Community Forums

PapaChuck · 08-21-2011, 10:58 AM

Hello everyone, Thanks in Advance. I will try to be breif but doubt that will happen. Getting ready to retiree for the last time. We have been reading and researching the RV lifestyle for 3+ years. Decided on a class C for our travels. Great size for us and the places we want to visit. We will be traveling few times a year with one trip lasting at least a month. That month would be in AZ. Grandchildren will be with us sometimes for short stays. We pack very lightly. The major question is can a Ford V-10 gasser hold up in the mountains. We live in MI and will be making many trips that involve steep grades. I know the fuel economy will be around 8 mpg for a 30 ft. Winnebago Aspect or similiar Jayco Melbourne. Miles per year should be around 7,000 to 10,000. We seemed concerned with the high RPMs required to get up these steep grades. Are there many who drive the I-40 and I-17 to Phoenix. Sometimes down through Payson to Phoenix. Some 6/7% grades through there. Are they a problem. How does the brakes hold up on these grades. I know about dowmshifting from reading on here to help breaking. A toad may be involved later but not at first. Thanks for your thoughts and have a wonderful day with safe travels.

FATMANAR · 08-21-2011, 11:17 AM

I had a 31' Sunseeker with the V10 in it and it would run as fast as you wanted to drive it. Traveled all over western NC and eastern TN and never had a problem one with the hills. I normally got around 9 at 60 MPH 70-75 you will get somewhere around 7 MPH...good luck..

offthewall · 08-21-2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaChuck

Hello everyone, Thanks in Advance. I will try to be breif but doubt that will happen. Getting ready to retiree for the last time. We have been reading and researching the RV lifestyle for 3+ years. Decided on a class C for our travels. Great size for us and the places we want to visit. We will be traveling few times a year with one trip lasting at least a month. That month would be in AZ. Grandchildren will be with us sometimes for short stays. We pack very lightly. The major question is can a Ford V-10 gasser hold up in the mountains. We live in MI and will be making many trips that involve steep grades. I know the fuel economy will be around 8 mpg for a 30 ft. Winnebago Aspect or similiar Jayco Melbourne. Miles per year should be around 7,000 to 10,000. We seemed concerned with the high RPMs required to get up these steep grades. Are there many who drive the I-40 and I-17 to Phoenix. Sometimes down through Payson to Phoenix. Some 6/7% grades through there. Are they a problem. How does the brakes hold up on these grades. I know about dowmshifting from reading on here to help breaking. A toad may be involved later but not at first. Thanks for your thoughts and have a wonderful day with safe travels.

We had a 30'6" class c with the ford v10 - 2008. Always plenty of power. It will SCREAM at hi revs to get you up those hills. The towhaul mode is great for the decents, automatically downshifting for you. Very noisy and hot though. We were lucky to get 6.5mpg towing a Jeep Wrangler.

Hikerdogs · 08-21-2011, 11:35 AM

Our 01 Adventurer on the F53 chassis has almost 90,000 miles on the odometer. It's been to Alaska, Newfoundland, and just about everywhere in between towing either our Buick LeSabre or the Jeep Wrangler. It's been to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and all the other mountan states more times than I can count. You won't be passing anyone at 70 mpg going up the hills but you won't have any trouble keeping up with traffic either.

Going in and out of Skagway Alaska is a 12% grade for 12 miles. Ours did just fine both ways. Been to Phoenix a couple times as well. 6% and 7% grades won't give you any problems unless you're stuck in stop and go traffic. We had that happen once going up to the Johnson tunnel (Eisenhower tunnel going east). There was construction on and off for several miles. Just when you'd get up to speed everything would slow to a stop. The motorhome was up for it, but I didn't want to work it that hard so we unhooked the toad and drove seperatly. It certainly improved our uphill acceleration, and was a lot easier on the brakes.

Tha_Rooster · 08-21-2011, 12:54 PM

I had a 04 class a v10 on hwy 441 in Franklin nc all it could do in first, I thought I was going to get out and push.

macnkat · 08-21-2011, 04:32 PM

4000 RPM sounds a lot worse than it is. These engines are designed to develop max HP in that range. It sounds hard on the engine but it really isn't, it's just sucking gas by the bucket full!

offthewall · 08-21-2011, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnkat

4000 RPM sounds a lot worse than it is. These engines are designed to develop max HP in that range. It sounds hard on the engine but it really isn't, it's just sucking gas by the bucket full!

Agreed, the V10 is designed to get it's power up high and in my experience it has plenty of it. It's just loud and in an E450 van, very hot.

Cat320 · 08-21-2011, 05:46 PM

With the big gasser, you can count on three things...it'll be screaming bloody murder, the mileage will be terrible...but it'll do the job.

JimM68 · 08-21-2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat320

With the big gasser, you can count on three things...it'll be screaming bloody murder, the mileage will be terrible...but it'll do the job.

Yup. We had a 99 pace arrow, 36 feet, 22,000 pounds plus toad, 275 hp...
She would indeed do any asked of her.

**CLIFFTALL** · 08-21-2011, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimM68

Yup. We had a 99 pace arrow, 36 feet, 22,000 pounds plus toad, 275 hp...
She would indeed do any asked of her.

Mine has 362 HP. Don't even need to ask her. She just does.

Aguyfromcalg · 08-21-2011, 07:30 PM

If you are concerned about the way your V 10 handles the climbs check out the threads on five star and banks engine upgrades . I prefer if possible to just climb the mountain grades at a speed that is slower than posted speed limit. After all when I'm out in my motor home I'm not in a hurry to get where I'm going.
Enjoy your travels and post lots of pictures
Pat

Bay37QSB · 08-21-2011, 07:54 PM

We have a 37 foot Tiffin, 26,000 lbs, with the Ford V-10 and when be bought it I was very concerned about the power, weight, hills, etc where we almost didn't purchase it. Well we have owned it a little over a year now and put 10,000 miles on it, and it is really running great. We came up I-77, from NC to Virginia, and ran 65 mph all the way up the mountain. The DW even asked me to slow down.

R1Kirby · 08-22-2011, 09:15 AM

We own a 31 ft Class "C" Motor home with the triton V-10, pulling a chevy cavalier. We came across Arizona on I-40 to Flagstaff, then up to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and over to California without any problems. Our average speed was 62 mph, and average mpg was 6.7. If you are not one of those idiots that have to travel at 75 - 80 mph you should not have any problems.

garym114 · 08-22-2011, 10:03 AM

You didn't give a model year so you have information for at least three, maybe four different engine and transmission combinations.

2000 motorhome, 34 feet pulling a CRV toad, 18,000 pound chassis, same engine transmission that is in a class C.
Going up steep grades, after the climb has started I put the tranny in the gear I want, either 2 or 1 depending on grade, maintain engine rpm at 4000. I don't care what is behind or how slow I am going. It is my MH and I am going to take care of it no matter what is behind !
Going down: steep grades or long descents, The only time you should get on the brakes is to drop to a lower gear.