Towing cruise and O.D

[cruiser1701]

I have a towing question . When you're towing do you use cruise control on the highway and do you leave the overdrive on or turn it off?

[Hugeez]

Kinda depends on your TV and the weight of your TT. I never have overdrive engaged when towing. Personally, I have a 6 speed automatic. I keep mine in 4th gear when pulling our TT. Only runs about 2400rpms and keeps tranny from shifting so often. If the roads are flat and long, I may use the cruise control but never on hills.

[Retired JSO]

We have a 2016 F250 with a 6.2 gas 3:73 rear. On the flats, use the manual feature set to 5th with cruise set at 67 mph and get about 8.2 towing our 25 wb work and play. It drops about 3 mph on overpasses but seems to be the best as far as mpg and power. With the cruise set at that speed, if we hit a large grade, I just bump it to 4 th and away we go.

[Crusadernoob]

For the most part I try to use cruise at around 62-63mph, 6th gear. This is the best for our combination. I just leave it in T/H mode. I've tried manual and keep it in 5th but no improvement in fuel mileage. In the mountains I will manually down shift to 5th.

[KansasJohn]

I lock out overdrive when towing, since I have the 4.3 in my Silverado, there's no chance I can pull in overdrive without lots of gear hunting. 3rd gear at 60mph is 2600RPM, which is almost right at the torque peak of my 4.3, and it tows great there. I also typically don't use cruise, towing or not. My first car that I drove for four years and 80k miles didn't have cruise, so I just got used to driving without it.

[phillyg]

Use tow/haul mode most of the time unless on perfectly level roadways with a tailwind. I feel I am more sensitive to road conditions than the cruise control box, so no cruise.

[MKClark]

First I put it in the trailer/haul mode. Then set cruise at 65 mph and let the truck do it's thing. Does great in the rolling hills of Texas.
________________
MK Clark
2014 Chevy 1/2 ton 5.3/3.42

[2015 Flagstaff 21DS]

My 2007 Avalanche started idling rough shortly before a trip from the foothills to Pismo Beach. I always used Tow/Haul mode and usually let it go into overdrive when cruising. I also used cruise control when pulling on long flat stretches. Always travel at 60 MPH max. By the time we were approaching SLO the engine warning light (traction control) was coming on repeatedly and finally on solid. We limped into the campground and next day left the 'truck' at a local Chevy dealer. They said I had tuliped the exhaust valves by allowing it to go into 4th gear when cruising with almost no gas pedal pressure. I've never heard of such a thing. Never had problems like that with any other tow vehicle. After having the heads rebuilt there and the differential and transfer case a year later I wonder how so many people rave about their Avi's, Suburbans, Tahoes, etc as tow vehicles. My trailer was a 18' 1991 Road Ranger that weighed 2900# empty. Well under 5000# loaded. No worries now. I have a 2012 Silverado 5.3L 6 speed with 343 rear end towing MicroLite 21 D.

[lmiken]

I just put it on Tow/haul and cruise control and let it go. Only on the steepest uphills has it ever downshifted. (although I do not use cruise control going down on a steep hill)

[KingFisher]

I use tow haul and I don't think I've ever put the cruise on when towing my trailer.

[hondo]

I use tow/haul and cruise control all the time with od engaged.

[RudysWorld]

Check your owners manual, some vehicles lock out overdrive and some are Tow/Haul which minimize shifting engage engine brake on downhill situations. They are totally different and are used in different situations for different reasons.

[m2kamp]

Tow/Haul button pressed

Manually lock out 7th and 8th

Cruise set to 65 mph

RPM around 2100 in 6th

10-12 MPG

Rarely shifts.

If I don't manually set 6th as max gear it will happily go to 8th even in tow/haul mode and shift frequently between 6th, 7th and 8th and the "ECO" light pops on lol

[dalford]

Tow/Haul on, cruise set for 60, runs about 1500rpm, 11mpg on flat/hilly. Always leave 6th gear in place. Mtns more manual mode. F250, diesel.

[jec9017]

In my owners manual on my dodge Ram 1500 it says to only use tow Haul when taking off or in hilly terrain My TT only weighs 4750 I never use Tow Haul
But I do use cruise Control getting 10 to 11 MPG

[spock123]

I have a 12 Silverado 3500 SRW diesel, I run in tow/haul, set the exhaust brake and once truck gets to 63 I set the cruise. Up a steep mountain I set the speed lower. I just keep truck between the lines. I can hardly wait until self driving vehicles come out


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[NMWildcat]

We started out using tow/haul but not cruise. Later when we got used to our truck we use cruise all the time except steep downhills when we use manual mode.

You should do whatever you and your tow vehicle are comfortable with.

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by MKClark

First I put it in the trailer/haul mode. Then set cruise at 65 mph and let the truck do it's thing. Does great in the rolling hills of Texas.
________________
MK Clark
2014 Chevy 1/2 ton 5.3/3.42

Exactly the same here.


2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

[Larry Cole]

I have a Sierra with the 6.0 liter Vortec. I usually use tow mode but if the terrain is reasonably flat for an extend period I take tow mode off. It drops my rpm to 1850 (at 60 mph) from just over 2000. I'm assuming there would be some economy involved there.
I never engage cruise control. Too much shifting and therefore harder on the tranny.

[Blackhat6mike]

We have a Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison pulling 10,000+ lb TT. I always leave it in DR with the exhaust brake turned on and the cruise control on. The Allison tranny figures out what it needs. In the mountains, the cruise control will do all the gearing down necessary for the downhill runs. If it goes above 3,800 rpms, I might add a little breaking [exhaust] but rarely had to. To us, the Allison tranny is worth everything in towing.