Banks PowerPack for 7.4L Chevy

[LTD93]

I am considering purchasing a Banks PowerPack for my '98 Chevy Suburban 7.4L-454 cu. in.
I tow a 1993-34' Limited and spend substantial time on the road. I drive in overdrive with cruise control a lot and I get aggravated at the constant shifting on little rises in the road and the more serious downshifting when in the middle of a bigger hill.
The car has 82,000 miles on it but it is a nice car with all the bells and whistles and I want to keep it until it dies.
I have chatted with some about this addition I am about to do and they say it is a great way to get what you're supposed to have in the 1st place.
Any comments accepted....positive or negative.

Thanks,
Rich

[BobbyW]

Hmm...My Chevy owners manuals and the sticker on the drivers door says not to tow in Overdrive.

Are you talking about the Banks Turbo Kit or just the kit that opens everything up...Intake, Exhaust, Headers?

I have Gibson headers, AiRaid intake, Borla exhaust and Hypertech chip on my Chevy and it did make a difference. A plus is (to me) it just sounds cool !!, but I am a little o'l Texas boy and we all like rumbling out of our Pick-em-up trucks.

I say bolt them Mod's on and get after it.

For you 02 Cadillac Escalade owners, Dyno-Proven Products is now shipping a Supercharer kit that packs on 100 plus HP putting it at over 500 HP. VROOM..VROOM

Also available for the Chevy 5.7, 4.8, 5.3 and 6 litre engines.
(888) 781-6968

-BobbyWright

[Pahaska]

I have a Banks kit on order for my 5.3L SIlverado for the exact reasons that LTD93 quotes; I want to reduce downshifts, especially on all the little ups and downs in our Texas Hill Country. I want to try the Banks rather than trade an almost new truck that suits me in every other way.

In most cases, even a little bit more "oomph" would avoid downshifting, especially that second shift.

[InsideOut]

We too have read & been told never tow in overdrive...

Shari

[Pahaska]

GMC/Chevy products with the Tow/Haul mode do not have an overdrive switch, per se. When in Tow/Haul mode (anytime I'm towing), the transmission uses overdrive whenever possible. The only thing changed is the shift points. Overdrive is used just as in Normal mode.

Actually, I can see very little change on fairly level ground. The difference only shows up on hills. The transmission seems to have a memory in that it stays in lower gears longer after negotiating a series of hills.

[uwe]

My transmission shop recommends to not engage overdrive for towing, regardless of the factory setup. His comment was that he makes a ton of money on people towing with overdrive and not paying attention to the constant shifts. Keep in mind also that the addition of engine power and torque also put higher strain on the transmission if you use this extra power. My feeling is that you should also look at some additional cooling for the transmission, unless you already have taken care of that.

[sovereign]

alot of it depends on the rear axle ratio too. my chevy c-3500 has 4.56 to 1 gears and it never shifts or "hunts" gear changes. but my 5.3 ,3.73 to 1 silverado hunts in and out of overdrive just pulling a small trailer/golf cart