I had the Banks stainless Monster exhaust and exhaust brake installed a year ago. Four months later, when we were leaving on vacation pulling our fifth wheel, the exhaust brake started to stick SHUT! We lost a week of our vacation trying to fix it. After we got back my diesel shop contacted Banks and they sent a new actuator,, it was installed and all was well until today... We are leaving on vacation next Wed., heading to the mountains again. Just the place you would need an exhaust brake.. Well it started sticking shut AGAIN on my way home from work today. No power and pouring out black smoke. Just like last time, I had to crawl under the truck AGAIN and beat the piston into the open position.


I have had this BANKS junk for a year now and still haven't been able to use it for towing YET!!! I don't have enough time to get it fixed before we leave on our trip again. I paid $2000.00 installed for this so-called upgrade.


Has any one else had this problem?? One more thing.. My expensive stainless exhaust is now all brown and rusted.. This will be the last Banks product I ever buy.....

What's their return policy for the case when things don't work?

That's awful dangerous, you could do a lot of engine damage pulling with a stuck-shut exhaust brake!

Well I just got back from the diesel shop and they proved it was another bad actuator (piston) on my exhaust brake. They are calling Banks to see if they can get one here Fedex ASAP.so I can go on my trip. Hope they can. This will be the third one.


Even if they do I guess I will be a bit nervous using it in the mountains. I sure don't want it to stick shut on a grade and then can't make it up the other side!


Think I will write Gale Banks a letter about all this when I get back, though I doubt he would care.. we'll see.


Well that's the scoop. Another bad actuator.....

Sorry to hear you continue to have problems with your exhaust brake. My Banks has ben flawless for 1 1/2 years and about 21K (knock on wood). I use mine all the time, even running empty, and I would say it operates in a pretty hostile environment - very high temps. I hope your new actuator will change your luck.

Sorry to hear you continue to have problems with your exhaust brake. My Banks has ben flawless for 1 1/2 years and about 21K (knock on wood).
Mine is also still doing OK just short of a year (12000 miles) but some significant pulling for 5 weeks last summer and city driving with the normal towing I have done the remainder of the year.

Hope things go better for you this time around!

RJ

Maybe its in the way you use it? Or lack of use? I don't anything about the brake. My background is industrial maintenance.

Is there any lubrication needed for the cylinder? (I presume it is pneumatic ((air operated)) Cylinder may need very light oil put into the cyliner. Do you use the brake, often? Linkage need lubricating?

I would like to hear more info, Trout.

Been athinkin' about going with a Banks exhaust brake system so I'm gonna set on the sidelines and watch this thread ----- Jim R.

I have had mine on now 2 years - no problems. Mine is set up to sense coolant temp, and when it is below a certain temp, it activates the brake to make sure it cycles, and to enhance warm up. I also use mine all the time during my normal driving. I have dealt with Banks on this, and with an exhaust on my '97, and have found them first rate to deal with. I messed up a gasket on my Brake install, and they sent 2 overnight - No Charge.

Had my Banks Brake installed a year ago.

In April of this year on my way back from Idaho, I got as far as Redding, CA.

Everything that happened to TROUT49 happened to me.

It cost me $130 to have the Chev dealer diagnose, then disconnect the actuator by removing it.

Banks excuse was that their supplier used two different metals for the tube and the plunger. They mailed me another one, I put it on and it has been fine since April.

In August before leaving on a trip I took the truck to the muffler shop to see if they could find the source of an exhaust leak. They did!!!!!!!!!

When "Banks" installed the brake, and the moster exhaust, they torqued the exhaust system so much that the downpipe finally started pulling out of the clamp. So much for the theory of having the factory install their own equipment.

I put on about 11000 miles between Aug and Nov, going to Arizona and back, Vegas and back, and from Calif to Billings MT, Chicago, Lexington KY, Branson, Vegas, LA, and home.

A lot of hills and dales in that 11K. So far so good.

Needless to say I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I have heard from one of the supporting vendors on this site that his BD Brake had a rusting problem, so I guess not all brakes are immune to problems.

Trout49, I also have the Banks exhaust with brake.To make this quick , It is not the acuator, it is the solenoid by the compressor. I got the same story from banks about the acuator being defective . Replaced the solenoid and all has been fine . Hope this helps.

Had the Banks exhaust brake installed 1.5 years and 40k miles ago. Use it for warm-ups (of course), lots of unloaded commuting, and some very heavy towing.

I'm on my 3rd actuator too. 1st one lasted a while. And failed just before towing through the mountains too! 2nd one didn't last too long at all. 3rd one...so far so good.

I've heard the same story about different metals; when they did fail they'd work 'til they warmed up. When they stick, you sure know it! I just crawled under and use my leatherman to open the valve back up.

This 3rd one had a lot of grease inside it, where the other replacement didn't (don't know about the original). Banks has been good (but Cdn customs brokers haven't), so I'm still happy with the product. It's survived a Cdn winter too.

--Rob

Your lucky.......

Did you hear about the guy who melted his valves with the brake?

I guess I will not be buying this product. Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

Here is an address and phone #

Gale Banks Engineering
546 duggan ave.
Azusa, Ca. 91702

1-800-601-8072