Hi, Im pretty new to the forum, have been lurking in the shadows for awhile. I am considering installing a Banks big hoss bundle on my 06, 6.0 F-350. Does anybody have any experience with this kit? Any horror stories? I know Banks is one of the leaders in the diesel performance industry. I just dont have any personal experience with them. Thanks

 

Stay away from banks. They are known to cause major problems with the 6.0

 

Thanks texans. Do you have any specifics?

 

Everything that comes in that kit is awesome.........BUT the tuner. You can save alot of money on different parts/manufactuerers. Banks is way overpriced, and there tuners are hard on the 6.0.

 

Im pretty ignorant to the tuner market. do you have any suggestions?

 

Everyone on here, seem's too love SCT tuners, with custom tunes. Search around a little, and see who they are talking about. The problem with the "TV" tuners, is, they are a generic tune. Generic tunes are tunes written for all diesel's. Prob is what DOESNT hurt a Duramax might destroy a Cummin's. The 6.0 is touchy already, so running tunes not written for the truck, hurt it, and the transmissions in these trucks hate Bank's Bully Dog or other "TV" tuners! Banks makes great stuff for diesel's, it is overpriced and the 1 size fits all tuners, dont agree with our engine/tranny combination's. I have a banks six gun PDA.............It is in a box, and for sale!

 

Yes banks will cause problems with the motor, but mainly will cause the transmission to go out. Everyone that I have personally known to get a banks has had some expensive problems. Mostly any tunner that does not offer custom tuning is bad for the 6.0. (ie...banks,bullydog, edge, ECT...) if they offer shift on the fly tuning then chance are you will end up with trans problems sooner or later. These "sof" tuners don't really tune the truck they simply intercept the signal that the computer is putting out and change it to what they want to achieve the desiered effect. Thus the computer has no idea what is going on, right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Also they do nothing to help the trans at all with the increased line pressure. The safest way to tune a 6.0 is to get a custom tuner. The ones that I would recommend is the SCT with custom tunes from either matt at gearheadautomotive or Eric at innovative diesel. The only other tuner that is recommend for these trucks is the Spartan phalanx with there custom tunes, a little more pricy but you get what you pay for. Also the other thing about the big hoss package. The intercooler (although it is the only thing they make that I would run) is pointless to buy at this stage in the game. the stock intercooler is actually really good and untill you are pushing way more boost the the stock turbo can put out there is no reason to waist that kind of money on replacing it. I would recommend getting a 4" turbo back exhaust though.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate it.I will look into all of the above thoroughly. How about the air cleaner? Should it be upgraded? Gauges, can you recommend a good gage package?

 

The stock air cleaner is the best thing on the market. It will flow as much if not more air than anything on the market. Plus, filter way more dirt. At the point where an after market filter will flow more air is way out of the usable rpm range for maximum hp and torque on a stock or just tuned truck.
As far as gauges it's a matter of personal preference. I like individual classic style gauges. I like the isspro ev2. You could also go with a obdII gauges that will plug and play. If you go with obdII gauge go with either the dashdaq or the edge CTS as they will except external sensors. You will need to either have a monitor that will accept senders for fuel pressure and EGT, or you will have to get those in individual gauges because you can't get those two from the obdII port.

 

Stock air cleaner is the way to go actually.
Just bore a hole in the header panel for poorman ram air aka "zoodad" mod

 

Ditto to all that has been said. I bought the Big Hoss kit once upon a time - tuner's off, the rest is still on there, but basically no improvement from that stuff and it was very pricey and now it makes working on the truck twice the PITA. SCT with Matt's tunes and you won't go wrong. Edge Insight and fuel pressure monitor and you're good to go.

Gauges first though!

 

Amen to banks being over priced!

I would never run a banks tuner in my truck, edge destroyed my transmission, Go SCT if you want to tune it properly.