Ford v10 or gm 8.1 liter class A

Depends on what you find in attach that you light most. We pick the coach and the engine came along with it. Our is a 99 V10. No more issues with it and our neighbors V8.

I've owned both V-10, and GM, Chevy 496 CI, 8.1 Vortec in coaches that I owned. I liked both engines. The RV I currently own is equipped with the Big Block Chevy 8.1 and I really like it! IMHO either engine would be a good choice.

They are both good combinations
Depends on your preference Ford or Chevy
Look for a good floor plan where the Wife is Happy
Things are good when she is happy

PS - Love my 8.1L Chevy but I'm a Chevy guy had a few Fords never again

I have owned both, 1st was a 8.1 2002 and now the V-10 2008, let me be the 1st to say if its older than 2006 than the 8.1 would be a better choice if it had the Alison trans and 2006 and newer I would go with the V-10..

I've had both, the 8.1 and two versions/years of the V10. Personally, I prefer the Ford chassis and the V-10 engine series,by a wide margin, but only you can make that decision. Test drive both. Even though the better quality of the coaches was an '04 37DB Tiffin Allegro Bay, I did not care at all for the 8.1 and it's Allison transmission. Far too much engine and tranny noise, to much road wander, and had poor fuel economy, avg 5.5 to 6 even though the wife and I are conservative drivers. On the V-10s, I had one of the early, lower HP version in a 31KS Coachman Class C. Never had a problem with it and we got 8 to 10.5 mpg. I've had the higher HP V-10, first in a Vista 26P and now in a Sunstar 35F and am very please with it as well. At first I thought that it was a little gas thirsty, but it was a new unit and we're just now getting it broken in. We also towing an '07 Focus and we are getting just over 7 mpg, so I fell that probably within what it should be.

For those with the V-10, how is it pulling a toad over a grade? My dentist (an avid fisherman and Rver, somewhere on this forum) highly urged me to stay away from the V-10 and go diesel. His complaint was the pulling power over a grade. He had his hand in my mouth and was drilling a tooth at the time so I was certain to agree with him. How is your V-10 over a grade? I am sure it has to do with your rigs weight, etc., but on the average, how is it?

No problems going up any grade, maybe not at 75mph, but I have made it up all I have been on.

V-10 going over a grade with a toad is no worse than the 8.1, but it all depends on the weight of RV and toad, my 08 V-10 on a 32 ft motorhome and a Jeep as a toad does real good, 45-55 mph even on the steep grades.

timmac wrote:
V-10 going over a grade with a toad is no worse than the 8.1, but it all depends on the weight of RV and toad, my 08 V-10 on a 32 ft motorhome and a Jeep as a toad does real good, 45-55 mph even on the steep grades.

That's about the same as my 35 ft V-10 gets pulling the Focus on a Dolly.

Either engine will need to make some higher RPM's in the hills.