New 2017 F53 V10 HP

[C-Leigh Racing]

Question,
Has Ford lowered the HP on the new V10 engine, in the class A coaches ?.
Wife looking at a new 3306 Bay Star by Newmar & it is being listed as having only 320 HP, not the 362 HP as before. Wondering if that could be a typo in the listing & nobodys caught the error yet.
Thanks, Neil

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by C-Leigh Racing

Question,
Has Ford lowered the HP on the new V10 engine, in the class A coaches ?.
Wife looking at a new 3306 Bay Star by Newmar & it is being listed as having only 320 HP, not the 362 HP as before. Wondering if that could be a typo in the listing & nobodys caught the error yet.
Thanks, Neil

As I understand it 320 Hp is the rated output of the 2016/7 V 10 engine.

2017 Ford Stripped Chassis F-53 Motorhome | Model Details | Ford.com

According to the articles I've read on the subject the engine is essentially the same. However to meet the newest emission standards it is certified at a lower RPM than previous years. Given that the newest models also include a 6 speed transmission the performance is equal to or slightly better than the pervious model years.

[Tom 62]

I had a 2015 with the 5 speed and 362 hp. I know have a 2017 with the new 6 speed and 320 hp. Its a big change in performance. I live in Washington state. We just took a trip over snoqualmie pass and 2 smaller mountan passes going into lower Eastern Wa. WOW......towing a small car I took all the passes at 50-65 mph with ease.

[Tricolor]

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

According to the articles I've read on the subject the engine is essentially the same. However to meet the newest emission standards it is certified at a lower RPM than previous years. Given that the newest models also include a 6 speed transmission the performance is equal to or slightly better than the pervious model years.

The important value is the torque and it remains (almost) unchanged... 457 vs 460.

[Yellowboat]

I too live in Washington state and I have a 2016 Winnebago Sightseer 33C with a six speed transmission. This summer we circled the United States.

We started our trip heading south over the Siskiyou mountains. When we arrived in Redding, CA we had a major water leak in our shower. I decided to head home so back over the Siskiyou mountains. In about two weeks we were fixed so we headed south over the Siskiyou mountains once again.

In Virginia and West Virginia we were in a different kind of mountains. Not as high as the Western mountains but just a challenging. These mountains were steep and up and down, one after another.

Then on to the Rockies on I90 with mountains similar to the Siskiyou mountains.

Because of the six speed transmission my 2016 Ford V10 performed better than our 2006 Ford chassis with a five speed transmission. Because of the extra gear the V10 no longer screams up a hill at 5,300 RPM's. We now climb at a top RPM of 4,300. The cab is a lot quieter with the lower RPM's.

I didn't notice any change in performance due to a horsepower change. In fact with an extra gear my six speed out performs my five speed.

I ordered our 2016 from Winnebago with the options that we wanted. I also had the dealer install a Roadmaster trac bar, a Roadmaster rear sway bar, and a Safe-T-Plus steering dampener upon receipt of the MH. I had these aftermarket parts on my 2006 Ford F53 chassis as well.

The drivability of the 2016 six speed Ford chassis is so much better than my previous 2006 chassis. There was a lot of white knuckle driving in our 2006 that is gone in our 2016. I'm far more relaxed when driving this new RV.

Safe travels. JD

[C-Leigh Racing]

Thanks folks, looks like the lower HP rating for the new V10 is for the good. Less RPM, less noise in the front & a bit better performance, sounds like a winner to me.
Ford Motor Company or their engineers, have got to have somebody reading our post about the F53, because the improvements are going in the right direction. Now, if we could just get an on board air compressor, to operate an air ride system man we would really be rating up there.
Neil

[House Husband]

Neil,

Here is a link to the FMCA forum about emergency brakes on the newer 16,000 & 18,000 lb. chassis.
Just thought you need to know, while shopping.
Question About Ford F53 Chassis Parking Brake - Chassis - FMCA Motorhome Forums

Richard

[C-Leigh Racing]

Thanks Richard.
Interesting about the parking brake systems. Our old 99 has the drive line type & has work proper every time. I've even let the coach slightly roll just a bit & then locked it down & it stopped the coach from rolling quick.
I remember this type of drive line braking system, on trucks from back in the early 50s, so I guess Ford thought is was still good or couldnt come up with anything better.
Neil

[AITG]

Originally Posted by C-Leigh Racing

Thanks Richard.
Interesting about the parking brake systems. Our old 99 has the drive line type & has work proper every time. I've even let the coach slightly roll just a bit & then locked it down & it stopped the coach from rolling quick.
I remember this type of drive line braking system, on trucks from back in the early 50s, so I guess Ford thought is was still good or couldnt come up with anything better.
Neil

One serious limitation to the driveshaft parking brake is the fact that both rear wheels MUST be on the ground for it to work. If you raise one wheel (to change a tire) the differential will let the other side rotate freely without moving the driveshaft. This is one situation in which you MUST block the wheel to prevent the vehicle from moving.

[Yellowboat]

Ed Rzepka posted that he had a rear differential seal leak that soaked his parking brake pads causing the parking brake to not hold.

I noticed a drop of oil behind our MH just after parking so I crawled under and I saw that my differential seal was leaking. My leak did cause my parking brake to slip. I have a 22K chassis.

My dealership replaced my seal and cleaned the brake pads. My parking brake now holds much better.

IMHO a driveline parking brake is not the best design to immobilize a vehicle. It may be a good deaign to lower manufacturing costs.

Safe travels. JD

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by Yellowboat

Ed Rzepka posted that he had a rear differential seal leak that soaked his parking brake pads causing the parking brake to not hold.

I noticed a drop of oil behind our MH just after parking so I crawled under and I saw that my differential seal was leaking. My leak did cause my parking brake to slip. I have a 22K chassis.

My dealership replaced my seal and cleaned the brake pads. My parking brake now holds much better.

IMHO a driveline parking brake is not the best design to immobilize a vehicle. It may be a good deaign to lower manufacturing costs.

Safe travels. JD

Over the years there have been many different "parking brake" designs. They range from cable operated drums, to earlier versions of the drive shaft brake, to cable operated pads on rear rotors. Each has had both positive and negative features. The ZF drive shaft mounted one is probably one of the more expensive and more complicated ones to either repair or replace.

My guess would be that the newer rear wheel drum/shoe system is a less expensive alternative that and will hold less weight. Thus the reason it is installed on the smaller chassis. If you noticed it's only used on the 16,000 lb. and 18,000 lb. chassis. The 20,500, 22,000, 24,000 and 26,000 lb. chassis still use the ZF drive shaft assembly.

[jpstakun]

Originally Posted by Yellowboat

I too live in Washington state and I have a 2016 Winnebago Sightseer 33C with a six speed transmission. This summer we circled the United States.

We started our trip heading south over the Siskiyou mountains. When we arrived in Redding, CA we had a major water leak in our shower. I decided to head home so back over the Siskiyou mountains. In about two weeks we were fixed so we headed south over the Siskiyou mountains once again.

In Virginia and West Virginia we were in a different kind of mountains. Not as high as the Western mountains but just a challenging. These mountains were steep and up and down, one after another.

Then on to the Rockies on I90 with mountains similar to the Siskiyou mountains.

Because of the six speed transmission my 2016 Ford V10 performed better than our 2006 Ford chassis with a five speed transmission. Because of the extra gear the V10 no longer screams up a hill at 5,300 RPM's. We now climb at a top RPM of 4,300. The cab is a lot quieter with the lower RPM's.

I didn't notice any change in performance due to a horsepower change. In fact with an extra gear my six speed out performs my five speed.

I ordered our 2016 from Winnebago with the options that we wanted. I also had the dealer install a Roadmaster trac bar, a Roadmaster rear sway bar, and a Safe-T-Plus steering dampener upon receipt of the MH. I had these aftermarket parts on my 2006 Ford F53 chassis as well.

The drivability of the 2016 six speed Ford chassis is so much better than my previous 2006 chassis. There was a lot of white knuckle driving in our 2006 that is gone in our 2016. I'm far more relaxed when driving this new RV.

Safe travels. JD

You really let the engine scream at 5300 rpm?? I never let it go above 4000; most of the time it's less than 3500 when climbing hills. That's the sweet spot on the torque curve. If the rig slows down, then downshift to a lower gear. Sure, you'll go a little slower, but so what. It's only temporary until you get to the top of the hill. A lot of folks seem to think motorhomes should have the performance of a Corvette. NOT.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by jpstakun

You really let the engine scream at 5300 rpm?? I never let it go above 4000; most of the time it's less than 3500 when climbing hills. That's the sweet spot on the torque curve. If the rig slows down, then downshift to a lower gear. Sure, you'll go a little slower, but so what. It's only temporary until you get to the top of the hill. A lot of folks seem to think motorhomes should have the performance of a Corvette. NOT.

I often do. 4800 rpm is about 40 mph.

I have the first version of the V10 with a 4 speed trans and it makes its power up there.

If I didn't, I'd be in loosing speed and need to go down to first gear. Then it takes twice as long, at a little lower rpm.