Looking for opinions about towing with a V10 (remember this is a gas tread,so skip the diesel info). If I get a V10, I'm thinking about a short bed 250/350 auto with 4.30 gears and probably a 2WD. Currently have a 28ft 5th wheel with a dry weight of 6,080lbs.(Outback 527rl ?), but never know what the wife might want in the future.
We are running an 05 V10 in a F250, SC, SB 4x4, with a 6spd. The most weight we have pulled with it so far is around 8k or so, but it pulls like an ox. Im sure someone will be along to say "its not a diesel......blahblahblah." The V10 is very torquey all the way throughout the RPM range, and really starts to sing at about 3k. We get around 10mpg towing at 75 with 8k in tow. Considering its only 600 bucks more than the V8, and 5k less than the PSD, it really is a great bang for your buck motor. The power and NVH levels of the truck are really spectacular. waytogo
The V10 should be able to handle 6-7K like it's a walk in the park. My dad's '98 Suburban with a measly vortec 350 and 3.73 gears can pull our 6,500lbs snowmobile trailer very well, I would imagine the V10 Ford is much stouter than a 350SBC.
I have a F-550 4x4, V-10 Auto, with 4:88 gears. I pull a 36 ft ,3 slide fifth wheel. and a 12 'tandem axle closed trailer. total gross weight is 29,500-30,000, and I run all over the country, as I travel in my work. No complaints from me, the V-10 is a good motor. Just dont expect fantastic fuel mileage, and you wont be disappointed. I have installed a Whipple supercharger on mune, and it really wakes the old girl up, but even with out it, it is a good motor.
My experience with a V-10 and towing I used a 99 XLT V-10 auto, CC long box dually, 4x4 4:30 gear, to pull my 2 car hauler, 5k lbs dry wgt, 100k miles throughout the U.S. Before you consider a short box, my trailer would not jackknife on a shortbox. Check the overhang on the front of your trailer. On one trip, I had two 5-6k lbs cars on the 5k trailer, never did that again. That trip included going through W. Virgina on I-68, never again. I changed the air box, added a superchips tuner and magna muffler. The thing I liked best was, the rear gear kept the rpms up so that I could tow at 65-70 mph in O/D. If I had any less gear, I think the weight would have forced me into 3rd gear. Mileage was about 12.5 mpg truck only, 10 mpg empty trailer, 8.5 mpg level land one car, 7 mpg two cars or pulling the grades. Stopping every 200 miles for gas was a pain. Compared to the diesel I use now, this truck was maintenance free. If you have additional questions, just ask, I have much experience with this truck.
The modular v10 is an excellent choice if your gonna get a gas rig, it has an cast iron engine block and aluminum SOHC 2-valve cylinder heads(pre '05). However try to avoid the 99-00 models because there were a few incidents where the spark plugs would blow out because the heads didnt have very may threads. They fixed all that in '01. My v10 has 4.30 gears in it and would pull a load just as good or better as any other gas truck. The 3.73 will give you better milage thou. The v10 was makiing 310 hp and 425 lbft torque back in 00-04, i know in '05 i think the torque went to 460 lbft and 4 valves per cylinder. Its a gas hogg to say the least but it gets the job done with ease. Aslo dont be afraid to really gun the v10 as it is a high revving motor and makes most if its torque around 2800-3500 rpms. You can expect the v10 with the proper care to get to 300,000 miles easily. http://www.powertechengines.com/V1068photos.htm
Thanks, Budkole for the info about your V10. With the way the good old econmy is going I'll probably shoot for a used 2006 in either 07 or early 08. Seems like a V10 3v, 5sp auto with 4.30 gear will probably be my best option considering the amount of traveling I'll get to do.
No Prob, glad i could be of help to you. waytogo the 3v's are the bomb especially with that 5 spd and 4.30's. Just for the heck of it, i may as well say it. The triton v10 totally smokes the dodge hemi in all catagories ie speed, hp, torque etc... Now the GM 8.1 big block is a totally different story. The v10 and the 8.1 are pretty neck to neck in every catagory. The new ford 5 spd and the allison share some common parts, in my opinion, they are the same tranny with very slight differences. I think that ford copied the allison to the T!!! If your not partial to Ford, the 8.1 GM is definitely worth a look too. The GM 8.1 big block also comes with same allison tranny that the duramax's come with! The only draw back is that Gm doesnt offer the 4.30's and they have been known for piston slap (not good at all) Maybe they have cleared up the piston slap issue, but if they havnt, stay away from it.
I agree, the Triton V10 walks all over the Hemi with any weight behind it. The Hemi is way over advertised, it's best suited for cars and the "throw back" pickups they are building that will never pull much. The Ford V10 is a good motor. Both the Magnum V10 in the slightly older Dodges and the Ford V10 are the best "bang for your buck" when it comes to pulling with a diesel out of the budget.
I forgot about the dodge v10 magnum, that thing is a torque monster!!! what do you think about the 8.1 big block from GM?
I think it's ok, just that. GM has definantly got the edge on the small block class. I'd take the 6.0 before the 8.1L.
l Yeah the piston slap is all fixed. My buddy is a Hummer mechanic and works on 6.0s all the time. He said the older H2s had some problems but the new ones are fine. Never heard of any of those issues with the 8.1 or any other GM gasser. Our church has an '03 15pass van with the 8.1 and an '04 with the 6.0. We use them to pull 24'-28' enclosed trailers sometimes loaded to 12k lbs over grades like the Grapevine. One of the older guys who used to drive 2.5ton trucks for the Gas Company, drives them regularly says that he thinks that the 6.0 pulls just as well as the 8.1 but at a higher RPM (5000 vs 3000) and uses less fuel. the advantage of the 8.1 is the optional Allison trans...however the 4L80E is fairly stout behind the 6.0. Just some more info to chew on waytogo
It would be akward especially for a diesel guy, but that engine is designed that way and it really shines at higher RPMs. the engine is put together with such tight tolerances that it doesnt make a differance whether you are at 3000 or 5000rpms, the engine can take it
