Cruise control while towing?

[paultheflyer]

As much as possible. The 2021 GMC HD performs quite differently with the Cruise on. Better shifting, exhaust braking on the downhill, and of course, better mileage. My 2¢.

[IrishSettler]

Agree with Scott!

[jimmoore13]

On the flat? Yes. There's not much "flat" in Colorado, but when it's available, I use cruise and forget about throttle management.

I'm 6'6" tall, and I don't really fit in anything. Cruise is essential to driving comfort.

But in the mountains, I have to shift manually much of the time, and I baby the transmission by lifting off a bit for up- or down-shifts under power. The lift-off saves a lot of wear and tear in the transmission. You can't do that with cruise engaged. You can, of course, leave cruise engaged and pull it down a gear, but the result is that the throttle is essentially mashed to the floor when you change gears.

On the flip side, when descending steep mountain passes, such as Wolf Creek Pass, where the speed limit and common sense dictate 35 MPH, I manually shift down to 1st gear and use cruise to maintain a relatively constant speed. This is a vital brake-saving technique. When you need the brakes, you REALLY need the brakes to be cool. Cruise makes it easy to hold a steady 5000 RPM (approx) without the herky-jerky that comes with manual throttle control in 1st gear.

My 2006 RAM 1500 has what's laughingly called a 4 speed with OD. In fact, it's just an old school 3 speed with an electronic 4th gear and OD added. Therefore, my transmission pulls about 45 mph at redline in 1st gear and near 70 mph in 2nd. Those two gears are my mainstays when climbing or descending...which is most of the time out here. I can comfortably drive all day in 2nd gear at about 55 mph, so in the hilly stuff, it often just stays there. There is no benefit to upshifting for a few seconds only to have to downshift as you hit the next corner...and they come one right after the other on the climbs and descents. I still use cruise for some relief for my tweaked throttle foot when I can.

This is a bit of an extreme case that "proves" the point that cruise control can be very useful. But again, I don't let cruise demand my shifts for me. I don't want my antediluvian transmission to be tortured by full power up- and down-shifts. So during those times, I release the cruise and manage the throttle myself.

[garywilson]

Almost always.

Never, never, ever when roadway is slick from rain, snow, oil, etc....unless your normal response to losing traction is to 'punch' it.

Brother-in-law didn't know any better. Light rain, slick spot, vehicle thought it was losing speed so.... 180 degrees and air born. He got a new truck out of it.

[Square Dance Camper]

Never.

My dad first taught me to tow when I got my license at 17. He said never to use cruise control while towing and I've stuck with that.

But I don't really use it on my car either.... There's just too much traffic around here...

[rkymntsno]

Yes on cruise. My Ram is actually more responsive through the cruise control so it's easier while towing. I usually lock out 6th gear while towing.

[Fleetman]

Originally Posted by RoadrunnerII

yup pretty much all the time!
I just take over on the hills depending on how steep
Put in tow haul let the truck computer do the thinking.
We just watch out for others on the road.

RoadrunnerII

Ditto, that's what's it's for.

[joe w]

Originally Posted by slabat

I will use cruise also, but will not use it with heavy side winds, and like the others mentioned when I am in the hills.

Yep I agree and not when it's raining and the possibility of ponding exists.

[John91320]

With a 6.7 Cummins and 6 speed auto I use cruise unless wet roadway. For efficiency I lock the tranny @ 5th and 1900 rpm. Sometimes if I see a big hill hill coming I will click it down to 4th to prevent overshoot when downshifting. I normally also manually start in 1 and shift thru each up to 5. Saves wear on the overrun clutches.
All this includes I-15 between CA and UT, and I-70 over the Rockies. And the Grapevine on I-5.
OBTW, pulling a 38’ Pinnacle.
Cheers.

[CAG]

I read so many of these where people "baby" their vehicle because they are afraid of damaging it. The fact is if you set the cruise and anything is going to be damaged, the computer will shut off the cruise. Mine does when it thinks RPMs are getting too high. If it is really getting near damage it will throw you into limp mode.



Computers run these vehicles today. My 1962 Chevy Impala SS 409 could be damaged by high revs, wrong shifting, and my crazy driving at that time, but today's vehicle will not allow you to red line it. My Duramax, down hill, with turbo brake engaged and 14,000 lbs behind it would shift up or down as necessary. I would set the cruise at 55 on most downhill runs and it would stay there for the 8+ miles downhill from Flagstaff to the Sedona turn off. Never once did it allow itself to go above redline. It shifted as needed. This Ford 450 does the same except it likes to slide about 5 mph faster than what I set it for so I set it a little lower on cruise. Same results. I climb hills the same way it will shift up before it will let you overrev it.



So the computer will "baby" your vehicle as needed. Not using something because you are afraid you might break the truck, well it is very, very unlikely that will happen. You end up not using the tool as it was meant to be used.

[29BHS ECO]

Good driving conditions use cruise & tow/ haul all the time ----what the hell DW does all the other driving from the passenger seat, so I have nothing to do

[rhouthoofd]

I agree

[Poppyof5]

Originally Posted by RoadrunnerII

yup pretty much all the time!
I just take over on the hills depending on how steep
Put in tow haul let the truck computer do the thinking.
We just watch out for others on the road.

RoadrunnerII

X2

[John91320]

CAG,
Not implying I baby my DW’s Ram. But I utilize the truck’s integrated systems - tip-shift tranny in tow mode, exhaust brake, and cruise. Cruise at max torque rpm is efficiency point, and doing so in 5th (an OD) is a comfortable speed for me. Plus many fewer downshifts on I-80’s hills.
Not any different than a 13-liter Freightliner with an integrated automatic.
Cheers.

[Forelyndogs]

yep, I use the cruise a lot, not all the time, but a lot. I use the cruise, while the wife does so only occasionally. There is a difference in fuel economy. No, not from 8 mpg to 20 mpg, but maybe 8 to 9 or even 10 sometimes. Like several others have pointed out, sometimes the cruise control has a mind of it’s own and it can be a bit scary.

[crich]

I use my cruise control when the road is mostly flat, dry, light traffic and there is no wind.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

With 5.3 Tahoe and 3,500# trailer I never use cruise.

Keep it in manual 5th with tow/haul. Downshift as needed for big grades.

Works well for me. On flat land with little wind sweet spot gives me 70mph at 2,200 rpms with no shifting.

[MattS]

Originally Posted by CAG

I never used "overdrive" with the Duramax. Always in Tow/Haul which stops most of the shifting because the computer now knows it is towing and locks up the shift points.



With the vehicles today, you are better off letting the computer drive it rather than trying to fool it into what you want. They are designed to save the engine and transmission by doing their own thing.

X2

[CAG]

sweet spot gives me 70mph at 2,200 rpms

What are your tires rated for? Just asking. Might want to look at them.

[videoarizona]

Like all above, I like Cruise control most of the time. I really like it going down some long, steep hills in tow/haul mode. I lower Cruise by 5mph and the computer will downshift and keep me out of trouble. I never used to use Cruise on hills, but I'm pleased by how good the computer will keep me at a sane speed going downhills in Arizona. We have some Dilly's.

By the way, an old saying... Never go up a hill faster than you would go down the hill.

Denali with 6.2 and 8 speed.