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Open Roads Forum  >  Tow Vehicles  > RPMs dropping uphill, Ford f-450 Reply to Topic  |  Subscribe  |  Print Topic  |  Post New Topic  |  Oldest first Newest first  Page of 3   Next Travel_1234 • View posts PA New Member Joined: 07/14/2020 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Offline Posted: 09/09/20 02:54pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator We are experiencing odd vehicle problems and were wondering if anyone has any ideas. When going uphill (~5% grade @2500 ft above sea level), the rpms slowly decline, pedals wide open throttle. Dual cooling fans come on and there is an added noise and slight vibration. The vehicle is a new to us ford f-450 pickup, 2013, 15k miles, all the tow packages and upgrades. We are towing a triple axle grand design momentum fifth wheel w/ dry weight of 14,500 and gross of 18,500. We have no toys and minimal stuff (first trip). The truck should be able to handle much heavier stuff..it’s about as big as we could go with a pick-up truck. Thoughts? theoldwizard1 • View posts SE MI Senior Member Joined: 09/07/2010 View Profile Offline Posted: 09/09/20 03:39pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Are you in tow/haul mode ? Did it downshift ? What was the speed at the bottom and how far did drop ? BarryG20 • View posts Castle Rock, Colorado Senior Member Joined: 07/14/2015 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Offline Posted: 09/09/20 03:49pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Not trying to be smart Alec here and not saying there may not be something wrong with the vehicle as there may very well be but hard to say from the minimal description of slight noise and vibration If that didn't happen every vehicle that tows (or otherwise for that matter) would not have a problem going up hill, hauling a load etc. Those dual cooling fans, expelling heat from the engine and or transmission whether through oil, water or air all take their toll on horsepower (dont get me wrong not implying a lot of horsepower but a couple here or there start to add up). The work (in regards to physics) required to move a large load uphill is significantly more than on the flat. Even though you say the truck should be able to handle much more you still have a very heavy trailer. Dry weight 14500, loaded light perhaps it is only 15500 maybe more. Not to mention the frontal area of the toy hauler not quite as good as a sail but not far from it. That is going to put a lot of load on that engine 400 hp or not. You might try downshifting to direct drive and see how it goes (not that familiar with fords so unsure which gear that would be on my ram it would be 4th gear). You may not be flying up at 65 or 70 but you may be able to hold speed and rpms. When in top gear in overdrive or even double overdrive that puts additional stress on the engine and transmission for sure when it starts to struggle and will lose speed and rpms. Diesels are great but they do have their limitations. The f450 power wise is not any more capable than the 250 or 350 assuming the same engine. 400hp is 400 hp it can only do so much. How much rpm loss is there, corresponding speed loss how much, the noise when does it start, where does it seem to be coming from, the vibration when does it start, where does it seem to be coming from (engine bay, underneath truck, rear of truck etc), what speed and rpms are we talking about? 2016 Jayco 28.5 RLTS blt2ski • View posts Kirkland, Wa Moderator Joined: 03/15/2001 View Profile Offline Posted: 09/09/20 04:03pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Assuming you are around 25,000 lbs total. 100+sq ft of frontal area. You need 150-175 hp to go 60 on a level ground. Another 50-55 hp per 1% grade. You are needing more HP than you have. Yes you should be slowing down some. Also, I don't believe a 2013 has 400hp. But could be wrong. Marty 92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin 00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options! 92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer Check RV.Net Blogs at: blog.rv.net time2roll • View posts Southern California Senior Member Joined: 03/21/2005 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Posted: 09/09/20 04:05pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator RPM declines with a decline in speed would be normal. WOT would be subject to some fluctuation in speed. After a downshift the torque converter could be unlocked and you may see a drop in RPM as it locks up again. What is the rpm at and how much does it decline? 2001 F150 SuperCrew 2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS 675w Solar pictures back up sch911 • View posts Rochester Hills, MI Senior Member Joined: 04/13/2003 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Posted: 09/09/20 04:12pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator A 5% grade and the altitude would cause additional load. If your maxed out in high gear you will slow down. Simple physics. Period. OEM Auto Engineer- Embedded Software Team 09 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 41SKQ Cummins ISL 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Toad Lwiddis • View posts Death Valley NP Senior Member Joined: 08/12/2016 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Offline Posted: 09/09/20 04:52pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Were you downshifting? Tow haul engaged? Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, 300 watt solar-parallel & MPPT, Trojan T-125s. TALL flag pole. Prefer USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state & county camps. Bicyclist! 14 year Army vet-11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad Lynnmor • View posts Red Lion Senior Member Joined: 07/16/2011 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Posted: 09/09/20 04:55pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator The transmission should downshift to keep the rpm in the power range, unless you are playing with the manual shift. If the engine temperature is over a certain value it might be reducing power to protect itself. BarabooBob • View posts Baraboo, WI Senior Member Joined: 12/28/2015 View Profile Good Sam RV Club Member Offline Posted: 09/09/20 05:08pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Downshift to keep the engine in the power band. You may just have to manually downshift, keep the rpms up, and SLOW DOWN. Even semi's slow down on 5% grades and they have a LOT MORE torque than you do. Bob & Dawn Married 32 years 2017 Viking 17RD 2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft Retired Turtle n Peeps • View posts California Senior Member Joined: 06/23/2008 View Profile Offline Posted: 09/09/20 06:22pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator Simple: You ran out of horsepower. ~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~ "Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing outside the fire" "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."- Abraham Lincoln Reply to Topic  |  Subscribe  |  Print Topic  |  Post New Topic  |  Oldest first Newest first  Page of 3   Next Open Roads Forum  >  Tow Vehicles  > RPMs dropping uphill, Ford f-450

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