This 2018 RAM 3500 was built for work, so every part had to do something useful: help the engine live longer, improve fuel economy, or make the truck pull better without giving up emissions equipment. That is exactly where a full Banks airflow package makes sense. The Banks Ram-Air Intake System reduces inlet restriction to the turbo, the Banks Boost Tube Upgrade Kit gives the charge-air system a stronger, smoother path, and the Banks Monster Exhaust System cuts restriction after the DPF so the engine can exhale easier. Put together, the truck feels lighter, climbs grades with less downshifting, and responds quicker to throttle input. PedalMonster adds that immediate pedal feel, and its reverse safety matters on a truck that still has to back onto a trailer without drama. On a heavy dually that earns its keep, the payoff is simple: less wasted effort from the engine and a truck that works easier.
Alan Shane of Amarillo, Texas describes his truck as a work vehicle that has been upgraded with a long list of Banks components to improve durability, fuel economy, and overall drivability. His stated goal was not simply to add performance, but to make the engine last longer, reduce operating costs, and improve how the truck carries heavy equipment and extra weight. He also wanted to preserve the factory emissions-control devices and remain compliant with the law while still improving the truck's behavior under load.
The truck is substantial even before towing. With upgraded wheels, brakes, and additional fuel tanks, he says it weighs close to 11,000 pounds. Because he regularly drives long distances for work, including trips into California where fuel prices were approaching five dollars per gallon, fuel economy was a major reason for the modifications.
The truck has received what Alan describes as nearly everything Banks has developed for it. The list includes the heater grid delete, Monster-Ram, larger boost tubes, the Techni-Cooler, the Ram-Air intake, PedalMonster, a differential cooler, and a Banks exhaust system downstream of the DPF intended to reduce backpressure.
He installed the boost tubes himself and says the process was straightforward enough that he could repeat it in a parking lot. That ease of installation mattered because the truck is used hard and the upgrades were chosen as practical improvements rather than cosmetic changes. In his view, each part contributed either to longevity, improved efficiency, or better usable performance without compromising emissions equipment.
Alan emphasizes that every modification was selected to improve fuel economy and lower costs for his customers. Before the upgrades, he says the truck typically returned about 10 to 12 mpg in normal driving. After the Banks package, he reports seeing about 19.9 mpg, and on one trip from the San Diego area toward Azusa he recorded 21.9 mpg while keeping to the legal speed limit.
He characterizes that change as a 100 percent increase in fuel economy. He also notes that his driving background in Texas includes interstate speed limits of 75 to 80 mph, so maintaining legal California speeds likely helped the numbers. Even so, his main point is that the truck became dramatically more efficient despite its weight, larger tires, and work-oriented configuration.
Beyond mileage, he noticed a clear improvement in how the truck handles grades. With the truck empty, it no longer needs to downshift as readily on climbs such as the Cajon Pass and similar hills. Instead of hunting for gears, it holds speed more easily and feels stronger and lighter.
He repeatedly describes the truck as "peppier," using that word to capture the difference in responsiveness. The added torque and improved airflow appear to have helped offset the effects of the truck's mass and later tire changes. He explains that when the truck originally had smaller tires it could run about 74 mph comfortably, but after moving to 36-inch tires he was considering a re-gear. Instead, the accumulating Banks upgrades helped restore and maintain the torque and power he wanted while also improving fuel economy.
A major part of Alan's praise is directed at the installation experience. Living in a rural area, he says a trip to town for missing supplies can take two hours, so complete packaging matters. When he opened the Monster-Ram kit, he found not only the expected hardware but also items such as Loctite, the required wrench, extra screws, nuts, and clips.
He says those details distinguish Banks from other manufacturers because the company appears to think through what the installer will actually need to complete the job. Even when working underneath the truck and dealing with clips and disassembly, he found that extra clips were already included rather than forcing a trip to the dealership. In his view, that attention to installation details adds real value to the product, especially since he believes the pricing is competitive with other brands despite the higher perceived quality.
The conversation then shifts to a live demonstration of PedalMonster. The truck is initially set in City 6, with speed-based trim enabled so that additional throttle sensitivity begins to come in around 10 mph. From there, the settings are increased through Sport and then to a more aggressive mode, with the participants joking about whether the truck might need a new driveshaft after the test because it already has 102,000 miles on it.
Once the sensitivity is raised, the truck becomes noticeably more responsive. Alan remarks that it feels touchy, and after the speed-based trim is turned off and the added sensitivity is applied immediately off the line, the change becomes even more dramatic. He compares the truck's response to that of a sports car and even says it feels like his Corvette. The demonstration highlights how quickly the truck reacts to pedal input and how strongly it accelerates once the throttle mapping is altered.
During the drive, the system's real-time display shows the difference between pedal input and commanded throttle response. That visualization helps explain what PedalMonster is doing: the driver gives a certain amount of throttle input, and the system commands a more aggressive response according to the selected mode. The participants note that this kind of information can also be displayed through the Banks iDash, which many customers mount on the dash or pillar for monitoring, logging, and travel data.
In one acceleration run, the truck is placed in Sport 3 and pulls hard enough that the discussion turns to gear changes and speed buildup. One comment notes that the truck reaches 65 mph in less than a quarter mile. The point of the demonstration is not peak horsepower measurement, but the immediate change in drivability and the ability to tailor throttle sensitivity to the driver's preference and use case.
One of the most technically specific PedalMonster features demonstrated is its reverse safety logic. After the acceleration test, the driver is asked to shift into reverse and observe a blinking blue light indicating that the system has returned to stock throttle mapping. The explanation is that PedalMonster is designed to recognize reverse gear and automatically remove the aggressive throttle enhancement.
That matters when backing up to a trailer or maneuvering near obstacles, because a highly amplified throttle pedal can make low-speed reverse control difficult. Alan immediately connects this to his own use case of hooking up a gooseneck trailer, where he may have only about three inches of clearance near the toolbox. He notes that an overly sensitive throttle in reverse could easily damage the truck or tailgate. The presenter states that this reverse safety behavior is patented and that PedalMonster is the only throttle booster on the market that automatically returns to stock throttle in reverse.
Taken together, Alan presents the Banks upgrades as a practical system rather than a collection of unrelated parts. The airflow improvements, intercooling, intake and boost plumbing, exhaust changes, throttle control, and cooling upgrades all serve the same end: preserving the truck, improving efficiency, and making it more capable without deleting emissions equipment.
His overall conclusion is that the truck now feels stronger, climbs better, responds faster, and costs less to operate. For a heavy work truck running 36-inch tires and carrying substantial added equipment, he sees the combination of improved mileage, better throttle response, and easier installation as the real value of the Banks package.