# Plowing with 6.8 V10?



## WCLM (Jul 19, 2018)

looking at picking up a ‘09 f350 6.8, 108,000 miles in mint condition been in fla it’s whole life. Has anyone had any experience plowing with these trucks? Not concerned about gas mileage as I’ve gathered that’s the main dig on these engines. TYIA


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

Like with any other equipment, if it’s been maintained snd mechanically sound and properly set up (snow tires, for example), then it’ll be fine.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Had one, no problems.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

WCLM said:


> looking at picking up a '09 f350 6.8, 108,000 miles in mint condition been in fla it's whole life. Has anyone had any experience plowing with these trucks? Not concerned about gas mileage as I've gathered that's the main dig on these engines. TYIA


 Ballast it down correctly it will plow all the snow you want. I would not suggest commuting with it. :laugh:


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

Great trucks, had an 05 that finally rotted out to the point it was no longer worth fixing, or I'd still be plowing, towing, and everything else with it. If it's what you want, buy it, you'll love everything about it except the gas station.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

At least with an '09 you won't have to worry about the spark plug blowing out.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> At least with an '09 you won't have to worry about the spark plug blowing out.


Aren't they the ones you can't get the spark plugs out?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Randall Ave said:


> Aren't they the ones you can't get the spark plugs out?


Beats me


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Randall Ave said:


> Aren't they the ones you can't get the spark plugs out?


 Had to soak my 5.4 with kroil for 2 days and they came out. Not sure on the V10.


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## 98Chevy2500 (Nov 27, 2005)

Randall Ave said:


> Aren't they the ones you can't get the spark plugs out?


Yes


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## WCLM (Jul 19, 2018)

Another question I had, how big of a difference is the towing/plowing performance compared to the 5.4


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

WCLM said:


> Another question I had, how big of a difference is the towing/plowing performance compared to the 5.4


I plow with a 2006 5.4l; no issues - plenty of power. You're going to run out of traction before you run out if power. Don't have a V10 to compare it to, but I have a 2011 6.2l for my daily driver that's also set up to plow; no power difference using it.

Only towed once with my 2006 5.4l - a 12,000lb triaxle I borrowed to move a 3,000 lb car about 80 miles. My truck struggled from a dead stop. It towed it ok, but it wasn't easy going. My 2011 6.2l tows a loaded 5 ton trailer just fine though, so I imagine towing with a v10 shouldn't be an issue.

I have 3.73 axles in both trucks.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I've got both. The 5.4 is ok. But to me it's a dog compared to the v 10.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Only test drove a V10, I can't say about towing. I can say it was a lot faster than my 5.4. Back then a lot of guys bashed them, no different then they bash the 5.4.


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## WCLM (Jul 19, 2018)

Randall Ave said:


> I've got both. The 5.4 is ok. But to me it's a dog compared to the v 10.


That's what I imagine.. I have a 5.4 in my f150 and couldn't imagine it in a SD


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

WCLM said:


> That's what I imagine.. I have a 5.4 in my f150 and couldn't imagine it in a SD


 Don't count the 5.4 out for plowing, my F-350 plows as good as anything else I own with a 5.4. Towing yes they will struggle to get to highway speed but overall a dependable motor. Being ballast down correctly determines your plowing ability not so much the motor.

Usually in 2 wheel plowing, I use 4 wheel when on the road though.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I also hear some guys love the 6.0s.


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

FredG said:


> Don't count the 5.4 out for plowing, my F-350 plows as good as anything else I own with a 5.4. Towing yes they will struggle to get to highway speed but overall a dependable motor. Being ballast down correctly determines your plowing ability not so much the motor.
> 
> Usually in 2 wheel plowing, I use 4 wheel when on the road though.


Agreed. I would rather plow with my 5.4's over the diesel trucks... My ballasted down might be a little different then Freddy's but some weight in the bed so you can plow in 2wd is my cup of tea...


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## WCLM (Jul 19, 2018)

Randall Ave said:


> I also hear some guys love the 6.0s.


I've heard that as well, not really interested in a diesel though.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

WCLM said:


> I've heard that as well, not really interested in a diesel though.


 Randall was being sarcastic on the 6.0 lol, If you like diesel that is probably not the one. Then again some get mad when you bash them.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Nice thing about V10s is they have more torque than the V8s. Generally at lower RPMs.

Torque is what you want for plowing, the lower the RPMs the better.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

I had an 02 F250 crew cab long bed I used as a back up and dd when my reg cab 7.3 went down for plowing. The v10 was awesome. I honestly thought it towed better than my 7.3. I had that truck loaded with tools in the bed (contractor cap), with a loaded trailer behind it, I still felt as though it did a better job. Plenty of power pushing snow as well. Fuel mileage wasn’t the worst. I got about 10mpg. All the time no matter what.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

When I was truck shopping I looked at both. If I remember correctly the 6.8 and 5.4 both had about the same MPG. The bigger motor didn't have to work as hard, so it didn't use as much gas.

If this is incorrect for "real life" driving, please say so. I'm going off what the trucks said


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

JMHConstruction said:


> When I was truck shopping I looked at both. If I remember correctly the 6.8 and 5.4 both had about the same MPG. The bigger motor didn't have to work as hard, so it didn't use as much gas.
> 
> If this is incorrect for "real life" driving, please say so. I'm going off what the trucks said


 I don't think your wrong, 5.4 are no gas sippers.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

My 2004, 5.4 gets around 10, the v-10 was about the same unless you have a heavy foot. Plowing, 5.4 got 6, the v-10 got 4.5, the 7.3 diesel got 8. Chevy with a 350 got 7. But thers also idleing time, we never shut them off once they were started during a storm.


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

Randall Ave said:


> My 2004, 5.4 gets around 10, the v-10 was about the same unless you have a heavy foot. Plowing, 5.4 got 6, the v-10 got 4.5, the 7.3 diesel got 8. Chevy with a 350 got 7. But thers also idleing time, we never shut them off once they were started during a storm.


That's about what I get with my 2006 5.4l - around 5 plowing and 10 not plowing. Don't do any towing with it.


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## stainlessman (Nov 1, 2011)

I've rented a class C motorhome in Alaska a couple times. The last one was brandy new 2018 F450 chassis it was a V10 also. Pleanty of power. My sister had an '05 F350 V10 that she used to plow town roads with. A great truck and engine. 
I wish ford offered it in smaller chassis trucks. Yes I'd have one in my F150 I'll admit it.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

The Ford engine I liked the best, had a 87 350 with a 460 carburator. That thing would pull.


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## skorum03 (Mar 8, 2013)

JMHConstruction said:


> When I was truck shopping I looked at both. If I remember correctly the 6.8 and 5.4 both had about the same MPG. The bigger motor didn't have to work as hard, so it didn't use as much gas.
> 
> If this is incorrect for "real life" driving, please say so. I'm going off what the trucks said


Neither were great on fuel, however, we have an Excursion with the 6.8 v10 as a back up truck and that thing can't drive past a gas station without stopping. I only used it a few times to plow snow and anything under 3" as long as it wasn't wet and heavy, you wouldn't even need 4 wheel drive. So that was kind of nice. Not the best vehicle for rear visibility though haha but it was comfortable and you could haul an entire shovel crew in it.


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## Freshwater (Feb 28, 2014)

99 v10 2valve 115k f450 dump still plows and tows. 10mpg
Lots of power.

All F250 super cab shortbed. All plow great. Towing 3yd dump trailer is max.
01 5.4 2valve 307k before it lost a cylinder. 11mpg
04 5.4 2valve 114k still plows and tows. 11mpg
06 5.4 3valve 200k still plows and tows. 11mpg
08 5.4 3valve 137k rolled and totaled. 11mpg

F250 super cab shortbed.
17 6.2 19k daily driver. 12.9 mpg
Plows great. Can tow way more than a 3yd dump trailer. I'll let you know next year.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Freshwater said:


> 99 v10 2valve 115k f450 dump still plows and tows. 10mpg
> Lots of power.
> 
> All F250 super cab shortbed. All plow great. Towing 3yd dump trailer is max.
> ...


Your supposed to wreck the old ones.


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## Freshwater (Feb 28, 2014)

Randall Ave said:


> Your supposed to wreck the old ones.


Your telling me... I was sick about it. I was the second owner, maintenance records from birth. Perfect shape, It was my daily driver. 
I recovered nice with a new truck though.


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