Banks Drone

[DeeDubya]

For those of you with the Banks Monster; does the loud (in-cab) drone get any better over time? I've searched but can't find anyone with a fix. The system bolts up easy and is certainly good quality, but around 1800 rpm it sounds like a wave of B-29's. Oh well, I saved my OEM so I can just swap them out if I start to lose my hearing.

[Vector]

I am so used to how much noise my V-10 with headers and dual 3" straight pipes sounded at any speed,(It did have 2 Borla 3" so called race mufflers on it, but they were there for show, didn’t seem to attenuate the noise level) that I truly am having trouble with figuring out what the fuss is all about over "Drone" from the Banks exhaust. I don’t have any issues at any speed with mine. It sounds great. Its almost stock silent at 75 - 80 mph just cruising down the highway. If I open the throttle I get the sweet sucking sound of the K&N mixed with the Banks rumble, but It has a nice deep throaty sound that I just cant seem to get enough of.

Sorry I just love the way it sounds. If you don’t like yours you could ship it to me so I have a back up. Not sure how well it will fare here in a city that believes 10" of salt on the roads in the winter is good for our cars. (I secretly believe the "big 3" pay to have this done just so they can sell more cars here quicker).

[CoachBoone]

That's the beauty of having tinitis, the drone cancels out the constant ringing in my ears......funny, but true.
To answer your question, I haven't noticed any difference over time in my drone. You gt that range right, right around 17-1800 it does sound like a squadron swooping down on ya, but overall I love that deep, nasty growl.

[DeeDubya]

I'm used to the Bassani's on my Lightning. They were loud but I never heard that hum in the cab. I could hear the sound coming from the outside not the inside. This is more like having turn-downs that reverberate up through the floor pan. I don't know, I've checked to make sure that it's not touching the frame in some place and it's not.

[CoachBoone]

Originally Posted by DeeDubya

I'm used to the Bassani's on my Lightning. They were loud but I never heard that hum in the cab. I could hear the sound coming from the outside not the inside. This is more like having turn-downs that reverberate up through the floor pan. I don't know, I've checked to make sure that it's not touching the frame in some place and it's not.

I've heard that some have put smaller tips on the exhaust that have helped reduce the drone.

[Mike H.]

Originally Posted by DeeDubya

For those of you with the Banks Monster; does the loud (in-cab) drone get any better over time? I've searched but can't find anyone with a fix. The system bolts up easy and is certainly good quality, but around 1800 rpm it sounds like a wave of B-29's. Oh well, I saved my OEM so I can just swap them out if I start to lose my hearing.

It does not get any better. Loose the 5" tip and it helps considerably in-cab. Cut off the 4" flaired tailpipe tip that the 5" clamps to, and extend out beyond the fender sheetmetal with a 3.5" tip clamped to the 3" tailpipe.

[the head]

Yep - replace the tip with something else and there is a difference.

[GETSOMZ28]

Try this...take the monster tip off and drive it for a day. This will cut down almost all of the sound you are talking about. I went ahead and put on a 3.5" Gibson tip (like Mike H. mentions) because it was just too quite without a tip. Now it is perfect IMO.

[pciley]

Damn, another thread 'bout the "drone." What am I missing??? I just don't hear it. I still have the tip on.
I had a HORRIBLE drone in the cab at this same RPM range, but it was from the Ver 1 Volant intake. I took the truck up to Volant and they added a pad under the air box that was 'supposed to be shipped with the kit' and that drone has gone away.

Maybe the straight pipes instead of resonators helps? I can't imagine, because those 3" open pipes added a rasp to the exhaust note and increased the volume.

Maybe somebody close by can come over and take a drive. I am sick of hearing all this complaining about the best exhaust in the whole world

Put Banks on girlfriend's Jeep Wrangler and it sounded kind of "farty" until I removed the chrome 'donkey d!ck' turn-down tip and sounds mean now.

[RockyMtnTitan]

I don't have the Banks, but I've had several exhaust system/muff/reso configs in my truck since I bought it, and every one of them has had a degree of this infamous drone. A lot of it just has to do with vehicle design, KC vs CC, muff location, etc. Some vehicles just seem more prone to this. I had two diff systems in my old Tundra and never had any issues with drone, in fact I don't ever remember hearing the term "drone" in any exhaust thread in the forums.

I've had a custom AeroTurbine and reso system, which I later replaced the AeroT reso w/ a Magnaflow XL and cut drone by about 50%, but probably at a cost of a few hp? Next time I replaced entire system with the Flowmaster cat-back kit. My last change was replacing just the FM 70 series muff to a Borla XS for a diff sound, better flow. Drone is about the same. Had the rear cats replaced this morning with Dynomax Race Bullets just to eliminate more restriction...this had no affect on drone level....but wasn't expecting it to.

If you still have too much drone for your taste after replacing the tip, like what others with the Banks have done, then you could look into replacing just the Banks muff with the Gibson SS model used in their cat-back kits for the Titan. It seems to be the quietest of the bunch.

[DeeDubya]

You're right. I removed the tip and reduced the drone about half. I've checked into Zoomers. They offer several resonator tips. I'm not giving up on the Banks, just trying to get that hum out of the cab.

[odaquin5.6]

I guess my hearing must be shot from working and being on an airfield all day. I love the sound of my banks. But if you drop the tip (like my wife snuck and did) then you will most definately notice the difference