humbled on the hill

Vulcaneer wrote:
But I didn't care. I kept running at 4,000 RPM. Engine screaming in 3rd gear, Couldn't hear the radio, Wife screaming, Trans Temps climbing, watching the speedo to make sure it was holding speed. Finger on the hazard switch in case it dropped under 45 MPH. Pretty hectic in my truck. I completed the pass alright. Me driving like hell. A little sweat rolling down my brow.

Boy, you oughta get a Pulitzer in the fiction category for a drama story like this....

On the other hand, if it happened just like you said, why didn't you just stay in the right lane and go up the hill a little slower and a little more comfortably?

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, having never driven a Ford V-10...going up a hill in the burb never produces that kind of noise and/or stress.

4x4ord wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
Heavy load with 3.55 gears and you expect performance? They make those higher gear ratios for a reason.

Assuming the engine torque remains flat, which I believe is close, between 2000 and 2650 rpm, a downshift into third would have increased the rear wheel torque by about 30%. A 3.73 rear axle and smaller tires would allow the truck to stay in 4th but would only give it about a 12% increase in rear wheel torque.

This is exactly right! Gear it like a diesel and let it run like a diesel. A downshift even on every hill won't hurt a thing and you'll get better mileage overall towing or solo. It's why I like the 3.73 with my little grocery getter.

Great thread! Have enjoyed it all. Never underestimate what an F150 can do (With a running start ;) ), If he would have got slowed by a semi, or another RV'er etc you would have left him behind though...BTDT. I love how quiet my new 6.2 truck is, but boy the 5.4 in my old f150 sure would scream going up the hills.

I feel our truck wants to hold 5th gear when it would be best to downshift to 4th and run freer . I don't like a lugging sound. right or wrong this is how I do it. I always think this isn't the last climb I want to do don't try to kill the truck. yep I tow like an older feller.
chevman

4x4ord wrote:


The selector was in drive. I have noticed several times that the Ford transmission doesn't choose the right gear. I have never seen my GM in the wrong gear. Its one of the few flaws I see in the truck.

These trucks have an adapt(learning) transmission computer that will react based on your typical driving style. So if you are generally fairly easy on the truck and decided to get willy nilly, it will not respond correctly the first time.

4x4ord wrote:


Tuning is something I have wondered about. Did you gain any mileage? I guess with a 210 tune you must have deleted as well? Did you go 5" exhaust? Does the Spartan program cause your mpg meter to be untrustworthy? I really appreciate how quiet the new Fords are and would have a terrible hard time paying someone to mess with that. Then there is the warranty issue.

I am deleted running 5" exhaust. The higher the tune I run, the further the mileage meter is off. That said, the gap seems to narrow when towing. I have never gone off of the "lie-o-meter" anyway. The mileage did get better with the delete but, it was never great with the 6.4 but I have never been at a shortage for power.

Exhaust; when I first put the system on, I had a 5" twister muffler and could not hear an exhaust note what-so-ever in the cab or out for that matter. I am now running straight from the down pipe back and imo it sounds great. You would be just fine adding the delete pipe and would have minimal change of sound in cab. Also, with the delete pipe, it is very easy to swap with a helping hand. I have some videos of the truck with the muffler if you are interested.

Lynnmor wrote:

4x4ord wrote:

Water-Bug wrote:
I'm a little confused. What rear end gears are you running? 2000 rpm at 50 mph ? My Ram runs1500 rpm at 60 mph with a 3.73 rear end. Obviously you must have down shifted and still nothing happened? Time to take it into the shop.

It was loafing along in 4th gear before I put it to the floor. Flooring it did not initiate any further shifting. The truck has 3.55 gears and if the tranission software had called for a shift, third gear would have brought the rpm up to about 2650 and put about 30% more torque to the rear wheels. I don't think the truck has anything wrong with it, it is just designed to choose torque over power; economy over speed.

If you were loafing along in 4th gear you must have had the gear selector in Manual mode. My 6.7 will downshift easily when I floor it. You need horsepower to go up a hill and that means revving the engine to where the peak horsepower develops. At 2000 RPM, you were down about 100HP.

The selector was in drive. I have noticed several times that the Ford transmission doesn't choose the right gear. I have never seen my GM in the wrong gear. Its one of the few flaws I see in the truck.

tsetsaf wrote:
The original post is a joke right? Or are you really concerned about being passed by some random rver who happens to care less about burning money than you (money=fuel)? I have never been concerned about passing or being passed by anyone while towing. Who cares?

Your post reminds me...I was passing on a pretty good uphill on I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix. Me in my V10, 30V. Passing a diesel of another brand.

I had to get a running head start. So I had momentum to get up the hill. And foot to the floor to keep it at 4000 RPM, and 55 MPH. Third gear. Both of us towing pretty equal weight 5th wheels. I really didn't think about passing his diesel. Until I saw the instant high volume of black smoke from the diesel. I knew he punched it.

But I didn't care. I kept running at 4,000 RPM. Engine screaming in 3rd gear, Couldn't hear the radio, Wife screaming, Trans Temps climbing, watching the speedo to make sure it was holding speed. Finger on the hazard switch in case it dropped under 45 MPH. Pretty hectic in my truck.

I completed the pass alright. Me driving like hell. A little sweat rolling down my brow. Him doing nothing more than calling for a little more power by wiggling his big toe just a little. Course, he probably did need to wash the soot of his nice white trailer.

Water-Bug wrote:
Heavy load with 3.55 gears and you expect performance? They make those higher gear ratios for a reason.

Assuming the engine torque remains flat, which I believe is close, between 2000 and 2650 rpm, a downshift into third would have increased the rear wheel torque by about 30%. A 3.73 rear axle and smaller tires would allow the truck to stay in 4th but would only give it about a 12% increase in rear wheel torque.

Water-Bug wrote:
Heavy load with 3.55 gears and you expect performance? They make those higher gear ratios for a reason.

4X4, I would not loose too much sleep over it!
My 5.9 Cummins with 3.55's works a bit on 6% and 7% grades, I am towing about 6,000# less than you.
I also doubt that the F150, could take off if also going 50 up that hill. I would say that doing 50 up any decent grade with a GCVW of around 24,000 is not too bad.