Banks Brake Brings On The Stopping Power!
What’s the one product that specifically benefits older truck owners with large, heavy trailers? It’s not one that is the most expensive or glamorous. It’s simply the one that makes the most sense. We’re referring to the addition of a Banks Brake. Today, all diesel passenger pickup truck manufacturers have built-in exhaust retarding devices that use the variable geometry of the stock turbo to create backpressure (something that Banks actually pioneered in the early 2000s). But the older trucks of yore didn’t have that technological luxury. Instead, they depended on your standard wheel “foot” brakes to slow the truck down. That got dicey when the truck was hooked up to a trailer with a lot of weight. Brake fade (and even brake failure) was a common occurrence. The addition of a Banks Brake solves that problem by cutting downhill speed over 38% without using the wheel brakes.
The installation is do-it-yourself friendly, and there is no need to do any welding or cutting. Common hand tools are all that is needed. The kit comes complete with detailed instructions, OEM-style wiring harness, OBD-II interface cable, interior control switches, and a vacuum solenoid that’s mounted under the hood. Together with a new serpentine belt, vacuum actuator, and a computerized brake controller called SmartLock, the Banks Brake kit can actually reduce wear on your engine and transmission too, because they don’t have to work so hard on steep grades. The brain behind the system is the CBC-SmartLock, which increases line pressure and locks the torque converter to smoothly reduce vehicle speed.
The idea that you can cut your downhill speed without using the wheel brakes means that they will be fully functional when you need them most. Less wear and tear means less money spent on buying replacement parts.
Banks Brakes are available for early Duramax, Cummins, and Power Stroke powered trucks.