Ford V10

[Leadbottom]

I currently have a small (25') Class A motorhome which has a Triton V10 (305 hp) with a six speed trans. I'm looking to upgrade to a larger unit (30-32') Class A. Looking thru various motorhomes on the F53 chassis I'm seeing units with the V10 (320 hp) six speed trans and others with the V10 (365 hp) with a 5 speed trans. Wondering what the difference is and is one better than the other?

Thanks

[BCarp]

5 speed vs 6 is really just going to depend on the year of the chassis. I know Ford changed the wheel cut to 50 degrees in 2008, (was 42). I'm not sure what year the 6 speeds came out. I have a 2007 chassis with the 5 speed and I'm happy with it. Mine is 35 feet and the 22k GVWR. I pull a 2,700 pound car and average 7.2 mpg. The coach weighs 19,250 without passengers.

I've heard many people say the gas coaches lack power, but mine performs way better at 23k combined than my half ton truck did with a 25 ft trailer. (14k combined). The truck would get about 9 mpg, but I had to use all of the entrance ramp getting on the freeway.

[aether_one]

I believe the 6 speed came out on the 2016 chassis.

The 3 valve V10 was rated at 365 HP but about 2017 they "derated" the engine to 320 HP. I'm not sure why or if it was physically derated or they just changed the numbers on paper.

[wildmanbaker]

It was reprogramed to a lower RPM, and more torque.

[twinboat]

The Ford V10 with 6 speed was introduced in 2016.

Some MHs offered as 2016 may have 2015 chassis and will have the 5 speed.

Many 5 speed owners are not happy with the shifting pattern of them, due to downshifting from 5th to 3rd or 2nd, causing high RPMs. They buy a aftermarket tune to tame the shifts.

When the 6 speed was introduced, Ford also reprogrammed the V10 engine. It now has a lower max RPM and the 6 speed shifts one gear at a time.

[Teamfoxy]

We have no complaints on our 3 valve V-10 with 5 speed transmission and we have done a good bit of mountain driving with up to 15% grades. It is rated at 362 hp @ 4750 RPM with torque of 458 ft/lb @ 3250 rpm. These numbers are from the 2011 chassis brochure. The TorqShift design in fact has six forward ratios, but only five are advertised, with the 'hidden' gear only used in extreme cold weather. The TorqShift 1st to 5th gear ratios are 3.11, 2.22, 1.55, 1.00, and 0.71:1.

The 2018 brochure that lists the same engine at 320 hp @ 3900 rpm with torque of 460 ft/lb @ 3000 rpm. This has the 6 speed transmission. The gear ratios are 3.97, 2.32, 1.52, 1.15, .086, and .67.

[Waiter21]

Welcome to the Forum.

My V10 is on the bottom of the scale. Its the first year for the V10, an early two valve, what they called a "non-pi" (non performance improvement) engine. puts out 275 hp. It has a 4 speed transmission (4R100) and can do anything its newer brothers can do, just slower..

All the V10s and their transmissions are bulletproof..

[Beau388]

The changes to the Triton V-10 were all brought about due to the change in emissions requirements for class 4,5 and 6 over the road truck. The 2016+ requirements cut the oxides of nitrogen limits to half what they were previously. To continue to offer a 50 state certified Triton, the EGR volume was doubled and valve overlap of the engine reduced. This was done to reduce the maximum combustion chamber temperature. This lowered the rpm operating range to around 1,800 rpm or about the same at the Ford diesel. The Ford 6R140 transmission had been proven since 2012 and its gear narrow spread allowed it to be mated to the Triton.
As the Triton engine could not meet the new 2020 specifications for class 4,5 and 6 trucks so Ford designed a 7.3 L V-8 to meet the 2020 emission regulations and the 2025 interim regs.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Teamfoxy

The TorqShift design in fact has six forward ratios, but only five are advertised, with the 'hidden' gear only used in extreme cold weather.

Can you explain a little more about the "hidden" gear? I've never heard that before and I'm just curious.

[twinboat]

The “TorqShift” (5R110W) is a 5 speed, rear wheel drive unit that actually has six forward speeds available, depending on hot or cold mode operation.

The gear ratio for 1st gear was lowered from 2.71 to 3.09. For 2nd gear the overdrive clutch is applied to provide a ratio of 2.20. 3rd gear provides a ratio of 1.54, which is the same ratio as the previous second gear. All sound familiar? When in cold mode operation, below _15°C (5°F), determined by the TFT sensor, the overdrive clutch is engaged in 3rd gear to provide a ratio of 1.09 for 4th gear, and the transmission will shift directly into 6th gear (overdrive), which is a ratio of 0.71. In cold mode the transmission shifts 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear, 6th gear. When in hot mode the transmission will shift 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 5th gear (ratio 1.00), 6th gear. Either way it is still a five speed unit with six forward gear ratios available, depending on cold mode or hot mode of operation.

[hohenwald48]

Thanks. I'm gonna have to study that for few minutes but I think I understand. [emoji848]

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by Leadbottom

I currently have a small (25') Class A motorhome which has a Triton V10 (305 hp) with a six speed trans. I'm looking to upgrade to a larger unit (30-32') Class A. Looking thru various motorhomes on the F53 chassis I'm seeing units with the V10 (320 hp) six speed trans and others with the V10 (365 hp) with a 5 speed trans. Wondering what the difference is and is one better than the other?

Thanks

And now Ford is equipping the F53 chassis with a V8 engine.....late 2019 or 2020 for sure. Just like everything else in the automotive world....they tell you it provides better performance and better mileage even though some advancements replace bigger engine displacements with smaller ones but more gears.
Today, some vehicles that offered 6 cylinder models now offer more varieties of 4 cylinders, often with turbo units attached. And now, there are 6, 7, 8, 9 speed transmissions.

[Mark Kovalsky]

The five speed TorqShift is actually two transmissions in one case. The front transmission is a two speed. It has ratios of 1:1 and 0.71:1. This is the overdrive unit.

The rear transmission is a three speed with 3.11:1, 1.54:1, and 1:1 ratios.

The overall gear ratio of the trans is determined by multiplying the ratio of the front unit by the ratio of the rear unit.

First gear 1:1 x 3.11:1 = 3.11:1
Second 0.71:1 x 3.11:1 = 2.2:1
Third 1:1 x 1.54:1 = 1.54:1
Fourth 0.71:1 x 1.54:1 = 1.09:1
Fifth 1:1 x 1:1 = 1:1
Sixth 0.71:1 x 1:1 = 0.71:1

Fourth and fifth gears are never used together, it is always one or the other. As stated above in very cold weather fourth is used instead of fifth. This was done because we discovered in cold weather development that we couldn't make the third gear to fifth gear shift work correctly. The third to fouth and then to sixth gear was MUCH better. Once trans temp was above about 0°F we could make the 3-5 shift work, so it goes back to the normal schedule.

Fourth gear is also used in some maximum pedel downshifts. If the trans is in sixth gear and the vehicle is going just a little faster than the maximum speed for third gear. The driver presses the go pedal to the floor to make a pass. It's going too fast for third gear, so fifth would be the next choice. But fourth gear gives 9% more engine speed and 9% more torque multiplication. So fourth is selected instead of fifth. This can happen at ANY temperature. It's a fairly narrow window of vehicle speed where this can happen, but I was part of the team that programmed it so I know that it does happen.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

And now Ford is equipping the F53 chassis with a V8 engine.....late 2019 or 2020 for sure. Just like everything else in the automotive world....they tell you it provides better performance and better mileage even though some advancements replace bigger engine displacements with smaller ones but more gears.
Today, some vehicles that offered 6 cylinder models now offer more varieties of 4 cylinders, often with turbo units attached. And now, there are 6, 7, 8, 9 speed transmissions.

The Ford V8, that is being introduced, is a bigger engine then the V10.

The V10 is 6.8 liter and the V8 is 7.3.