Banks Torque Tubes

H

HttpWayne

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Auburndale, FL
I was just wondering given the amount of broken headers, has anyone tried this one in particular and noticed a difference?

I looked at the design and after comparing it to the firing order... it makes complete sense. And by complete sense I mean that there would be less collision of the exhaust gases with how they have altering lengths. All of the others just seem to eliminate the log style. One of Borla's has every tube ran really long. They're all the same length, but with how far down they are I could see how that would reduce flow.

I'm already well aware of motor and transmission mounts being worn out causing broken headers. I actually have new ones in mine. I'll get some flexpipe as well.

Wayne P.~

I had a hard time finding the web-site that had this style, but here it is on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bank...6132478?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories
 
I was just reading. It's a lifetime warranty. If it cracks they will replace it. Someone on another jeep forum had theirs crack and got it replaced. They complained about having to do the install though.
 
HttpWayne said:
I was just reading. It's a lifetime warranty. If it cracks they will replace it. Someone on another jeep forum had theirs crack and got it replaced. They complained about having to do the install though.
Click to expand...

Do you happen to have a link to that? I wouldn't mind seeing what that person ran into during the install.
 
OP--your first link is to the 51306 and that is only for the 00-01 Cherokee.

Your second post link is correct for the 96-99 Cherokee, part number 51304.

As for the price--it should come with flowers, candy, and an expensive dinner.
 
Please don't bother with the banks product. It cracked faster than my stock one did. And even with their "lifetime warrenty" why would you want another one thats just gunna do the same thing. I ended up gettin a stock 03 or 04 TJ manifold with the flex joints, been happy with it ever since.
 
I replaced my cracked stock with a Banks header.
Banks lasted a few years, worked well (compared to stock, then cracked stock) but eventually cracked aswell.
I had to replace thru a local dealer (not orignal place of purchase) and it was a major headache. From removal of header, to reception of new header was about 6+ months (not a DD, so it sat and waited)
My other option was to buy a new one, and replace on my own, and send old one back to receive re-imbursement.
When I got the new one it was actually a new design as compared to the previous one.

As it was I had to actually pay a few fees to get the new one to me... local dealer was partly to blame but Banks was not the most helpful either.

The install is rather straight forward, took an afternoon, most time was spent reaching certain bolts to re-torque them. The tear down and re-placing of pieces was simple.

In the end, having read and looked at other headers, and knowing what the 4.0L is good at... I don't think you'll find any major gains from one after market header as compared to others. Not to mention if you only replace the header, your still trying to push air past the bottleneck of the downtube dent (if still stock) and a stuffy muffler (if stock).

IMO, pick a header, get a custom downtube made, and install a cat-back system and you'll be plenty happy.
 
mudxj92 said:
Please don't bother with the banks product. It cracked faster than my stock one did. And even with their "lifetime warrenty" why would you want another one thats just gunna do the same thing. I ended up gettin a stock 03 or 04 TJ manifold with the flex joints, been happy with it ever since.
Click to expand...
Are you sure about the 03 or 04 part? 02, 03, 04 all show up as 2-part manifold (i.e. pre-cat style) in the rockauto catalog. The Dorman 674196 (for the 97 4.0 TJ, also fits ZJs, MJs, YJs, and XJs with the OBD I/II 4.0 and no pre-cats according to Dorman's app list) has the flex joints you mention.

I think those flex joints are key, and have for a long time. The fact that the 4.0 manifold is so long is one of the things that contributes to its thermal stress cracking issue, putting a flex joint or two in makes the solid part of the manifold shorter and gives the stress a place to go without breaking something. If I could, I would put one in one of the tubes right before the collector, but space is somewhat restricted and I haven't found a place to buy such small flex joints yet.
 
Ultimate stock XJ "exhaust" system:

1. Brown Dog motor mounts.

2. New transmission mount.

3. APN header: http://www.ineedparts.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=15343

4. Flex tube installed in the downpipe where it crosses from left to right: http://www.cxracing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CXR&Product_Code=FLEXPIPE-250x8

If you don't maintain your engine and transmission mounts you will crack any header. You are likely to crack any header regardless of the condition of the engine and transmission mounts, but with good mounts and the flextube you are less likely to crack.
 
I bought the banks header back when their design looked just like everyone elses. Then it cracked and I got the new/current design but their warranty DOES cover cracks no questions asked. I have replaced mine 6 times. Yes I have checked and replaced BOTH motor mounts AND the transmission mount so no flaming please. I finally had the money so I had a shop install a flex pipe in the exhaust and I am crossing my fingers this time. I have dual exhaust on my Jeep so I was thinking that my exhaust was just too rigid and I needed to give it some wiggle room so there wouldn't be too much stress on the header.

Either way the performance is very nice and it changed the tone of my exhaust just a little bit so combined with my flowmaster 50 series muffler the exhaust note sounds really low and aggressive.

Yah it sucks that I have had to change it soo many times and no I definitely do not want to keep doing it but to swap it is free and all it takes is my time to change it so to save a few hundred bucks I will continue to swap it out for free but hopefully that wont happen now.
 
I've been running my APN header/2000 intake setup for almost 2 years with 0 issues and I have crustys engine mounts with a borla catback, DD/wheeler and not one issue with it. APN is alot cheaper than a banks!
 
beakie said:
I replaced my cracked stock with a Banks header.
Banks lasted a few years, worked well (compared to stock, then cracked stock) but eventually cracked aswell.
I had to replace thru a local dealer (not orignal place of purchase) and it was a major headache. From removal of header, to reception of new header was about 6+ months (not a DD, so it sat and waited)
My other option was to buy a new one, and replace on my own, and send old one back to receive re-imbursement.
When I got the new one it was actually a new design as compared to the previous one.

As it was I had to actually pay a few fees to get the new one to me... local dealer was partly to blame but Banks was not the most helpful either.

The install is rather straight forward, took an afternoon, most time was spent reaching certain bolts to re-torque them. The tear down and re-placing of pieces was simple.

In the end, having read and looked at other headers, and knowing what the 4.0L is good at... I don't think you'll find any major gains from one after market header as compared to others. Not to mention if you only replace the header, your still trying to push air past the bottleneck of the downtube dent (if still stock) and a stuffy muffler (if stock).

IMO, pick a header, get a custom downtube made, and install a cat-back system and you'll be plenty happy.
Click to expand...

I remember the first time i looked at my downtube, when i first got the jeep, and i wondered "how the hell does something get up there, and bend that pipe?"

Still to this day, i have no idea what that bend is for, anyone know?
 
look at the XJ in stock form, now from what I understand it's clearanced for the front driveshaft.
when I had a custom downpipe made they designed it while the Jeep was on a "body lift" so the suspension was drooped down. on the drive home I noticed the driveshaft was hitting the new pipe... I had to take it back and explain what was happening, and why (should have been a clue to get money back and walk away) they just cut a slice out of the pipe and angled it to clear.
so, anyway, for clearance... I think.
 
mudxj92 said:
Please don't bother with the banks product. It cracked faster than my stock one did. And even with their "lifetime warrenty" why would you want another one thats just gunna do the same thing. I ended up gettin a stock 03 or 04 TJ manifold with the flex joints, been happy with it ever since.
Click to expand...


Did you ever think to replace the mounts? You mention flexjoints as if you admit that a lack of flex (IE new motor mounts and flexpipe would take care of) was your problem.

Why buy something else and then replace it for cash out of pocket when I can get something for twice the price with a lifetime warranty? It's made of a harder steel than the rest so what's to say some other header wouldn't have broken even faster? Knowing that XJ's are prone to this would only make the lifetime warranty more worthwhile.

I'm more of a quality person myself though. This is more of a long term investment as I am never selling this. I have a stroker and I'm looking at piecing together a supercharger in the future.
 
beakie said:
I replaced my cracked stock with a Banks header.
Banks lasted a few years, worked well (compared to stock, then cracked stock) but eventually cracked aswell.
I had to replace thru a local dealer (not orignal place of purchase) and it was a major headache. From removal of header, to reception of new header was about 6+ months (not a DD, so it sat and waited)
My other option was to buy a new one, and replace on my own, and send old one back to receive re-imbursement.
When I got the new one it was actually a new design as compared to the previous one.

As it was I had to actually pay a few fees to get the new one to me... local dealer was partly to blame but Banks was not the most helpful either.

The install is rather straight forward, took an afternoon, most time was spent reaching certain bolts to re-torque them. The tear down and re-placing of pieces was simple.

In the end, having read and looked at other headers, and knowing what the 4.0L is good at... I don't think you'll find any major gains from one after market header as compared to others. Not to mention if you only replace the header, your still trying to push air past the bottleneck of the downtube dent (if still stock) and a stuffy muffler (if stock).

IMO, pick a header, get a custom downtube made, and install a cat-back system and you'll be plenty happy.
Click to expand...

I already have a custom downtube with Magnaflow cat-back. Now that you mention that ordeal I'm definitely not throwing out my stock header.
 
I'm on my 2nd cracked Banks header. I will never go with them again.

I had a Borla on my old YJ for over 13 years and no cracks whatsoever.

E
 
I'm thinking I might just go APN. I wouldn't want to have to deal with the ass-pain involved with replacement. At thepartsbin.com you can order sets of headers for the price of one it seems... unless I was missing something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Banks Torque Tube header - Front driveshaft clearance
Replies
4
Views
896
Root Moose
Root Moose
1
New Old Member & List of Problems
Replies
6
Views
2K
Unclewolverine
U
R
The most complicated Overheating problem yet
2
Replies
33
Views
7K
CJR
C
W
Replace Factory Headers or Buy New?
Replies
2
Views
813
Ivan
Ivan
ShoeterMcgav
The end all Exhaust/ Header thread!
4 5 6
Replies
109
Views
47K
tonytech
T
Back
Top