Kenneth_Sons
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Re: Small ‘C’. Chev or Godzilla
We have a Forest River 2501TSF on a Ford E-450 chassis. Our experiences are as follows: Power, it's very apparent that the Ford 7.3 is much more powerful than the Chevy. Also, power will increase substantially at about 7500 miles. Center consul heat, we haven't noticed this issue; possibly as the 7.3 engine is much narrower than the previous 6.8 V10. Alignment, all of the new RV's need alignment as when Forest River adds 9000# to the chassis, the partial cab alignment changes. Forest River doesn't state this but they will pay up to $300 for an alignment. We had the tools and $35 for one camber/caster bushing, so we did it ourselves. Have them set it for zero toe-in/toe-out, otherwise the steering will feel vague. Gas mileage, we have an average of 9.8 mpg over the last 4000 miles driving around 67 mph, without towing. Leg Room, the Chevy is better. Also, some people don't like the Ford driver's seat. For me both are ok. Other: U-Haul and RTD prefer Ford chassis so maybe they are more reliable. We purchased from RV Wholesalers vs Camping World manly for price, and we pleasantly surprised by how well their warranty service worked vs Camping World. Also add the Forest River Bilstein Shocks, Helwig rear sway bar package, it's well worth it.1.9KViews0likes0CommentsRe: "Godzilla" Ford V 8
Both the 430Hp and 350Hp are the same engines with the same Ford tune. Horsepower is Torque (FTLB) x RPM / 5250. When reading the power at 3900 vs 5500 rpm, the Horsepower is lower. I have a 2022 E-450 Forest River and it has revved beyond 4500 rpm pulling hills. This RV, with no engine modifications, has crested Eisenhower Tunnel at 65 mph without full throttle. Two things happen at high rpm, first the engine heats up, causing the cooling fan to come on, and second the gas mileage drops quickly. This engine, unlike many truck and car engines doesn't use fuel enrichment for internal cooling. The engine life, when occasionally operating above 3500 rpm, will likely outlast the RV, especially if you change oil more often than recommended such as at 3750 or 5000 miles.2.8KViews0likes0CommentsRe: New Ford V8
Good Engine, easy to maintain, air filter size is small so it clogs easily. Keep a spare. Oil changes are easy, has variable cam timing so change often such as at 5000 miles to keep the variable device from silting up. We have a Forest River 2551TS which weighs 13,600 loaded and gets 9.5 to 9.7 mpg at 65 mph. Plenty of power, crests Eisenhower Tunnel at 65 mph. When new it would only do 45 at the last stretch, likely a Ford break-in de-powering mode. The engine is suppost to be limited to 3900 rpm; however, it will run up past 4500 at full throttle. The interior engine cover stays cool. The E450 chassis like all chassis needs alignment after Forest River adds 7000# to the partial chassis. For us this was a 1-1/4 degree camber/caster bushing (passenger side) installed all toward caster and 0" of toe-in. This chassis hates toe-in, as it caused poor steering response and a measurable reduction in fuel mileage.873Views0likes0Comments
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