Cruise control or not?

[hotpepperkid]

I use it some but only if it is relative flat and I can run 68-70. The trouble with cruse control it is reactive so sometimes it adds too late and too fast causing a down shift

[DC8Captain]

I use CC on relatively flat terrain. If it downshifts from 4th to 3d I'm OK with that. If it auto shifts down another gear I will take it off of CC until the road levels out again.

[catzr]

We just made our first non local run last weekend.
Yakima Wa. to Puyallop Wa. all freeway with lots of long pulls.
New fver and new diesel delete and programmer on the 2010.
3.42 gears and stock 18 tires with 6spd auto. Programmer set to towing, plus 80hp. Still have the Cat and muffler installed for the quiet
Ran 65mph with cruise as traffic allowed.
In 6th 1500rpm flats and smaller hills, trans would drop to 5th in longer pulls and I would lock it there, running 2100 rpm. It ran very clean, no smoke ever.
10 mpg 1 way into a hard wind, 12 mpg on the way home with no wind.
Monitor read basically the same mpg towing in 5th or 6th??
towing was very simple and relaxing, truck and trl. seemed comfortable at that spd.
I am getting 20 to 22mpg with this setup empty.

[RAurand]

I use my cruise control on the open highway. Set it for 65 and it works very well. Smooth shifting when it needs to shift. Unless we are going up and down a lot of hills, Tow/ haul mode is off. Never had any issues with searching for a gear.

[RedHorse1]

I tow with Tow-Haul on and usually use the cruise control. I will cancel the cruise for steep grades and for rolling hills. I find the cruise to be a bit too aggressive trying to maintain the setpoint.

[tigger1197]

I have adaptive cruise control on my Cayenne. I have found it works really well in traffic towing the camper, it helps to set it at the max distance, and I've had no problems with it. In the beginning I was a little leery about the stopping distance but as long as the trailer brake is set properly it hasn't been an issue. I have a propride hitch and have run the cruise up to 73. No problems, no wiggles, and no hiccups at all.

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by catzr

We just made our first non local run last weekend.
Yakima Wa. to Puyallop Wa. all freeway with lots of long pulls.
New fver and new diesel delete and programmer on the 2010.
3.42 gears and stock 18 tires with 6spd auto. Programmer set to towing, plus 80hp. Still have the Cat and muffler installed for the quiet
Ran 65mph with cruise as traffic allowed.
In 6th 1500rpm flats and smaller hills, trans would drop to 5th in longer pulls and I would lock it there, running 2100 rpm. It ran very clean, no smoke ever.
10 mpg 1 way into a hard wind, 12 mpg on the way home with no wind.
Monitor read basically the same mpg towing in 5th or 6th??
towing was very simple and relaxing, truck and trl. seemed comfortable at that spd.
I am getting 20 to 22mpg with this setup empty.

My setup is different, but still the same. 2010 Ram 2500 CCLB w/ auto and 3.73 gears. I am tuned using EFI and have towed using both the tow and econ tunes (+50hp/+90HP). I tow a 26BHS (GVW=9200#).

My mileage is between 11 and 14 depending on how fast I tow. I was really surprised how much of a mileage difference 10 or 20mph makes. at 65mph I got 11-12, at 45 mph (towing behind my dad), I got nearly 15mpg.

With the engine tuned, I can pull Snoqualmie pass as fast as I want (dare) with throttle to spare. Crusing empty across the state I get 19+ when I drive at 65, but the mileage drops quickly down to 17mpg when I cruise at 70-75mph.

I use cruise control towing or not, but will disengage it once the transmission starts to hunt for gears.

I don't have an EGT probe, so I use my transmission temp as an indicator of when I'm pushing too hard.

Tim

[Collinp]

I do it a little different from the responses I read. I use the cruise with tow/haul but keep my transmission in manual mode and watch for the speed to start dropping on hills. I downshift for the cruise control before I've lost too much speed giving the engine enough revs to make the hill without the cruise control trying to play catch-up.

[catzr]

I also do not have an EGT, and watch the trans temps, and try not to pull hard below 1700, concerned for the EGTs

[artoo93]

I use cruise all the time when towing. I don't have Tow/Haul on my 2004.5 Ram 3500 5.9L Cummins and 6 speed manual. I kick the cruise off before the hills and manage my speed with the exhaust brake and downshifting to maintain my speed and limit the use of the service brakes. I have towed up to 75 mph with no issues with our 43' Venom Toy Hauler (max weight 19k). We just ordered our 377RLBH so we will see how it tows!
OP, do what you feel comfortable with and what makes you safe.

[vcbice]

EVERY truck and trailer combination will work differently with cruise control. Your combination may work find all the time, others will not. The more 'excess' power you have the better the cruise works.

I use cruise almost all the time on the highway. Most of the time it is traffic that will make me disengage it. I've used cruise on steep hills, both ascending and descending. There are a few times when the grade is such that it causes 'hunting' of gears. In that case I turn off cruise and select gear manually.

Use your head and drive however it is comfortable for you.

[Shackrat]

I use cruise while towing on the highway, regardless of hills. On my F-250PSD the combination of the delayed shifts from tow/haul, exhaust brake, and cruise make for a reasomnably stable, constant speed. I'm sure those driving around me appreciate that as well.

[venoran]

Originally Posted by tigger1197

I have adaptive cruise control on my Cayenne. I have found it works really well in traffic towing the camper, it helps to set it at the max distance, and I've had no problems with it. In the beginning I was a little leery about the stopping distance but as long as the trailer brake is set properly it hasn't been an issue. I have a propride hitch and have run the cruise up to 73. No problems, no wiggles, and no hiccups at all.

I read this and the other posted question about adaptive cruise control, and I thought I would bring my answer to your attention.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...rol-60856.html

Short version: If you have a tow vehicle with an aftermarket brake controller AND adaptive cruise control, be careful that your activation wire isn't on the brake switch like most controllers and install videos tell you to do. If your adaptive cruise or collision avoidance kicks in and brakes your vehicle the trailer won't brake because you didn't actually touch the pedal.

You'll watch as your vehicle emergency brakes and the trailer sails along past you.