Does anyone like the banks trans command . Any one fitted one and have thoughts on before and after

 

I have used it on my previous truck and I thought it would break the driveline it shifted so hard.
I cannot say any good about it for towing.

 

Geoff, I've run for several years. Shifts are firm under power. Just as advertised. A little touchy (difficult) to hook-up until you understand the directions and procedures to disconnect the wires. Never had any problems plus very easy to revert back to stock if necessary. Carroll

 

I thought good quick firm shifts were what was needed when towing to stop the clutch pack slipping and getting hot

 

I have a post asking tranny questions like this one. I have the trans command and so far I like it I think! I had the tranny built and Banks TC installed all at once. Don't know any different. It does shift hard, towing it seems to work hard and anticipate things. No issues. Hard shifts I was told are better for the tranny, less heat and slippage.

Lusty

 

When I bought my truck, pre owner had installed a re-man tranny a few thousand miles earlier. I saw the Banks box hanging on the frame and asked him why it wasn't hooked up. That's when he told me about the new tranny he put in. That was enough for me to leave it un-hooked and not worry about it.

 

The Banks Trans Command is an electronic box that is designed to increase line pressures in the transmission. The thing is that it costs $250-$300. There are cheaper and/or better options out there. If you also want power, a chip can accomplish the exact same thing as the Trans Command by electronically raising line pressure, plus more. A chip can also have shift points adjusted to your driving style and liking. Another option is you can buy a $50 shift kit and install it yourself, or you can buy an upgraded valve body for less money than the Trans Command, and increase the line pressures without the aid of electronics.

What I'm getting at here is that while the Banks Trans Command does work like it's supposed to, there are much better options out there that could save you money in the long run. If you have plans later to add power to your truck, just go ahead and buy a chip. If you plan to keep the truck stock, but want to firm up the shifts, buy a valve body or shift kit and be done with it.

 

Curtis is right -- best combo IMHO is to do the VB/shift kit mods, then if you want tunes, get custom tuning from Tony or Jody to accommodate the mod'ed tranny. Running "off-the-shelf" tuning or the Banks with a mod'ed tranny is a very bad idea. The VB has already increased the line pressures when needed -- adding the electronically increased line pressures on top of that can hurt more than it helps. BE CAREFUL!!

 

Tranny is stock about 100 miles on it engine stock with air filter. As this is a buissines truck I have to be carefull what mod I do for Insurance reasons. I tow a 6600 lb trailer and as I have heard the trannie is the weak link. I just want something bolt on to improve shift firmness. I will not be getting a chip for it. transcomand was the only product available here in Australia when I was trying to buy. I just want to know of experiances of people who have used one so I know if it will do as advertised.

Aocabrown
did they not hook it back up because the new trannie had the valve body done instead. Or did he blame the transcomand for the old trannie failing? if he blamed the transcommand what was his reason how many miles were on his trannie when it failed & how long had the trans comand been fitted ?? [ I'm just trying to see if it was an old trannie that had already had a hard time and the TC was fitted at the end of it's normal life span ]

Calli
How many miles were on your trannie when you had the TC fitted and how many does it have know ?? Do you tow any weight with it ??

 

My dad had a transcommand on his truck when he bought it. He and I both hated how it drove. Under certain circumstances the tranny had a hard time figuring out what gear to stay in. It would shift back and forth rapidly. It would shift too hard under normal driving conditions. I would go with a VB and Shift kit.

 

best thing for tranny is keep it cool.

kurt

 

The main objection I had with the Banks Trans Command on my old F350 was that it DOESN'T increase the steady state line pressure in the tranny, which is what's needed to tow heavy up a steep grade without slipping the stock TC lock-up clutch. Even though the Banks unit hooks into the tranny connector with multiple wires, I finally figured out that all the Banks unit does is to intercept the wire from the variable pressure regulator solenoid and run this wire through a "differentiator" circuit so as to give a temporary boost in the line pressure while shifts take place.

Basically when a shift occurs the PCM commands a momentary increase in line pressure, and the Banks unit just amplifies this to give a firmer shift. After the shift occurs the PCM returns the line pressure to its steady state level, and at this point the voltage on the variable pressure regulator solenoid is constant so that the "differentiator" circuit in the Banks unit has NO effect because the derivative of a constant value is zero! The only way to achieve the needed steady state increase in line pressure as a function of fueling, boost, etc..., is to reprogram the PCM!

 

...or put in the VB or shift kit, which I still maintain is better than doing it with PCM SW.

 

Calli
How many miles were on your trannie when you had the TC fitted and how many does it have know ?? Do you tow any weight with it ??

Started with approx. 20,000 mi. Now have 52,000. Not much towing. Haul 4000lb Lance camper. Sometimes with bass boat.

 

a good friend of mine has a F350 and tows a 22,000 lb toy hauler regularly with his race car in it. He has Banks EVERYTHING installed on this truck, including the trans-command for the tranny. He spent thousands of dollars putting all this crap on his truck for towing. One ride in my truck and he was throuroughly impressed with the DP-Tuner & John Wood Valve body setup that I have. He wasn't too happy learning it was about 80% cheaper then he spent to go Banks. His shifts are extremely firm with the Trans command....too hard for my taste!