F53 4 speed vs. 5 speed, vs 6 speed transmission

[TropicalRV]

Once you're rolling down the road in top gear, who cares?

[timmac]

vjstangelo wrote:
I can only speak to the 4 vs 5 speed both with V10 having owned both. The 5 speed Torqshift is far superior to the 4 speed. I would opt for it over the 4 speed.

Have you installed 5 Star Tuning, if not it will even preform and shift better.

[vjstangelo]

I can only speak to the 4 vs 5 speed both with V10 having owned both. The 5 speed Torqshift is far superior to the 4 speed. I would opt for it over the 4 speed.

[Hikerdogs]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Well I do know that at cruising speed, around 60-65 MPH the 6 speed will be about 500 RPM lower than the 5 speed based on the final gear ratio. Less RPM less fuel usage.

Was talking with an owner that has the same chassis (18K Lbs) as mine and very close to weights loaded and he's getting 3/4 to 1 additional mile per gallon over me.

The OD gear ratio on the 5 speed transmission is ,71. The 6 speed transmission has 2 overdrive ratios .67 and .85. So if you're always in 6 the gear (.67) you might see slightly better mileage.

Another thing to consider is what the rear end gear ratio is. If you have a 16,000 or 18,000 lb. chassis the rear end ratio is 4.30:1. If you have a 20,500 lb. or 22,000 lb. chassis the rear end ratio is 5.38: 1. If you have a 24,000, or a 26,000 lb. chassis the rear end ratio is 6.17:1.

I would think the difference in the rear end gear ratio would have a more of an effect on mileage than the .04 difference in the final Overdrive ratio

[timmac]

Ford® 4R100 > {1st 2.71}, {2nd 1.54}, {3rd 1.0}, {4th .71},
reverse 2.88

Ford® 5R110 > {1st 3.09}, {2nd 2.20}, {3rd 1,54}, {4th 1.0}, {5th .71}
reverse 2.88

Ford® 6R140 > {1st 3.97}, {2nd 2.32}, {3rd 1.52}, {4th 1.15}, {5th .86}, {6th .67},
reverse 3.13

The 6R140 has a better shift from factory, no problem in the hills except down shifting.
5 Star Tuning can help with the down shift.

However the 5R110 has a bad shift in the hills from the factory, the 5 speed will go from 5th gear to 2nd at the base of a hill and the RPM's will go over 5000 and the motor will scream, I and others have complained about this but 5 Star Tuning fixes the problem and now it goes from 5th to 4th and 3rd if needed, much better no screaming of the motor and the Tuner adds more HP and Torque to the motor at lower RPM's making the drive so much better.


https://5startuning.com/got-a-v10-rv/

:B

[DrewE]

timmac wrote:
MY 08 Bounder with the Ford 5 speed tow haul sort of sucked in the hills than I installed the 5 Star Tuning and now it shifts like the new Ford 6 speed..


Did you know the Ford 5 speed has 6 gears ?

:@

Technically the 5 speed does have six ratios, but two of them are very very close and it only uses one of the two at any time.

Did you know the "extra" gear added when going from the 4 speed to the 5 sperd is 2nd? 1st is the same ratio on both, snd the top three ratios are also the same. The 6 speed on the other hand has an emtirely different set, with noticeably smaller jumps between them. For cruising, the difference between the 5 snd 6 speed units may as well be a change from a 4 speed to a 6 speed.

[timmac]

MY 08 Bounder with the Ford 5 speed tow haul sort of sucked in the hills than I installed the 5 Star Tuning and now it shifts like the new Ford 6 speed..


Did you know the Ford 5 speed has 6 gears ?

:@

[chuckftboy]

You mentioned better handling. That is because Ford is always making small improvements to their chassis. More gears in a transmission is to improve fuel efficiency. Some auto manufactures are up to 10 gears. I had a 09' Pace with five and thought that was great. That new Ford transmission must be impressive.

[Yellowboat_]

Traded my 2005 five speed for a 2016 six speed. I love the six speed.

My five speed would shift at 5,300 rpms when under a load or climbing. My six speed shifts at 4,300 rpms in the same conditions. The lower rpms results in much lower noise levels in the cab.

I'm not sure that the transmission makes a difference in handling but .....

My 2016 six speed chassis is much easier to drive than the 2005. It drives straighter and requires less driver corrections. In tight lanes or construction zones white knuckle driving is greatly reduced.

Safe travels. JD

[MrWizard]

lots of hills and mountains out here

can't leave town with out going over something

i can minimize it by going south toward San Diego

but i happen to like trees and green

[Big_Katuna]

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
Not a whole lot of hills in Florida.

We (both) go on these weird things called vacations. Ohio, Michigan, out west, etc .

They have these really tall things called hills and mountains.

[RedRollingRoadb]

Not a whole lot of hills in Florida.

[Big_Katuna]

My friend drove a 2000 V10 and traded last year for a new V10 with the six speed and said the difference was night and day.

[KD4UPL]

Around here everything but the interstates is up and down and around. Particularly if towing but even when not more gears should result in faster acceleration and a better selection of gears for engine braking going downhill.

[Dale_Traveling]

Well I do know that at cruising speed, around 60-65 MPH the 6 speed will be about 500 RPM lower than the 5 speed based on the final gear ratio. Less RPM less fuel usage.

Was talking with an owner that has the same chassis (18K Lbs) as mine and very close to weights loaded and he's getting 3/4 to 1 additional mile per gallon over me.