Towing with cruise control on?

[Mark S]

So throughout my reading of the forums, I keep coming across comments that say not to use cruise control when towing. I understand why I would want to control the throttle when climbing a steep hill or in traffic, but why would using cruise under normal conditions be a problem? I have been using cruise when towing and my truck doesn't seem to mind. I use tow haul mode and depending on conditions I will lock out 6 th gear.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Mark

[B47]

Originally Posted by Mark S

So throughout my reading of the forums, I keep coming across comments that say not to use cruise control when towing. I understand why I would want to control the throttle when climbing a steep hill or in traffic, but why would using cruise under normal conditions be a problem? I have been using cruise when towing and my truck doesn't seem to mind. I use tow haul mode and depending on conditions I will lock out 6 th gear.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Mark

I used CC when towing our Silverback FW from TX to CA and back thru NV and CO with no noticeable problems.

I don't use CC when going thru cities, but when on the open Interstate at 60 mph I use it. The book doesn't say you can't and the Cummins 6.7L diesel seemed happy with it.

[RattVader]

Perhaps personal preference as well as each ones comfort within the safety zone.I use mine primarily down the long stretch of I95.and have to admit that my Cummins seems to like it as well.Have never had any issues.Remember the big boys have them on their rigs as well.Of course this is just my .02 and in no way reflects the beliefs of my fellow RVers.

[MtnGuy]

If the truck doesn't shift much, and you are towing in the flats, I would think cruise control would be OK. I like to keep my truck in OD as much as possible, and cruise control in the hills around here is not practical. If I locked out OD, then maybe. But then the gas mileage drops. Even at that, I have to keep OD locked out much of the time, and I think cruise control would be searching for second to keep up speed on many hills. Just not an option for me here. I did use it some a couple of weeks ago in the flats of Indiana and Ohio.

[Road-King]

I use it in the flats outside of city's or heavy traffic. Like you said "normal conditions". No problems with my Dodge either.

[capucine]

I dont think it is a good thing to use the cruise while towing. First no manufacturers recomend this and towing in overdrive is not a good thing for the transmission. It cause the transmission to hunt on and off causing more internal heat inside. If you have a 4 speed transmission the 3rd gear is the way to go.

[acadianbob]

I use cruise control while towing everywhere that I would use it in my car! So not in the mountains, not in town etc. But out on the highway, I use it all the time; thousands of miles.

BUT, I do think it depends on your tow vehicle. If you have a fragile hold on your top gear, such that any slight hill causes a downshift, you might not want to use it. And Mtnguy is right that it doesn't necessarily work well where there are lots of rolling hills; the more frequent the worse it gets. And it DOES take more fuel to hold your speed in hills; especially if it forces a downshift. It IS more fuel efficient to hold your high gear and let it slow; then regain your speed on the downhill; in other words, no cruise.

But the bottom line is, there is no big reason not to use it. We now tow with an Ecoboost. The torque at low engine speeds allows the use of cruise most of the time; without a lot of shifting.

[Rugged Brown]

I have used cruise but I did notice that my gas mileage suffered some under cruise. Truck performed well otherwise.

[joelek]

Cruise worked great on my Ford. Till ya hit hills then take it off! I left it on and ended up with turbo overboost, engine cooling temp to oil temp ratio, and egr valve errors all showed up via the wrench light and check engine light. Bottom line was using cruise when towing on hills caused the beginning of engine meltdown. Buy hey that's what warranties are for. Like Clint Eastwood said.......A man's got to know his limitations.

[Timex]

Let me get someone to clarify something for me.

What do you mean when you say you lock out overdrive?

I tow in D with the tow/haul on and with the CC on as well.

Truck: Ram 2500, 5.7 Hemi, 3:73 axle
Speed: hiway 60 mph
Trailer: Flagstaff 30WRLTS VLite
MPG: 8-10 but I can live with that

Yes, it does downshift when going up hills.

Been towing this way for years with no problem, yet.

If I am doing something wrong or there is a better way, I'm all ears!

[MtnGuy]

I have an older F150, and there is no tow/haul button....just an overdrive lockout. Some tow/haul modes may lockout OD as well as changing the shift points. You will have to refer to your owners manual to see if OD is locked out in tow/haul.

[Road-King]

Originally Posted by Timex

Let me get someone to clarify something for me.

What do you mean when you say you lock out overdrive?

In my 07 Dodge, if I press the tow/haul button once, it goes into tow/haul mode. Press it a second time and it locks out the O/D. Third press and it's back to normal.

[dwaynerz]

my 08 silverado duramax/allison .. press tow haul once, engaged. press second time and its disengaged. i live in illinois and its all reletively flat, so cruise is on all the time towing interstates and usually off when on the 2 lanes. too many small towns/slower traffic.

[Mark S]

Thanks, you all answered as I believed, but sometimes reading something here causes some self doubt.

Ecoboost with the 373 rarely drops more than one gear on modest climbs. More than that I turn cruise off. Nice thing on the new Ford transmission is the ability to lock out gears.

I would hate the thought of keeping my foot constantly on gas on those long drive days. Now I wonder how I went anywhere before cruize control. On my 1966 VW pop up I used a long handled window squeegee jammed under the dash to hold the gas pedal down. Worked well, usually.

[AquaMan]

If I'm on the interstate and traffic is moderate to low, the cruise is on. I think it mostly depends on the truck and the weight you're hauling. My 2500 Duramax will pull 15k all day without down shifting, but my 2500 gasser would constantly hunt for gears, pulling half as much, and I would never use cruise.

[Timex]

Originally Posted by Road-King

In my 07 Dodge, if I press the tow/haul button once, it goes into tow/haul mode. Press it a second time and it locks out the O/D. Third press and it's back to normal.

My tow/haul is press once=engage, press again=disengage

So if it is engaged the OD is locked out?

Or do I need to study my manual?

[Road-King]

Check your manual. In tow/haul mine will go into O/D. It takes longer for it to get there then it does in normal mode.

[RattVader]

On my 6 speed auto it is essentially the same.Tow/haul is set with button at end of shifter.Once set in(drive) gear selection is made thru up or down buttons on stick.In tow/haul mode,OD can be set for on or off.I always leave it off because eventually she (my Cummins)will shift into OD and out and in.But I can count on one hand that she (my Cummins)has downshifted into 5th to make a grade while in CC.

[Timex]

The Cummins I had, I never even had to put it in tow/haul unless I was pulling a very steep grade. Boy, I miss that truck to pull my trailer. But it was costing me too much to maintain only using it sparingly to pull my trailer.

[MillerTime]

I believe that anyone that is going to tell you from a manuf. Side, accepting liability and warranty limitations and most owners manuals. Cruise control is not to be used when rain, winding roads or any slippery conditions exist- as per the GM owners Manual. Hills it says will cause down/ upshifting so most prefer not to use in such conditions. No mention is made of use while towing- so no liability will be accepted by manuf. If there is deemed a problem because of use, but it will be up to the dealer service manager to make the call(explain to manuf. Reason for warranting).

I would recomend not using cc when towing as it can dramaticaly decrease reaction time which, when towing is a HUGE issue. Spend some time in a 18 wheeler and see how many idiots there are out there even on "open " roads.

Just my 2 cents on last part. First part out of GM owners manual and years in a dealership.