This 2018 Duramax L5P chase truck needed more than a simple power add. It needed reliable, usable output for a pre-runner build, and that starts with airflow. The Banks Ram-Air Intake System opens up the inlet side with a larger, less restrictive path, helping the engine breathe better before added tuning comes in. From there, the Banks Derringer Tuner brings in the extra power—about 60 horsepower and 112 lb-ft in this build—while sending data to the iDash so the truck can be monitored in real time. Add the 5-inch DPF-back exhaust, and the package supports better breathing from intake to tailpipe while leaving room to finish the custom rear exit. In this setup, the result was a combined gain of 98 horsepower and 125 lb-ft for a stronger L5P chase truck.
Ryan Kibby of Kibby Tech Off-Road in Newark, California introduces a 2018 Duramax chase-truck build. His shop focuses on off-road trucks, primarily desert race trucks and prerunners, and also builds chase trucks, which are often diesel-powered. For this project, the goal was to add dependable performance rather than chase extreme output, so the truck was fitted with a set of Banks upgrades chosen to improve airflow, power, monitoring, and exhaust packaging.
The first component installed was the Banks Ram-Air intake. Kibby describes it as an obvious starting point for a customer who wanted solid, reliable power. The intake is notably larger than the factory unit and is intended to provide substantially more airflow than stock. According to the recap, the Ram-Air intake is worth about 20 horsepower on this application, making it the foundation of the truck's performance package.
Under the hood, the truck also received the Banks Derringer inline tuner. This module was selected to add power while working within the broader goal of maintaining reliability for chase-truck use. Kibby states that the Derringer is good for roughly 60 horsepower and about 112 lb-ft of torque. In this build, it serves as the primary electronic power adder paired with the intake upgrade.
The Banks iDash 1.8 DataMonster was added alongside the Derringer. Beyond controlling the Derringer, the iDash gives the driver access to a large range of vehicle data, with the ability to monitor hundreds of parameters. Kibby emphasizes that the display is highly customizable, including color choices and multiple gauge-layout options, allowing the truck to be configured around whatever information the driver wants to keep in view. In practical terms, it functions as the central monitoring interface for the build, giving visibility into nearly everything the truck is doing.
To complete the package, the truck was fitted with a 5-inch DPF-back exhaust kit. Because this Duramax is being built as a chase truck and prerunner-style vehicle, the exhaust routing is still part of the larger fabrication plan. Rather than locking the team into a final outlet position too early, the system leaves flexibility for different exit strategies as the rear of the truck evolves.
Kibby explains that the team is still evaluating where to place the exhaust outlet. Options include tucking it higher in the rear, routing it straight out the back, or centering the exit in a different location. That flexibility matters because the truck's rear bumper and rear suspension are still being fabricated. In other words, the exhaust choice is not just about sound or appearance; it also has to fit the packaging constraints of an off-road chase-truck build where suspension travel, bumper structure, and rear-end layout all influence the final routing.
Taken together, the Banks components reflect a straightforward performance strategy for the 2018 Duramax. The Ram-Air intake increases airflow, the Derringer inline tuner adds a measured bump in horsepower and torque, the iDash 1.8 DataMonster provides detailed monitoring and control, and the 5-inch DPF-back exhaust supports the truck's evolving rear fabrication. The emphasis throughout is on usable, reliable power and adaptability for off-road chase-truck duty rather than a one-dimensional peak-power build.