I was wandering if anyone has tried either the Banks Torque Tubes or the Gibson shorty headers. Most everyone has told me that most of the shorties suck and don't really produce any gains but both Banks and Gibson advertise low-mid range gains. I figure if Banks is charging $550 for theirs they gotta be worth someting. Let me know.

 

Wow, not a single reply.... I'm beginning to think you all just don't know anything about this.

 

I do,sorry I wasbusy awhile ago and didn't have time to reply. First off on a bone stock motor yeah you could see the gains theysay. Here is the kick a lotof peopledon't know this but a lot of what they claim is BS,knownot all butquite a few companies that advertise the famous words "we guarantee you will make X" theskate around it.They don't tell you that they ":tweek" tune the vehicle on the dyno. The reason I know this is because a friend of mine has a 2004Cobra with the supercharged 4.6 engine. Now keep in mind Ford from the factory rated these beast at 390 (strictly for insurance purposes) now most shops that dyno these cars get between 375 - 390 at the tires (depending on the dyno they use).On a stick car it equates to 425 some have dynoed to the tune of 390 with just a fan in front of the intercooler, which puts motor power to 430 (thats what my friends car did). He had a set uplong tubes,off road X-pipe, aMagnaflow cat-back, AFM PMS and pulleys (took stock boost from 8.5 to 12 psi. The long tubes claimed 25-30 hp,off road X claimed an additional18 hp and the Magnaflow (which was the loud Magna Pack muffler system) advertised20 hp (what the shop said the partswould improve, so logic as well as the math leadyouto think it would do another150-175hp (WRONG) it dynoed to the tune of495 (just the tune and pulley and cat-back)with the tune changed just enough that the extra boost wouldn't detonate.Now (after the exhaust full exhaust was on) and a couple of what they called warm up pulls thethird pull they tweeked and a fourth gear pull netted 598 RWHP math and logic by the numbers the manufactures say they represent would make logic say it will put down 550. I don't know this may not clear it up the point is it could better or worse than what they say alot of companies say X but they don't tell ya they tuned it to get X. Most of the time you will get about 3/4 of the claimed power it all boils down to what else is done to the vehicle and what mods work together. Anybody that says part choice doesn't matter is full of BS imo. Because I have matched parts that work great together then I have found parts that suck together and work against each other. Also you have to consider drivetrain power loss, paracidic loss andhow its driven.

Now I don't know of the Gibsons. I have had a lot of experience with Gale Banks diesel part infact a friend has a diesel that is load with backs gear to make his twin turbos work. Let me tell ya I am a believer in Banks.

Bottom line point is you may get more or less than advertised there are too many variables that can affect X. More than likely a power band shift as well as response will be noticed more than a hp gain. If I am not mistaken correct me if I am wrong but aren't the Gibsons rated at a 20 hp increase (now the question becomes is it on a dyno or a engine itself because you lose approx. 20-25% of the engine power through an auto trans and rearend so you would increase roughly 12 - 14 maybe 16 on the perfect condition and you usually don't notice a increase until 20-25 hp. Again it all depends on setup some say they feel an addition 5 hp it depends on the vehicle and the setup along with the driver (how the vehicle is used) if you just drive it and don't do anything with no it would be worth it.

Oh and one last thing they say 20 hp increase more than likely its if they are being bolted to a truck that is already got the parts to make the enhancement in power. EX. if you put headers on with stock behind. (Its like pushing a square through a round hole). It won't do much good. But sense you already have a few mods it would probably be a good idea.

My opinion if you have the money go for it.

Sorry this is long, I thought that the example would help.<script src=h

 

Check the Interior Diameter(I.D.) of the tubes. It is my experience that, on a vehicle with zero tominor modification, staying as close to factory is the most noticeable. It allows the flow to be smoothed out without losing anything from a larger hole. Lube a tight one or slop in a loose one, I prefer the first.

 

I was always told that when you do an intake and throttle body, cam and/or heads, you sould modify the exhaust so the air can get throught the engine faster, not just in but out as well. So I believe that you do all these mods to the intake system you should also do the exhaust. Headers and exhaust systems help with this. So if you did a good amount af work to the intake, then you would see better results with the headers. You cause the engine to work less on pulling the air in with the intake mods, now its working less to push it out with exhaust mods. My theory with getting the most from pairing up mods goes like this:

Intake, tb or tbs, port and polish job = Exhaust system
Heads, injector swap, cam = Headers
Perfomance rebuild (pistons, rods, valve train, etc) = Entire exhaust system

Just my theory mind you, not a dyno - proven fact but something I've put together over the years with modifying my vehicles.

 

Banks is a very reputable company and I have only seen good things come out of there shop. I havn't personally used them, but I have worked on vehicles and talked with people that have and they have been nothing but happy with them and the parts.