e450 fords v10

I've read lots of posts from folks who complain that their V-10 with the 5 speed Torque Shift trans tends to hunt excessively downshifting from 5th to 4th or even 3rd gear. The Banks system is touted as a solution but never having had the problem I see no need. Perhaps Ford managed to correct this in the 2011 model as that is what my chassis is and I have no such issues whatsoever.

I run with Tow Haul engaged all of the time. The vast majority of our cruising is at 2,200 rpm in 5th gear and about 60- 63 mph At 3,200 rpm I getting the max torque of 420 pounds {max hp comes along at 4,350}, and this is usually sufficient to climb all but the longest and steepest grades in 4th gear.

Once in a blue moon it will downshift to 3rd and the rpm climb to about 4,200 - 4,400 but this usually lasts about a minute, perhaps 2 at the very most. Engine noise is negligible {another complaint you hear here that I do not experience and we do not get excessive heat in the cab either}, go figure. :)

Bottom line I could not be more satisfied with the performance, ride and handling of my E-350, oh by the way... for the last nearly 4 years and 36,000+ miles we have averaged a very consistent 9.5 mpg including 62 hours of generator run time. As a matter of fact it is sitting out front, the frig chilling down nicely as we load for a 5 day trip to the White mountains, leaving early tomorrow morning.

It's just about time to go load the Harley onto the Kendon trailer and head up to Big Lake at 9,200' where highs will be in the upper 70's {but 105+ back here at home}. works for me!

:B

DrewE wrote:
Both have a rather annoyingly large gap between the top two ratios that are most used for highway driving.

Any large gap annoyance I haven't noticed at all.

My situation may be because our Class C is a small one - with less weight being pulled by the E450's lower (than the E350's) rear differential ratio of 4:56. Hence, more torque at the rear wheels per pound of vehicle weight could be what I'm feeling.

For some strange reason, our transmission driveability situation has improved after replacing our original 5R110 tranny with a remanufactured heavy duty 5R110 version.

Having had a 2014 F-250 with the 6R140 tramsmission, I can say it's a LOT better than the 5 speed. Ford has been using it in their Superduty F series since 2011. I can't figure out why it took so long to get it behind the V-10 in the E series. The "manual" shift feature is great, and it almost acts like a clutchless manual transmission. I had it behind a 6.2 gas engine, and it worked great both uphill and down.

pnichols wrote:
I don't know what beginning year "new" refers to regarding the F250, F550, F650, and F750 models, but as I understand it the really big change to the 5-speed (with 6 internal ratios available under certain temperature conditions) computer controlled 5R110 TorqShift transmisson with the Tow/Haul mode was first introduced in the E-Series vans in model 2005. Some years after 2005 the E-Series vans were fitted with a transmission that uses 6-speeds all the time.

The 6 speed 6R140 transmission introduced to the E series in I think 2016 (but used in the F series for some years previously) is not really closely related to the 5R110. It has completely different gear ratios, and the six ratios are nicely and evenly spaced. I would consider it as much an upgrade from the 5R110 as it was over the 4R100, maybe even more so.

The 4R100 (older four speed) and 5R110 appear to be quite similar internally, the added gear being between first and second on the four speed but otherwise having the same gear ratios. The control computer for the 5 speed is in my opinion the more important improvement. Both have a rather annoyingly large gap between the top two ratios that are most used for highway driving.

I don't know what beginning year "new" refers to regarding the F250, F550, F650, and F750 models, but as I understand it the really big change to the 5-speed (with 6 internal ratios available under certain temperature conditions) computer controlled 5R110 TorqShift transmisson with the Tow/Haul mode was first introduced in the E-Series vans in model 2005. Some years after 2005 the E-Series vans were fitted with a transmission that uses 6-speeds all the time.

That "new" transmission is what they have been using in Super Duty (F250 through F550) and Medium Duty (F650 - F750) for several years. It has proved to be bullet proof.

pnichols wrote:
Since this is a Class C motorhome forum, the OP is probably referring to driving a Ford E450 based 2012 RV. If so, it will have a TorqShift automatic computer controlled transmission in it with it's push button controlled Tow/Haul mode.

For the potentially dangerous situation of descending hills in a 11,000 lb to 14,500 lb. Class C E450 based RV, the Tow/Haul mode in these motorhome transmissions works splendidly. When going down hills, there is no need to have one's attention diverted to reaching for gear shift levers/pads/buttons once, or more times, while going down a grade. In fact, there isn't even any need for turning Tow/Haul mode "ON" at all in these modern Ford E450 transmissions whenever going down hills - just leave the transmission "IN" Tow/Haul mode all the time. This then gives you BOTH engine braking when slowing down in normal driving plus .... engine braking when going down hills. It's all automatic so you can keep your eye and concentration on the road at all times - while reducing repair costs for brake pad replacement.

I've driven standard transmission vehicles for many years - including trucks with the long manual shift floor lever and high performance sports cars with flick-of-the-wrist short manual shift levers - and believe me, it's a distraction to have to pay attention to what gear you should, or shouldn't, be in.

Automatic transmissions make driving safer and treat engines and their drive trains better.

X2 What he said.... :C

tioga28c wrote:
i have a 2012 6.0 vortec 6 gear trans that can be controlled on the shift lever .

does any one know if this change in transmissions helped on this.

i also hear complaints that the ford is hard to handle in wind .Any input appreciated

Yes it helped some....since the first down shift is not as abrupt and the RPM increase is not quite as much.

Since you have one.......if you drive in an area that is mostly flat, going about 65 MPH and you come upon a long overpass with the cruise control ON, will it downshift right before reaching the top of the hill ?? THAT is the problem. If yours doesn't do that, then they fixed it.

Even on the older models, it is NOT a problem if you drive without the cruise control ON. And that can be fixed somewhat with an engine controller re-programming. As a practical matter though, you still can't use the cruise once you get into the foothills of an actual mountain range.

Then ALL vehicles with a large side profile are "hard to handle in the wind". The Fords were/are hard to handle on a flat straight with NO wind. That is fixable too with an alignment change.

I think some of the comments about the Ford's behaviors are partly because the V10 is a high-revving engine by nature, and so it's very obvious and occasionally annoying when it does downshift. An engine with ten cylinders whirring away at 4000 rpm a foot from your knee is not subtle. The transmissions themselves work fine, and act as most any reasonable automatic acts. There are times when using the cruise control, when they will decide to downshift about when one reaches the crest of a hill.

The older four and five speed Ford transmissions (which are pretty closely related designs) have a rather sizable jump between the two two gears which are, of course, the ones that mainly get used for highway driving. The new six speed is an improvement in that regard; the gears are more evenly spread out than on the five speed.

I don't find my '98 class C, built on a Ford chassis, particularly tough to handle in winds. It does get blown around some in side winds, as would any vehicle with that much cross-sectional area, but I haven't found it unexpectedly hard to manage or ill-behaved. There does come a point with most any vehicle where it's wiser to wait out very high winds, and that point does come sooner with tall vehicles.

Probably the best way to answer your questions would be to test drive the motorhome you're considering, preferably over some varied terrain.

Since this is a Class C motorhome forum, the OP is probably referring to driving a Ford E450 based 2012 RV. If so, it will have a TorqShift automatic computer controlled transmission in it with it's push button controlled Tow/Haul mode.

For the potentially dangerous situation of descending hills in a 11,000 lb to 14,500 lb. Class C E450 based RV, the Tow/Haul mode in these motorhome transmissions works splendidly. When going down hills, there is no need to have one's attention diverted to reaching for gear shift levers/pads/buttons once, or more times, while going down a grade. In fact, there isn't even any need for turning Tow/Haul mode "ON" at all in these modern Ford E450 transmissions whenever going down hills - just leave the transmission "IN" Tow/Haul mode all the time. This then gives you BOTH engine braking when slowing down in normal driving plus .... engine braking when going down hills. It's all automatic so you can keep your eye and concentration on the road at all times - while reducing repair costs for brake pad replacement.

I've driven standard transmission vehicles for many years - including trucks with the long manual shift floor lever and high performance sports cars with flick-of-the-wrist short manual shift levers - and believe me, it's a distraction to have to pay attention to what gear you should, or shouldn't, be in.

Automatic transmissions make driving safer and treat engines and their drive trains better.