Florida to Utah round trip

[hurricane0226]

Just returned a couple of days from my first real trip in my RV. It is the Itasca Sunstar 35B on the Ford F53 Chassie. On thing I noticed, and was seeing if anyone else has had the same experience, or is this Normal. When I set the cruise on 65mph, and start going up hills especially in Colo. and Utah, the engine would reve up really high, I did not know if this is normal, due to never owning this vehicle. I would take the cruise off, so the coach would slow down, and the engine would reve down lower, so is this normal, and should I not use the cruise in hills and steep inclines?

[dkreuzen]

That's normal for a gas engine, that's where it makes it's power. And if the clutch fan kicks in it gets really loud.

[RayChez]

It is perfectly normal for the transmission to shift accordingly. If not you would be lugging the engine down to much causing damage to the engine.

[rockhillmanor]

Cruise off when going uphill.

[Dick_B]

I always take the cruise off when going up a steep hill. No need to keep up the speed; it wastes a lot of fuel...

[hurricane0226]

Thanks for the input on this. That is exactly what the engine was doing, reving up higher to keep up with the speed. I have not really driven my car up steep inclines that would make it reve up high, But then again, it is not carrying the weight the RV has. I did not know that the manual states not to use cruise control on steep inclines, so From now on, no cruise control, only on flat roads,

[Mike___Fran]

I never use the cruise except in flat country. The mountains make the tranny shift down to fast and engine goes over 4000 rpm. The owners manual will or should say don't use in those conditions. The V10 is made to be a high rev engine but i just don't like to rev mine over 4000.

[6dot6]

its more than likely just hunting for a lower gear to maintain that speed. needs moar powa to maintain so naturally it will downshift. you never experienced this in your car on hills with cruise?