Banks Pedal Monster Review

[tacomasport1121]

I finally got around to installing the @Banks Power Pedal Monster on my 2024 TRD Sport gas model, and I have to say I’m really impressed with it. I run premium fuel, if that matters to anyone.

For a little background, I’m already running the Banks cold air intake system and the Banks boost tubes, so I was curious to see how the Pedal Monster would change the driving experience.

The install itself was pretty straightforward. The hardest part by far was disconnecting the factory gas pedal harness. I fought with that thing way longer than I’d like to admit because you’re in such an awkward position under the dash. If anyone else gets stuck, the trick is to press the locking tab on the top of the connector. A little stubby flathead screwdriver worked perfectly for me to depress the clip. Once I figured that out, the harness came right off.

After that, the rest of the install took maybe 10 minutes. Plugged everything in, fired the truck up, and there were no check engine lights or warning messages.

Driving it is where this thing really shines. The Pedal Monster is a beast. I know it’s just a throttle controller and doesn’t actually add horsepower or torque, but it completely changes how the truck feels. The throttle response is instant, and the truck feels so much more responsive.

One thing I noticed right away is that it really wakes up the sounds from the Banks cold air intake. You hear the intake working a lot more because the engine responds so much quicker to your throttle inputs.

The biggest surprise was pulling away from a green light. I’ve never chirped the tires in this truck before, but it actually did it with the Pedal Monster. That said, if you’re worried about spinning the tires, Banks has a feature called Launch Trim that solves that problem. I played around with it through the app, and it’s a really smart feature. The higher you set Launch Trim, the more it softens the extra throttle sensitivity below about 10 mph. Once you’re moving, you still get the quick throttle response the Pedal Monster is known for. I can definitely see this being useful in the rain, while towing, backing a trailer up a boat ramp, or even off road where smoother throttle control is a big advantage. The first 10 mph keep the throttle stock when Launch Trim is enabled. The higher the Launch Trim setting, the less PedalMonster adds below 10 mph. This is perfect for preventing wheel spin leaving a green light, or when towing… like putting a SeaDoo trailer out of the water at a launch ramp. Note that it doesn’t deaden the pedal… it just withholds PedalMonster’s added sensitivity until you exceed 10 mph. It’s also really handy for off roading. You can literally have torque on demand if you want it, otherwise you can feel the Pedal Monster kick in after 10 MPH.

For less than $300, I honestly can’t think of another mod that changes the overall driving feel of the truck this much. It doesn’t add horsepower, but it makes the truck feel like it’s always ready to go the second you touch the pedal.

The app is also very easy to use. When you first install, it connects to the Pedal Monster and walks you through each step. Less than 5 minutes (and an update later), the Pedal Monster was good to go. You can hear the Pedal Monster ‘click’ when you change it from stock to the three different modes: Hi-Torque, Mid-Range, and High Performance. Best part is, you can literally turn it on and off with an app click. The app is very responsive, and has connected every time I have opened it. It’s only been installed a few days, but from what I have seen, it’s a solid app with a solid connection that I don’t think will give you any problems.

Overall, it makes the Tacoma feel way more responsive and a lot more fun to drive. Between the Banks cold air intake, the Banks boost tubes, and now the Pedal Monster, the truck just feels much more alive. If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s one of those mods that puts a smile on your face every time you drive.

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[tacomasport1121]

Here are some screen shots from the app. Let me know if you have any questions or want me to try anything specific out!

 

[tacomasport1121]

Here is what the app looks like. So easy and super responsive to use.

 

[RutsyBucket]

I'll never touch a product of theirs simply because of robmotive

 

[redlimitediforcemax]

This product is the equivalent of a potentiometer connected inline to the throttle signal. turn the dial up to make it act like it's putting out a higher throttle input than what you're actually applying to make it open the throttle more, not faster.

 

[Diablo Taco]

I'll never touch a product of theirs simply because of robmotive

Lmao, I felt this 100%. He gave the company such a bad reputation that many people refuse to support it.

This product is the equivalent of a potentiometer connected inline to the throttle signal. turn the dial up to make it act like it's putting out a higher throttle input than what you're actually applying to make it open the throttle more, not faster.

Yup, I've used something similar on a few of my other vehicles. One of the more popular ones is the Sprint Booster, which I ran on a couple of my Italian and German cars where the throttle response felt a little lazy or vague.

The mod itself does not make any additional power. All it does is amplify the throttle signal so the throttle body opens more aggressively with less pedal input. The factory throttle mapping is much more linear, this mod changes that to open faster.

When people say the mod makes the car feel faster, they're not exactly wrong. Since it reaches higher throttle input sooner, you're effectively "mashing" the gas pedal faster. Instead of having to press the pedal all the way to the floor, you might get the same throttle opening with only 20-50% pedal travel. It definitely makes the car feel more responsive, but it isn't creating horsepower or torque.

If you're after actual performance gains, get a proper tune, not a throttle signal amplifier.

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