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Old 02-05-2016, 12:38 PM   #21
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Who uses cruise when towing

I use it a lot until I am in heavy grade country ( which we have a lot of). Works well but once I hit 3rd gear, if its a hill I am not familiar with, I shut it off because I don't like the high RPMs once you hit second. From 6th to 3rd, the splits on this transmission are all around 500 which work well. when you hit second it close to 1000. Just my preference.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:39 PM   #22
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I use it in my Ford diesel along with the tow-haul. I like when I'm in the Rockies going down a mountain and I can tap the brake, and the tow-haul kicks in and downshifts to save my brakes.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:40 PM   #23
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Same here. It's the only way I can drive so slow.
X2
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:41 PM   #24
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I use it the minute I get on the highway, the computer know how to handle ups and downs and keeps a constant speed. in 6 years I have had no issues and do not foresee any.
X2. Much less fatigue for me when using cruise. I'll turn it off if traffic warrants it. Just use common sense.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:42 PM   #25
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Yup. As often as I can safely use it. One less thing to do when I'm driving.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:43 PM   #26
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I use only on flat ground when ther is no wind. If you use it on uphill with a diesel there is a chance the engine computer will shut the engine down.
Ok, I'll bite... Why is that? I am not pulling a monster TT by any means but I have climbed some pretty steep (for around here) mountains and hills and nver had an issue.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:44 PM   #27
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X2. Much less fatigue for me when using cruise. I'll turn it off if traffic warrants it. Just use common sense.
I agree, we find that the towing process is so much more enjoyable now that I do not need to think about timing hills and watching the right foot.. The DW feels much more confident as well as the driver when we swap out for breaks.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:52 PM   #28
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I use it flats or downhills, in good conditions.
If the cruise is going to shift for me- I take it off. If it will hold a gear, I leave it on.
I hate when the computer shifts for me in cruise.
Personal preference.
I have never had to rebuild a tranny.
X 2 and will only engage tow haul when ascending large hills. Later RJD
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:56 PM   #29
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Flat. Little traffic. Good road and weather are my criteria. I use tow mode in these conditions. You can trick the Allison to up shift into overdrive at 50 mph by momentarily going out of TM then up shift and put back in TM. Works great!
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:58 PM   #30
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Use mine most of the time. IAW owners manual, is put truck in tow mode, cruise on, exhaust brake on. Works great.
On long, steep downhills remember to set cruise to a low speed while at top of hill.
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:03 PM   #31
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When the weather and road conditions are good (primarily level with few hills) I use it with an F150 Ecoboost towing a Windjammer 8029W. Keep it around 62 mph and get 10+ mpg.
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:07 PM   #32
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9k mile trip this past summer with my F150. Used it constantly. Put transmission in tow mode and no problems
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:09 PM   #33
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I use it a lot while towing. I read the manuals and was not able to find anything that said I shouldn't, unless I missed it...

I keep it in tow/haul and let the truck decide what it wants to do and intervene when necessary. Just what I do, I am not saying it is right or wrong...

Same here. Although, I put mine in 3rd ( less gear searching ), Tow Haul is on and set the Cruise to approx. 63mph, when road and driving conditions are good. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:14 PM   #34
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I always tow with Cruise Control on..Only requirement is Drive Pavement..
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:39 PM   #35
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I use mine except in curvy mountains, it creates alot of excess noise from the right seat.
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Old 02-05-2016, 01:48 PM   #36
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I use it all the time except going up a hill. My truck is a stick shift so I do the shifting :-)
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Old 02-05-2016, 02:13 PM   #37
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I will use it but only when it's flat not when there are hills. Was towing in the mountains last year with the cruise on in my Silverado 1500 and it caused the computer to shut the engine down to to 4 cylinders. Thank goodness I have tuner programmer that I was able to reprogram the computer back to stock.
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Old 02-05-2016, 02:13 PM   #38
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Out of control cruise

2008 F-250 PSD. While towing on cruise control I had to accelerate quickly and truck went into passing gear........... wouldn't come out of passing gear. Stepped on brake nothing, turned cruise off nothing just continued to accelerate. Finally stood on brakes and turned the key off. After stopping tried to start and the motor and it revved immediately, turned key off. After 20 minutes everything was OK and we continued the trip, without cruise control.

Returned the truck to Ford dealer and factory tech reps couldn't replicate the problem. "Anomaly". Dealer service manager said I was lucky advised if it ever happened again shift to neutral and if the engine blows they would deal with it. He also told me turning the motor off wouldn't always work as a diesel doesn't have an "ignition" system and can run with the key off in certain circumstances. So be careful with cruise control and towing.
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Old 02-05-2016, 02:19 PM   #39
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The first thing I do after I crank the truck is put in tow haul and turn the exhaust brake on and once I get up to my set speed is set the cruise.


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Old 02-05-2016, 02:24 PM   #40
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On our '08 GMC Sierra 1500 with 5.3 and 4-speed auto, cruise control was the pits on even minor upgrades. The trans would shift into "passing gear" and stayed there even after cresting. I learned that if I left it in cruise, but accelerated with the gas pedal when starting up a grade, it helped from over revving. But if there was a memory lapse, it went into the ridiculous high revs. This TV has the trailer tow button on the shift lever. It was pretty annoying to drive.

We traded for a '13 Silverado with 5.3 and 6-speed auto and it made a world of difference. We were reluctant to go 6 speeds because of some bad reviews. Driving on normal hills, the transmission behaves. On steeper upgrades I may use the gas pedal along with cruise or take it off.This also has the trailer tow button on the shift lever.

What I have noticed, that using cruise, the engine is revving lower and gas mileage improves . For instance, on a quasi level roadway holding the gas pedal steady at say 65 mph, then actuating the cruise and taking the foot off the pedal, it maintains the set speed, but the rpm reduces about 500 rpms and the instance economy increases. I have noticed that if not using cruise, it seems difficult to maintain a steady speed. And I have found that, once the cruise is set and deactivated to slow down, it is wise to get back to speed with the pedal before engaging cruise to prevent a downshift. Example: cruise set at 65 mph engaged at 55 mph will cause the trans to try to get to the set speed rapidly, downshifting several gears.

These results are from towing the same 7,000 lb GVW cargo trailer fully loaded. MPG on either TV ranged from 9-11 MPG, depending on towing conditions over a distance of 1,700 miles between Florida and Wisconsin.
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