Altitude Effect
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Altitude Effect
Planning to tow my 10,000# fifth wheel from Tennessee to Yellowstone with my 2015 F250 6.2 and 3.73 differential. I have read about the 3% power loss per 1000 ft. increase in elevation. While towing I lock out the 6th gear and use tow/haul and cruise control. I have not yet towed higher than 2,000 ft. The experience has been better than expected power wise. Climbing 7.000 ft. to Yellowstone will be a challenge. My 2008 6.4 F350 made the trip effortlessly. What can I expect from the altitude power loss in the real world? By the way the vast majority of my trips are less than 2,000 ft. elevation.
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Joined: Jul 2015
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From: very South Texas
keeping the RPM's up .. have a safe trip. if necessary just follow a Semi... not to close. and take your time.
and NO you will not loose 20 percent power... maybe 15... as numbers do not tell the complete story.
I have not done it with the truck.. but I have been to Leadville Co... 11k plus... and Independence Pass aka 12,095 feet.
Beautiful Country.
and NO you will not loose 20 percent power... maybe 15... as numbers do not tell the complete story.
I have not done it with the truck.. but I have been to Leadville Co... 11k plus... and Independence Pass aka 12,095 feet.
Beautiful Country.
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Freshman User
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Thanks. I am not accustomed to high revs. My 6.4 rarely exceeded 2500! The tranny temp gauge is also new. I assume when it goes above 210 deg. higher rpms will increase cooling when climbing, correct?
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Home Base Nebraska
I've been pulling with gas motors for 37 years and lots of high altitude grades and before the modern FI motors the 3% power lose was true but now they still loose power but not nearly as much because of the way they adjust for it.
I don't think you will have any problems with your 10K trailer, just keep the rpms up when needed and enjoy the trip. Don't be afraid of using the 85 octane when in the higher altitudes it works great but get most of it out of the truck before you get below 3 or 4K. We are at 7K now at the Grand Canyon and will get most of it gone before we get to Apache Junction Monday.
Denny
I don't think you will have any problems with your 10K trailer, just keep the rpms up when needed and enjoy the trip. Don't be afraid of using the 85 octane when in the higher altitudes it works great but get most of it out of the truck before you get below 3 or 4K. We are at 7K now at the Grand Canyon and will get most of it gone before we get to Apache Junction Monday.
Denny
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 410
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From: New Mexico
I've been pulling with gas motors for 37 years and lots of high altitude grades and before the modern FI motors the 3% power lose was true but now they still loose power but not nearly as much because of the way they adjust for it.
I don't think you will have any problems with your 10K trailer, just keep the rpms up when needed and enjoy the trip. Don't be afraid of using the 85 octane when in the higher altitudes it works great but get most of it out of the truck before you get below 3 or 4K. We are at 7K now at the Grand Canyon and will get most of it gone before we get to Apache Junction Monday.
Denny
I don't think you will have any problems with your 10K trailer, just keep the rpms up when needed and enjoy the trip. Don't be afraid of using the 85 octane when in the higher altitudes it works great but get most of it out of the truck before you get below 3 or 4K. We are at 7K now at the Grand Canyon and will get most of it gone before we get to Apache Junction Monday.
Denny
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From: Home Base Nebraska
No we are stopping there for a few days to get the truck serviced, get our 4 month old Scottie his last puppy shots and seeing some RV friends. We will head to Aguanga CA for a month and then to Yuma for 3 months.
We just did 16 miles on our bikes today at 7K feet and the altitude effect kicked our buttts big time.
Denny
We just did 16 miles on our bikes today at 7K feet and the altitude effect kicked our buttts big time.
Denny
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
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From: very South Texas
No we are stopping there for a few days to get the truck serviced, get our 4 month old Scottie his last puppy shots and seeing some RV friends. We will head to Aguanga CA for a month and then to Yuma for 3 months.
We just did 16 miles on our bikes today at 7K feet and the altitude effect kicked our buttts big time.
Denny
We just did 16 miles on our bikes today at 7K feet and the altitude effect kicked our buttts big time.
Denny
7,000 feet.... wow on a bicycle.
I am a bicycle rider as well.. (Specialized)
years ago I rode my motorcycle to Colorado .. Independence Pass is 12k... just slowly WALKING was Hard... and I was 40 then.
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From: CT
Had to get it over a small hump in the pavement, and then about 60-70 ft. of flat pavement before we could get to the sloping driveway. We got the car over the hump, and my wife jumped in and I kept pushing and running .... The car rolled away from me down the hill and started. I was standing there - totally dizzy - almost ready to keel over, with black tunnel-vision, and my heart trying to pound it's way out of my chest. It took about 20 minutes before I felt normal again.
(A SAAB ignition switch is impossible to find at any of the small towns around Bryce Canyon. Would've taken 3 to 5 days to get one shipped. So we had to wire in a separate pushbutton to the starter terminals to keep the car going and not kill ourselves until we got home.)
Last edited by RightWingNutJob; Oct 26, 2015 at 07:43 AM. Reason: sp
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Joined: Jul 2015
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From: very South Texas
You are lucky.. you could have had a heart attack..
and a good thing cars can be RIGGED to run..
... well older ones. computers are picky.
I have worked on a few Saab's (a sob story) sorry... had to.
they have there oddities ... but most are long lasting cars.. but way to Small for me.
and a good thing cars can be RIGGED to run..
... well older ones. computers are picky.I have worked on a few Saab's (a sob story) sorry... had to.
they have there oddities ... but most are long lasting cars.. but way to Small for me.
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 410
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From: New Mexico
For 30 years I lived at 7300ft elevation and going higher in Elevations didn't effect me, now I'm at 5600ft for the last 3yrs and for now on. When I camp now at the 8500ft Plus elevations I am finding myself to take it easy the 1st to 2nd day to allow my body to adjust to the thinner air.
Campouts at these higher elevations are now planned for a couple extra days to make up for the two arriving take it easy days, works for me.
Campouts at these higher elevations are now planned for a couple extra days to make up for the two arriving take it easy days, works for me.
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From: Home Base Nebraska
We are back at 2K feet and the truck runs the same with a little more power, what's nice is we had to use the heat pump to keep warm when we were at Grand Canyon and now we can have the door open or a little a/c 
. Went to a Ford Quick Lane and had the truck serviced and ready to travel on tomorrow 
. We should be done with any high altitude effect until late April when we head back to our home base in Nebraska.
Denny
. Went to a Ford Quick Lane and had the truck serviced and ready to travel on tomorrow . We should be done with any high altitude effect until late April when we head back to our home base in Nebraska. Denny
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Joined: Jul 2015
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From: very South Texas
Have Safe travels..
We depart for South Carolina the end of November.. till March.
first long trip with THIS truck and trailer. and motorcycle in bed of truck
but many trips by motorcycle and popup... years ago. 1987 to 2000.
before that.. motorcycle with cargo trailer with 8 man tent. cots....
We depart for South Carolina the end of November.. till March.
first long trip with THIS truck and trailer. and motorcycle in bed of truck
but many trips by motorcycle and popup... years ago. 1987 to 2000.
before that.. motorcycle with cargo trailer with 8 man tent. cots....
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