The real gain here is not one part. It is the whole airflow path working together. We start by bringing in cooler outside air with the Banks Ram-Air Intake System instead of pulling hot underhood air into the turbo. After compression drives charge temperature up, the larger intercooler takes that heat back out with smoother end-tank routing, more core volume, and welded cast tanks that avoid the crimped plastic weak point found in the stock unit. On the exhaust side, the Banks Monster Exhaust System reduces restriction after the DPF so the engine can move spent gases out without the choke point built into the factory tailpipe. Then the tuner ties it together with clean power delivery. On this LMM Duramax, that matched package is worth 121 rear-wheel horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, with the system engineered to make power cleanly and keep the truck working as a complete package.
The project centers on a Dodge Ram diesel that already makes respectable power in stock form, with roughly 300 horsepower at the rear wheels and about 550 lb-ft of torque. The goal is to move well beyond that baseline with a complete Banks Big Hoss Bundle, adding 121 rear-wheel horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The presenters emphasize that this is not a single-part upgrade, but a matched system engineered to improve airflow from the intake side all the way through the exhaust while maintaining clean operation.
The installation begins with the basic airflow strategy. First, the engine needs colder inlet air, so the kit uses a Banks Ram-Air intake system. The reasoning is straightforward: colder, denser air improves efficiency and supports more power. However, once that air passes through the turbocharger's compressor section, its temperature rises again. That makes charge-air cooling critical, so the next major component is the Banks Techni-Cooler intercooler.
The recap repeatedly stresses that the package works as a complete chain. Cool outside air is drawn into the intake, compressed by the turbocharger, cooled again by the intercooler, burned in the engine, and then expelled through a freer-flowing exhaust. The value of the bundle is that each part supports the others rather than forcing one upgraded component to work around stock restrictions elsewhere in the system.
Installing the intercooler requires substantial front-end disassembly. The grille, headlights, intake components, and radiator core support all have to come off. The instructions are important because some fasteners are not obvious, including a headlight bolt hidden behind the inner fender skirt. The presenters recommend keeping hardware carefully organized because the screws vary in length and size.
They also note an important safety step that should be done before any of this work begins: disconnect both batteries. On this diesel truck there are two, and isolating them prevents accidental shorts while working around the front structure and electrical connections. Throughout the teardown, the advice is to proceed methodically and follow the instructions step by step rather than forcing parts or guessing at hidden fasteners.
Once the stock intercooler is removed, the differences between the factory unit and the Banks Techni-Cooler become clear. The factory intercooler is described as adequate for stock requirements, but built to meet production cost and baseline pressure demands. One end uses a cast tank, while the other side uses a plastic tank crimped together with an O-ring seal. The inlet path also forces the air through a sharp right-angle turn, which is less favorable for flow.
The Banks intercooler uses cast aluminum end tanks on both sides and welded construction at both ends. It is taller, thicker, and uses larger tubes for improved airflow. The inlet and outlet transitions are smoother, allowing the charge air to maintain velocity instead of being slowed by abrupt direction changes. Internal fins in the intercooler tubes help transfer heat out of the compressed air.
A key engineering point is durability under increased boost. The stock crimped-tank design relies on an O-ring seal that can fail when pressure and volume rise beyond factory expectations. The presenters cite an example of a truck used at Bonneville where a higher-output turbocharger caused the intercooler seal to blow out, instantly losing boost. Because the intercooler carries full turbocharger pressure on its way to the engine, upgrading power without upgrading charge-air containment can create a weak link. The Banks unit addresses that by replacing the crimped and plastic elements with welded aluminum construction.
The Ram-Air system complements the intercooler by ensuring the turbocharger starts with cooler outside air rather than hot underhood air. Underhood temperatures can exceed 200 degrees F, especially on a hot day in traffic with the air conditioning condenser adding heat. Pulling air from that environment means the turbocharger begins compressing air that is already too warm.
The Banks intake uses a performance-oriented filter and smoother airflow paths than the factory setup. The airbox seals against the fender area so the system can draw outside air from underneath rather than ingesting engine-bay heat. Some trimming is required during installation, and the kit includes templates in the instructions to show exactly where material must be removed for clearance. After trimming, the exposed metal is cleaned up and painted to prevent rust.
The presenters also mention practical installation tips. When using a plasma cutter, they recommend establishing a good ground, checking the heat setting on scrap material, and using a clamped guide to keep the cut straight. Another tip is to scribe alignment marks before loosening hood-adjustment hardware so the hood can be returned to its original position during reassembly.
Once assembled, the intake includes a filter minder that measures pressure differential across the filter. As restriction increases, the indicator shows when cleaning is needed. The mass air sensor is transferred into the new intake, and a gasket change is required, but the process is described as straightforward.
With the intercooler mounted between the radiator and the A/C condenser and the Ram-Air system installed, the truck now has a more coherent charge-air path. Outside air enters through the sealed intake, passes through the filter and mass air sensor, and feeds the turbocharger. Compression raises the air temperature, so the hot charge then moves into the Techni-Cooler, where the larger core, smoother cast tanks, and internal fins remove heat before the air enters the engine.
The presenters frame this as the foundation for all later gains. A cold-air intake alone helps, but once turbocharged air is heated by compression, intercooling becomes essential. Together, the Ram-Air intake and Techni-Cooler provide a continuous supply of cooler, denser air, which supports both power and efficiency.
After the intake and intercooler work is complete, attention shifts to the exhaust. The factory exhaust is described as restrictive, with a large muffler and a tailpipe section that necks down near the tip, increasing backpressure. In contrast, the Banks Monster Exhaust is a stainless-steel system with mandrel-bent 4-inch tubing, welded construction, and a dual-outlet polished tip arrangement.
One of its notable features is the Cool Cuff design at the tailpipe. Air is drawn into the outer section of the tip to help reduce tailpipe outlet temperature without choking down the exhaust flow. According to the presenters, the system improves flow by about 60 percent and reduces backpressure by about 30 percent. It also resists corrosion better than ordinary steel systems because it is stainless throughout.
The exhaust bolts on behind the diesel particulate filter rather than removing emissions hardware. That point matters because the overall Banks approach is described as clean-tune technology. The truck is intended to gain substantial power without increasing soot output into the DPF, which helps preserve filter life and keeps the package 50-state legal.
The video also explains how the DPF works. Pressure fittings on either side of the filter allow the system to monitor restriction. When particulate loading becomes too high, the engine initiates a regeneration cycle, adding fuel and raising temperature so the trapped soot is burned and converted into a more compact ash. A temperature sensor in the assembly provides additional data to the control system. The presenters acknowledge that DPF systems add cost and complexity, but they also note that this is part of modern diesel emissions control.
The final major component is the Banks Power PDA tuner. It functions both as a tuning device and as a multifunction monitoring tool. In addition to standard PDA-style features, it can display vehicle data such as speed, throttle position, boost, exhaust gas temperature, and other operating parameters. It also includes performance functions such as quarter-mile and eighth-mile testing, and it can act as an OBD-II scan tool.
For tuning, the unit offers six power levels so the truck can be configured for different uses such as towing, cruising, or maximum performance. The emphasis again is on clean tuning rather than smoke-producing calibration. By improving efficiency, the system is intended to increase power while also supporting fuel economy.
The Power PDA also includes protective logic. It can respond to conditions such as overboost, overfueling, or transmission slip, helping prevent the added power from creating reliability problems. The tuner module itself is mounted underhood, on top of the electrical center using two-sided tape, with wiring routed neatly through grommets. As with the rest of the installation, the presenters stress following the instructions and keeping the wiring tidy.
By the end of the installation, the Dodge Ram has been upgraded with a coordinated intake, intercooler, exhaust, and tuning package rather than a collection of unrelated parts. The intercooler and intake improve charge-air density and temperature control, the exhaust reduces restriction after combustion, and the tuner calibrates the engine to take advantage of those hardware changes while monitoring critical operating conditions.
The presenters' main conclusion is that the gains come from treating the truck as a complete system. Upgrading only one area can leave factory bottlenecks or weak points in place, especially on a turbo diesel where boost pressure, charge-air temperature, exhaust backpressure, and emissions-system loading are all connected. The Banks Big Hoss Bundle is presented as a full-path solution, from Ram-Air intake to Monster Exhaust, designed to deliver the claimed 121 rear-wheel horsepower and 258 lb-ft increase while remaining clean, controlled, and compatible with the truck's existing emissions equipment.