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Old 04-10-2010, 09:37 AM   #1
terry and jo
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Towing with Cruise Control

Sorry for what will probably be a dumb question, but the majority of my towing experience has been at a time before cruise control was available on trucks.

I have a tendency to NOT want to use cruise control while towing, simply because of reaction time should something, either the traffic situation or a camper problem, occur while going down the road. However, there have been times when I was tempted to do so with our 26 foot and smaller campers, especially on long stretches without many towns.

If finances work out for us, we are scheduled for a two week vacation near Pagosa Springs, CO in late August. Since a lot of those miles to get there are interstate highways, it is possible I may want to use cruise control. However, since it will be the first long "haul" with a 38 footer, I may be too leary to use it.

So, the question is do you use your cruise control when towing, and if not, other than traffic situations or camper problems, why not?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Terry
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Old 04-10-2010, 01:20 PM   #2
Gemstone
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On the flats, I tow using cruise control...hate not using it. I have not experienced any lag time, nor does my truck lug down...but then I'm towing with a bigger truck. Try it and see how it works for you.

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Old 04-11-2010, 08:09 AM   #3
GlennWest
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I know that cruise eats mpg unless it's flat country. Even running no load in the foot hills I get -2 using cruise.
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Old 04-11-2010, 10:39 AM   #4
Motor31
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I use cruise control all the time including in the mountains. Then again I have a very large tow vehicle too. I get the best mileage that way and only drop out of cruise if the mountain grade is better than 6% on secondary roads. I do drop out of cruise on the back side and use the exhaust brakes as well as down shift.

If you are finding the truck is "hunting" or shifting between overdrive and the next gear down, drop out of cruise and hold it in the lower gear. Down shift on the back side of mountains / hills as well to help with braking especially if you do not have an exhaust brake.

Watch your temperature gauge and slow down if you are getting hot. I hope you also have a transmission temperature gauge as well. That can save you from having to replace the fluid often or get a transmission rebuild early. Make sure you have a good and large transmission oil cooler too, assuming it's an automatic transmission truck.
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Old 04-11-2010, 11:41 AM   #5
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What Mike said! When we had the Chevy we used the cruise exactly as he mentions. The Volvo is on anytime traffic allows. No matter the grade.

Bill
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Old 04-12-2010, 04:29 AM   #6
GlennWest
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I'm in the foot hills in Virginia now. Cruise looses too much speed going up the hill and has to catch up again. Really hurts mpg.
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Old 04-12-2010, 12:15 PM   #7
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It's not the cruise doing that, it's the combination of load and road grade. It takes more power to go uphill for anything you drive. The overdrive is only really for flat land cruising especially when close to the tow vehicles limit. Mountains and headwinds hurt EVERYONES mpg even ours. Just a part of the cost of RVing. Shame we can't be going down hill or with a tailwind all the time, sigh. :)
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Old 04-12-2010, 07:35 PM   #8
GlennWest
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I actually get better mpg in the foothills of Virginia than I did in the flat lands of Texas. I get 4 mpg more also. Still get less with cruise though.
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Old 04-12-2010, 09:30 PM   #9
wingnut60
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cruise control

Terry,
The real answer is for you to try it on I-40 in an open area just to see how you like it. I believe that you will eventually find that it just isn't a practical use of that option.
As for me and my last F350 and now my 450--I just don't like it except for short periods on flat stretches of wide hiways to maybe give my right foot a rest--and the cruise tends to lose too much speed on the uphills and then floors the throttle to catch up--not good for mileage.
And I can get better mileage if I want to without it--the cruise can't anticipate long downhills or get a run at a long uphill.
Joe
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Old 04-13-2010, 09:47 AM   #10
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The newer fords cruise control is unacceptable. Towing or not, on any type of hilly area.
The only thing good about the late model ford cruise control while towing on any type of hilly area is the fact that if you are in the tow/haul mode it will downshift the trans. on a down hill grade automaticly.
Ever since Ford had fire problems with there cruise control they have changed them and they will not change the paramiters to tighten them up. Like they used to.
That is my experience.
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Old 04-17-2010, 09:23 AM   #11
dave007
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I use my cruise control almost all the time. The only time I don't use it while in heavy traffic or going downhill. We've traveled from California to Florida with the cruise on almost all the time. I just set the cruise on 65 and relax. I cant see any way the cruise could hurt your fuel millage. It should help. Just my thoughts.
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Old 04-17-2010, 10:01 AM   #12
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I use cruise all the time as long as the roads are fairly flat... mine works great and holds the speed where I put it... don't use it in the mountains although I probably could but prefer not to.

I have finally found the "sweet spot" where I can hold the speed and get the best fuel mileage without a lot of downshifting for grades (~2000 rpm or about 60-62 mph). Slow for most folks but with 4.30 gears, that is where I get something approaching decent fuel milage.
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