Ford V10 performance on grades

[matt.brown]

The wife and I are going to Alaska this summer and will be traveling through the Rocky Mountains in my 2004 31' Class C towing a 3000 lb Jeep. The coach has a 6.8L V10 rated at 305 hp. Overall weight will be under but close to the limit. Has anyone made a run through the rockies in a similar setup? If so, how did it perform?

[Gil Nelson]

My wife and I made a trip 18 months ago from Winnipeg to Newfoundland and return. We drive a 25' Class C towing a Ford Focus 2,500 to 3,000 lbs using a Blue Ox towbar and a Brake Buddy tow vehicle brake system. Part of that trip included travel on the Trans Canada Highway via Canadian Lake Superior, Gaspe Bay and Cape Breton. We encountered grades both up and down of up to 15% over short distances of 1 to 5 miles. We had no problems with the Ford V10, however you need to be patient and cautious. On steeper grades let your speed gradually bleed off until you can maintain a constant speed at a reasonable engine speed. I travel using cruise control and I had to learn to kick it off an steep grade or it would over rev the engine. Shift down on descending grades and allow the engine to brake as much as possible before applying brakes. Lastly have auxiliary braking in the towed vehicle, it makes a huge difference when you have to use brakes.

[DGShaffer]

If you haven't read my report on the 5 Star Tune modification then you should.

I didn't know I needed it until I installed it. What a wonderful thing this is for the Ford V-10

5 Star Tune

[Doug Sage]

Remember that the V10 is a higher revving engine than most traditional V8's. You need to use these extra RPMs to utilize the available power in the V10. Your Class C should do fine and be able to keep up with the trucks and other RVs, but not the cars.

[mrgarlic]

We drive a 1999 Fleetwood Tioga 29' This past summer we put on 1800 miles and traveled the Siskiyous of Nevada & California. The narrow roads at 8000 ft scared the poop out of me but we are alive and and have great memories. I don't poke along, but don't race. We got 7.8 mpg going up or down hills and or flats. The V10 will get you to the top, no problem. We don't even want to pass an 18 wheeler. I would rather have him in front. When he gets to the top, he will pass you again anyway. Summer before last we drove a 1995 Tioga 23' with a V8. We did the Rockies and over all mileage was 8.9. Take care,,,,,Larry

[billyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGShaffer If you haven't read my report on the 5 Star Tune modification then you should. I didn't know I needed it until I installed it. What a wonderful thing this is for the Ford V-10 5 Star Tune

5 star tune? i don't think so---jon quoted me 800. and a friend paid 350. whats with that?

[DGShaffer]

Who's Jon? I called them and Mike answered the phone. $350 here as well. Mike is the owner and developer of the product. I think you dialed the wrong number.

Call back and ask for Mike. Tell him about what the guy Jon told you.

[billyb]

i thoght that jon was the father

[DGShaffer]

I have no idea but Mike might have to have him put to sleep or he's going to miss out on business

[garym114]

Keep the RPMs up. I use overdrive just like another gear going up and down the grades. Use the tranny going down long grades to control speed or you will burn the brakes.

[Tiny Dog]

Have a 2008 with a V10 and have towed a 4200lb Jeep all over Colorado. Keeps the revs between 3800 and 4000 and you won't have any problems. I have pulled over Trail Ridge Pass and Independence Pass both over 12,000 feet with no problems.

[Hikerdogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt.brown The wife and I are going to Alaska this summer and will be traveling through the Rocky Mountains in my 2004 31' Class C towing a 3000 lb Jeep. The coach has a 6.8L V10 rated at 305 hp. Overall weight will be under but close to the limit. Has anyone made a run through the rockies in a similar setup? If so, how did it perform?

We've done the same trip with the 310 hp version in our Adventurer pulling a 3750 lb. Jeep with no problems. I doubt that 5 hp is going to make any difference. The only place we drove separately was out of Skagway. It's a 12% grade for 12 miles. I think the motorhome would have done fine but we didn't want to take any chances.
As it turned out it was a fogged in day when we left. To make things more exciting there was a bike tour coming down the mountain at the same time we were going up. We could see all of 10 feet in front of us so it was a heart stopping surprise every time a bicycle went the other way at about 50 mph.

In addition to the Alaska trip we've put on almost 100,000 miles through all kinds of terrain pulling either the Jeep or a Buick LeSabre on a dolly. It's been over the Rockies at least half a dozen times. Up to Newfoundland, down to Florida and just about everywhere in between.

You'll do just fine. Take your time and enjoy the scenery. If you're like most of us you'll only go there once. It would be a shame to miss the best parts because you're racing up and down the hills.

[frankdamp]

We don't yet have a toad. Our 02 Georgetown (F53 V-10) has had no problems whatever with the grades in the Cascade mountains of Washington. Climbing Washington Pass on SR20 last summer, we kept a steady 35-40 mph, with the transmission in 3rd gear most of the time, pulling about 3500 rpm. No overheating issues, no grief at all. I think we could put a toad on the back without changing the equation into a negative result.

There are just two of us, plus a 70-lb Labrador, and we only go out for 5 days at a time, so we're probably well below the rig's GVWR.

[mrgarlic]

I don't many others commenting on their mileage. So far, I haven't met anyone that gets much more than 8 mpg, mine again is 99 29' class C.