richmondnite
ottawa ontario canada
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Joined: 10/20/2004
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Any comments on advantages or disadvantages of towing 5er using cruise control.
1999 F250 4X2 short box
2005 Pilgrim 30ft
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Turn Key
North Central Texas
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Joined: 06/01/2002
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Have tried it. On a "flat and level" strech, it's fine. In hilly terrain I find it tends to cause the truck to shift too low too often. This does keep the speed up but also plays havoc your milage. I find it much better in hilly terrain to control the speed myself. This way when I head into a climb I can let the truck shift down one gear. I then just let it loose a little speed and ease off the accelerator as it does. This way, I don't use as much gas and still don't lug down the engine.
Works for me and just my 2-cents. Happy Camping!
Turn Key and DW
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jdog
Some Place
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You gotta be kidding, why would anyone do anything like that? That's nuts. You need to maintain full control of your TV and trailer while towing!!!!
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krogan
Gobles, MI, USA
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Joined: 01/05/2004
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Use it, they would not have put it on if the transmission could not handle the cruise control.
Ken & Phyllis
Nip & Tuck (2 small dogs that look forward to the next vacation)
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Starchmill
Southern NH
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We towed from NH to SD and back last May. As soon as we cleared the hilly terrain in NY, I had it on cruise the rest of the way. Sure cut down on driver fatigue and enabled me to put in a longer day on the road when we needed too. I should add that my old V8 couldn't have ever handled towing with the cruise on. I think you have to have a more than adequate TV, to tow with the luxury of cruise control on.
2 Camping Pomeranians... 
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PAUL3500HD
N.W.Ohio
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I was never a fan of C.C. before. It seemed to be
just another gadget I didnt need.
Now I use it alot when towing. It does help with driver fatigue
and helps with fuel milage. If I am in hilly areas I wont use it But on flats I am all over it now.
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Dave Bristol
Leesburg FL
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I use the cruise, like other folks have said, except in hilly stretches. It is great for keeping the speed steady, and for letting it creep up to where I might get a ticket. It is, of course, important to pay strict attention to traffic and road conditions. I find that if I keep it at a steady, reasonable speed, the fuel mileage is better. Especially if I keep it at 65mph or under.
Dave Bristol
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PackerBacker
Home is Montreal Qc & Seasonal is NY Adirondacks
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Quote:why would anyone do anything like that? That's nuts. You need to maintain full control of your TV and trailer while towing!!!!
That's pretty funny.
I do use cc on occassion if it is very flat, but I don't tow in overdrive with the hemi. With overdrive and cruise control it will hunt too much.
Eric
2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 33SFS (34' 3")
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MotorPsycho
Madison, Wisconsin
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Overall, I'm still in the learning curve on the issue with only 2,500 miles towing a 5th wheel. However, with only partial results in my my read is that I get significantly better gas mileage towing with cruise than without. Also, using cruise is far less tireing than not.
I find that, on the average, I am far more in control of my vehicle when I am less weary than I am when I'm worn out and babysitting the gas pedal.
As others mentioned, I don't use cruise in very hilly or winding conditions. Also, on the really brutal grades, I kick off cruise control rather than allowing my truck to downshift to a gear that will run the rpms up over 3,500. It doesn't happen often, but I'm simply not in that much of a hurry.
MotorPsycho
Durango 275RK
2004 F150 5.4L FX4
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TCFenton1
West Winfield, NY, USA
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On the GM's with Allison transmission, when you engage tow/haul mode it also changes the cruise control characteristics, so that it will let your speed drop a bit more on a hill before forcing a downshift. I used the cruise control on my GMC diesel all the time this summer, except in very hilly terrain or on curvy roads where it wasn't safe to maintain a steady speed. But on the interstates or open stretches of highway, absolutely. I even used it sometimes when I had my F150/7700 with the 5.4L gas engine, but not nearly as much as I do now with the DMAX.
Tom
2006 Crossroads Cruiser CF28RL, Honda EU2000i generator
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