

[DuraMac]

Wot a crock! Darn stealers. The only thing this will do to the turbo is keep it running cooler. The turbo has variable vanes for that very reason, Banks just make it work better. Without being an expert, I would find it extremely difficult that the SpeedBrake puts even a 1/10 the stress on the turbo than flooring it and getting maximum boost.
It is a fantastic product and if I did my home work right, and I did a lot of it, Banks do theirs and the reason they are so expensive is I am sure partly to the R & D they put in to make a product as integrated as their is. I keep saying that my Dad said... "Remember son...protection is most important"

I mentioned I am fussy, this is the length I went to in the install of the Economind ... the wiring loom that goes from the plugs to the firewall.. (bottom pic, left main blue dotted line) has a piece of wire coat hanger in it to maintain the nice curve which also keeps the loom from flopping around and lying on the boost tube. I pulled apart the entire loom to get it in there just right. I did research to see if the extra wire would effect the current flow of the other wires etc.....Took me ages.. another install that could have been done in FAR less time!
Maybe my handle should be "FussyMac"

 

[Phild101]

No worries in doing a good job, do it right the first time, I have seen far too many units come in where I just went at them with a pair of side cutter LOL. I think I am going with it any way just for the safety factor when we are in the mountains pulling. I am 19800LBS truck and trailer loaded. The coat hanger idea is something I may try LOL I am zip tie crazy.

 

[DuraMac]

Zip ties are from the gods indeed

 

[dieseldoc]

FYI - here is a pic of my installation.. and thanks for the plug Deisel4me

Great work and thanks for the detailed photos! Only problem now is I will be forced to replicate such a perfectly clean install - too much stress and pressure!!!!!

 

[DuraMac]

Great work and thanks for the detailed photos! Only problem now is I will be forced to replicate such a perfectly clean install - too much stress and pressure!!!!!

Of course there is a mandate to post pics and an inspection by the board