Anyone have a ford V10? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

dkillianjr · 08-18-2009, 07:07 PM

Hey guys, I'm really starting to consider a new truck to tow my dump trailer a little better. I would love a diesel, but that extra $8000.00 is a killer. I was looking at some fords with the v10 and 4.10 gears. Does anyone have a v10 how are they towing? Espessially up a grade, I have a lot of hills around here. I'm not worried about loads of garbage, but occasionally I haul dirt and gravel those loads are almost 10,000lbs usually. I borrow my dads truck now when I have a real heavy load he has a gmc2500hd with the 6.0 gas and struggles a little up a long grade with those 10,000lb loads. Any advice would be great guys.

Thanks, Dave

BCConstruction · 08-18-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkillianjr

Hey guys, I'm really starting to consider a new truck to tow my dump trailer a little better. I would love a diesel, but that extra $8000.00 is a killer. I was looking at some fords with the v10 and 4.10 gears. Does anyone have a v10 how are they towing? Espessially up a grade, I have a lot of hills around here. I'm not worried about loads of garbage, but occasionally I haul dirt and gravel those loads are almost 10,000lbs usually. I borrow my dads truck now when I have a real heavy load he has a gmc2500hd with the 6.0 gas and struggles a little up a long grade with those 10,000lb loads. Any advice would be great guys.

Thanks, Dave

The V10 is a beast. Pretty much same TQ as a TD. I know lots of guys on the Ford forums with them and they swear by them also. Esp for towing trailers

dayexco · 08-18-2009, 07:22 PM

just have a 110 gallon L shaped gas tank in the back end....for when you're loaded, or empty

oldfrt · 08-18-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkillianjr

Hey guys, I'm really starting to consider a new truck to tow my dump trailer a little better. I would love a diesel, but that extra $8000.00 is a killer. I was looking at some fords with the v10 and 4.10 gears. Does anyone have a v10 how are they towing? Espessially up a grade, I have a lot of hills around here. I'm not worried about loads of garbage, but occasionally I haul dirt and gravel those loads are almost 10,000lbs usually. I borrow my dads truck now when I have a real heavy load he has a gmc2500hd with the 6.0 gas and struggles a little up a long grade with those 10,000lb loads. Any advice would be great guys.

Thanks, Dave

I bought the V-10 last Dec. and have used it twice for towing.
I believe all the new F-series come with the tow package so set up is limited to buying your ball hitch.
The tranny is a six speed with a switch to towing mode built in.
Granted I only towed a small backhoe on a 17' trailer,but shifting was timely and responsive with the usual drop in gas mileage.
Not sure what the gears are but I average 11.2mph ,regular driving.

But with a 10,000lb load,I'd consider the deisel.

serrano · 08-18-2009, 07:43 PM

Have 1 e-350,4 speed auto w trailer mode,4.10 rear.Set up for roofing.normal wght driving around with tools 9300lb,plus pulls a 10k trailer.ave about 8mpg.Doesnt change much emty,full city hwy.You almost feel guilty at times when weighing almost 19k combined the truck/trailer,chassis feels maxed but the motor wants more.The power of this moter is under utilized in this vehicle because of the weight restriction of the chassis.All of the guys prefer this truck over the identical deisel van that we have.

oldfrt · 08-18-2009, 07:47 PM

Dk,

Here are the Ford specs;http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...ailerGuide.pdf

paqes 18and19

Kgmz · 08-18-2009, 08:10 PM

We have a 1999 Itasca Motorhome on a Ford chassis with a V10. When pulling our 25 ft box trailer loaded with snowmobiles we are at 20,000 to 21,000lbs for the whole setup, 14,000 for the motorhome and 6,500 to 7,000 for the trailer. I can pull the steepest passes around the NW at a minimum of 45 mph, and usually this speed is because of the curves. And since this is a 1999 model the horsepower is only 275.

dkillianjr · 08-18-2009, 08:12 PM

Thanks guys for all the info so far!

day, thats what i keep hearing

thanks for those specs oldfrt!

Well I guess in all honesty I will really only be towing something around 10,000lbs once a month if even that. Most loads are really probly an average of 5,000lbs-6,000lbs. at the most. Now my truck has a 302 with 3.55 gears and that thing is pinned to the floor with the loaded trailer up the grades all the time!

Dave

HusqyPro · 08-18-2009, 08:17 PM

Out of curiosity, how does that motorhome handle in the snow and ice? Tail get loose? Get stuck a lot?

Kgmz · 08-18-2009, 08:32 PM

Actually it has never been a problem, in the last 10 years I have only had to chain up once and this was because of severe ice. We also have mud & snow rated tires on it all the way around. The weight and the tires help a lot, and I have driven through some very bad and deep snow.

But I used to haul heavy equipment back in the early 90's when contruction got slow in the winter back and forth from Seattle and Portland through Idaho and to Montana and Wyoming. Had to do something to make those big truck payments. So winter driving does not bother me as long as everyone stays out of the way, meaning those pesky 4 wheelers spinning out in front of me.

Also have never been stuck, even when we had over 2 feet of snow overnight. The pic I posted is right after the snow plows cleaned up the snopark after a severe storm. The snow on top of the motorhome was over 2 feet and completely covered the satellite dish. When it is snowing like this I will move the motorhome and trailer back and forth a couple of times a day to keep a trail clear so I can get a running start when we leave. When the snowplows came I just pulled out and waited on the other side for them to clean the lot up, but a few other were stuck and had to chain up to get moving.

Kgmz · 08-18-2009, 08:51 PM

Bob, we have been snowmobiling all around you the past 10 years. Here is a map of areas and trails we have covered in your area. We usually take 2 or 3 months off in the winter to go snowmobiling and skiing. Have covered just about every area in the NW, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. Still haven't hit every trail in Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, and New Mexico, but working on it.

HusqyPro · 08-18-2009, 08:54 PM

I'm familiar with that area. Take my 4x4 Ford back behind Bovill quite a bit. No snowmobiling though. Too cold. You should give me a call next time you're in the area. We can do lunch in Moscow. Teds is closed now, but there is always Zips.

Kgmz · 08-18-2009, 08:58 PM

I may be through there this winter, and will be stopping in Pullman to see my nephew. He is going to WSU, electrical engineering. Just depends on if we get a good snow year around here. If not will be heading where the good snow is, maybe Colorado, Utah.

HusqyPro · 08-18-2009, 09:01 PM

You can always roll south to Lewiston to get out of the snow. When it snows on the mountain it usually rains in the valley. Stop in at Folletts to get some snowmobiling supplies and the Chinese buffet to get some food.

woodchuck2 · 08-18-2009, 10:46 PM

A friend of mine has an 08 F-350 RCLB 4X4 with the V-10, he loves the power but hates the gas milage. He too couldnt justify the expense of the diesel option because he trades his trucks every 2 yrs or so. He used to have a 2003 F-350 with the 7.3 and he wishes he never traded it. The V-10 has gotten a best of 11mpg on open highway empty, the 7.3 got 20-22mpg empty on open highway and it was a CCSB 4X4 that obviously was larger/heavier. The gassers may be able to pull the weight but it wont be without high RPM and alot of shifting. Towing my mini-ex on a good grade the tranny will only downshift out of overdrive into 5th gear and i still get 10-12mpg towing it. No gasser will do that IMO. How long you plan to keep the truck and the amount of towing can be the deciding factor when it comes to the extra expense of the diesel option. For me the better fuel milage over the long haul will pay for that option and is why i now have 2 D-Max's.

dkillianjr · 08-18-2009, 11:00 PM

Thanks kgmz, nice rv I bet those snowmobiles are a good time

Thanks woodchuck, I probly looking to keep the truck for a while. I'm already used to bad towing milage

Mainly I really only tow a really heavy load not even once a month I am just worried about beating on the gasser to much.

Dave

woodchuck2 · 08-18-2009, 11:18 PM

I used to work for GM so i knew what problems i would have with the D-Max's. Ford IMO doesnt have a good diesel and hasnt since the 7.3, Dodge has a great diesel but cant seem to put a good truck around it " i also worked for Dodge too". The D-Max's have the Allison tranny, you just cant go wrong with it. GM has a bad rap for front suspension problems but IMO they all have front end problems in one way or another. Between my 2 D-Max's the only front end part the has been replaced in one outer tie rod on the ECSB. The ECSB has plowed 4 winters now and the RCLB had a badly worn plow on it when i bought it so i am sure it has plowed since day one.

Problems/complaints so far overall:
2006 ECSB with 80k miles- 2 intermediate steering shafts, tranny cooler lines, leaky steering box, 2 radio's, HVAC blower motor resistor and wire harness, blown head gasket which required 2 new heads, one tail lamp bulb, 2 glow plugs and glow plug module.

2006 RCLB with 45k miles- one tail lamp bulb.

Total cost of all repairs out of my pocket to dealer was $100 so far. But i do have GMPP extended warranty on the ECSB and obviously i use it.

woodchuck2 · 08-18-2009, 11:23 PM

Also both trucks average 10-14mpg towing but that varies with the weight being towed and terrain. Empty i have gotten up to 22mpg on trips and around home i average 15-18mpg depending on driving habits. The ECSB "the truck in my avatar" has an exhaust, air box mod and tuner, and it is fast. Imagine breaking the tires loose at 20mph while rolling

. That trucks fuel milage tends to be lower from the heavy right foot.

mendelectric · 08-19-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldfrt

I bought the V-10 last Dec. and have used it twice for towing.
I believe all the new F-series come with the tow package so set up is limited to buying your ball hitch.
The tranny is a six speed with a switch to towing mode built in.
Granted I only towed a small backhoe on a 17' trailer,but shifting was timely and responsive with the usual drop in gas mileage.
Not sure what the gears are but I average 11.2mph ,regular driving.

But with a 10,000lb load,I'd consider the deisel.

I got the V10 in 97..cutaway Aerocell, always loaded to the T. Couldnt pack enough in here to shut her up. Towed weekly 7000lb scissor lift.....135k on her. Only changed the alt in first 7 yrs, but thats cause I ran it down so many times with the inverter. Shes not sayin much since she spit the P-rod on #1 in June and blew her block.

Took great care of that pig (truck) and this is how she repays me.. Im bitter but im not fixin that thing. Would be 7-8K for rebuilt. Im in the hunt for a new setup, gonna go all out this time. May go get the same in the E450 this time.

hughjazz · 08-19-2009, 09:24 AM

with the v10 just remember, they make power at 3500 rpm and up.

so you have to wind em up to make decent numbers.

on the other hand. these modular motors LOVE to rev.