Ford 5.4 in some of the smaller rigs?

You would be surprised how few makers create E-450 motorhomes on a chassis 6 feet or smaller. As far as I've seen, Lazy Daze, Phoenix Cruiser, and Nexus RV will do it, but it is a custom order.

Some people prefer the 'better mileage' found with the 5.4L engine. If you plan on towing, you will like the power of the V10 a lot.

I just checked the weight on my E-450 and found that I only have about 3,000 pounds on the front axle, and 6,600 on the rear axle. While well under my GVWR of 14,000+ pounds, I am concerned about it being to light on the steering axle.

I will not need to worry about lack of braking while towing a small trailer without brakes, as my brakes are rated at the full 14,500 GVWR + 1,500 additional weight of a un-braked trailer.

However the detail I do not like is the 2001 E-450 came with a 4.30:1 rear axle ratio. SO I get 8 MPG and in the city even less. I sort of wish I had a 3.55:1 rear axle due to the van being so lightweight. Even a 3.73:1 rear axle would provide great mileage while still being in overdrive at highway speeds.

On my 120 mile trip today, it would hold in overdrive at 40 MPH if I was not pushing the gas very hard, even on a slight grade. I had to remember to lock out overdrive on the city streets to avoid lugging the engine at 35 MPH on city streets.

You might want to check the weight of the E-350 that you are looking at. If you want to tow a heavy trailer, and the van does not have an extra 1,400 pounds of cargo rating, and an extra 1,200 pounds for the rear axle without being overloaded, then you might consider ordering your short RV on a E-450 chassis. This will provide a 9,000 pound rated rear axle, while overall weight between the E-350 and E-450 dually is nominal. That super heavy duty rear axle can be loaded up while towing something like a toy hauler or cargo trailer with 1,200 pounds of hitch weight, or horse trailer with 1,400 pounds of hitch weight, and not overload the tires or rear axle ratings!



Good luck,

Fred.

There was a day--- 70's & 80's when 350 Chevy; 351 Ford and 360 Dodge V8's were the common; with 2 or 4 barrel carbs pushing out 150 HP thru 3 speed transmissions.... So yea a 265 HP 5.4L V8 with EFI and OBDII technology are more than up for the task!

We have the 5.4 L, 255 HP V8. Picture of the rig in the signature.
I am very satisfied with it. Never in a hurry when in the MH anyway. We have driven in the mountains quite a bit: Jasper, Lake Louise, highway 1 to Vancouver.

An interesting observation: the current Ford V8 is rated for 255 HP. The original version of the V10 in my 32' class C motorhome is rated for 265 HP.

HP numbers are not the complete story, of course, not by a long shot; the gearing and powerbands and such also matter a great deal for performance and perceived performance. That said, I have no trouble believing that the current V8 would be perfectly adequate for a small or medium sized class C, even when towing something reasonably modest. I certainly find my motorhome to have sufficient power, and it's not that small (32' overall, and about as aerodynamic as a barn door). I don't win races, but I don't generally hold up traffic either.

I had and loved the 5.4 in my F-150 SCab towing a 5,000# TT for 5 years. We now have a 24' C, E-350 (11,500# GVWR), with the V-10. I recently added a small trailer to haul my motorcycle (trailer and bike weigh 850#), and it tows like a dream.



IMHO: If you are looking at C's under 20' and will never tow anything the 5.4 will get the job done but... if you ever envision towing anything or need more than 20' of C get the V-10.

:C

I think it just depends on how you're planning on using the motorhome. Some people report being happy with the 5.4. Towards the smaller end, more lightly loaded, not usually towing. Used in areas without big mountains-trips to ocean in flat areas. People who don't mind slowing on mountains and gearing down. Probably a MPG or two better on the flats without wind.

All that--I have the 24' V10 E450 light class C usually not towing. Engine power is fine-certainly not overpowered at all. The larger higher torque engine will tend to keep the speeds up and the RPM down.

Not a concern, just pay attention to the "rated load limit". If you need more, then a V10 may be the way to go.

People say the same thing about the "small" V10 when it's carrying around 30k lbs.