Considering Banks Stinger System

[BulldawgBob]

Hi,

I'm new to this site. I have a 2004 Ford F350, Crew Cab, Long Bed with 6.0. I use it mostly to pull my travel trailer. I'm planning to upgrade to a 12,000 pound 5th wheel soon and want to upgrade the 6.0's performance safely. I am considering the Banks Stinger (Ram Air intake, Monster Exhaust and Ottomind tuner with PDA). This seems to be a reasonable and safe upgrade for towing. I hear lots of folks indicate that Banks is way over priced; but I can get the new system for $2,400 installed.

What do y'all think of the system; and, what problems can I anticipate? Keep in mind that I'm not looking for drag strip performance.

Thanks for any info that you can provide.

[TurboSevenThree]

Welcome to the org!!!

I have read over and over again that the first thing you should do to a 6.0 if you're gonna upgrade power is headstuds. That will ensure safety, BIGTIME.

[Patrick]

Banks makes good safe products. We sell alot of Banks to local heavy haulers like yourself. There are many other options aswell. If you have more questions or want to speak to someone about your options feel free to call us or one of the other great supporting vendors of this site.

[BigRed]

SCT tuner with a Tow Tune, Gauges, FBD Exhaust, AFE intake... Save around $900...

[powerjunky]

Here is another option to the Banks.

SCT w/custom tunes from Eric at Innovative diesel or Doug at GoGo-$400
4"exhaust-$400
Gauges or monitor- around $300 for boost, pyro and trans temp
Stay with stock intake since you are not going for big horse power.

This will get you to around 400rwhp. I tow with this setup and have had no problems. Plus all of this can be installed in the drive way in an afternoon with not much effort. This is just another option to look at.

[BigRed]

Use the money you save to stud it...

[TurboSevenThree]

There ya go.

[BulldawgBob]

Originally Posted by TurboSevenThree

Welcome to the org!!!

I have read over and over again that the first thing you should do to a 6.0 if you're gonna upgrade power is headstuds. That will ensure safety, BIGTIME.

Haven't heard that before. Can you explain further and give recommendations for the studs, Thanks very much

[AvroAero]

The headstuds are a hit and miss in the early (03-04) 6.0s. Upgrading them is fairly expensive unless you can do it yourself. They cost less than 500 and 2500-4000 depending on who and where you get it done to install.

With that the 6.0 is a pretty rock solid engine and will hold the power your looking at and some. ARP is a good headstud brand, ATS is slightly more expensive but better I think. But the ARP will hold what your looking at and some.

The banks stuff is overpriced for what it is, but FOR banks products thats a decent deal. Exhaust will run you 500, intake 500, and chip 500. But banks ones are 700 exhaust, 700 chip.

Better bang for buck is headstuded, exhaust, and SCT w/ innovative.

The sct will give you around 400rwhp hot tune, and the banks will give you somewhere around 330 I'd guess. If you headstud either option, its automatically more reliable.

[mdub707]

I would 100% go with an SCT with a tow tune from Eric, I have one myself and I don't even tow anything... the transmission tuning alone is totally worth it. Banks is overpriced no matter what deal you're getting on it, because even if it was the same money, you still wont get the performance you do from a custom tuned SCT. If I was in your shoes...

I'd get the SCT with custom tunes
turbo back exhaust
then buy a set of ARP studs and put them on the shelf for insurance. If you are mechanically inclined and feel like yanking the cab off the truck, then just put them in...