Running the ac while towing

If you got enough motor and it doesn't overheat, run it. I do.

With 29 years of vehicle development experience I can assure you that running the AC puts a strain on the truck. So does running the wipers, or turning on the lights, or listening to the radio, or using the turn signals, or using the brakes, or turning the steering wheel. You truck (regardless of make) was designed to tow at full rated capacity with the AC running at maximum.

I put my windows down for ATMs and Drive thrus and that's it.

Thanks for all the replies! This place is great for piece of mind :C

Tystevens wrote:
Reminds me of being a kid on vacation ... when a big hill was coming, dad would shut off the a/c, and sometimes have to turn on the heater! I remember water jugs and barrels every couple hundred yards along the shoulder of the freeway in the summer, and a few vehicles pulled over on every hill ...

Kinda nice to not have to worry about that anymore!

Yes, a/c on or whatever I want when towing. Haven't had a cooling issue since forever.

Kind of like following a big motorhome and the steps would deploy every time it would hit a hill. Then retract when it started to come down the other side! :)

I run my AC most of the time. I tried turning it off when towing a big hill and didn't notice any difference.

Reminds me of being a kid on vacation ... when a big hill was coming, dad would shut off the a/c, and sometimes have to turn on the heater! I remember water jugs and barrels every couple hundred yards along the shoulder of the freeway in the summer, and a few vehicles pulled over on every hill ...

Kinda nice to not have to worry about that anymore!

Yes, a/c on or whatever I want when towing. Haven't had a cooling issue since forever.

Hannibal wrote:
I read years ago that the a/c draws about 12hp to run. About the same as the wind drag of running on the interstate with the windows down. I don't know if that's accurate or not but, I run my a/c all the time towing or not.

In the old days that was true with the old style compressors like York and Frigadare. Not true with the new style.

I read years ago that the a/c draws about 12hp to run. About the same as the wind drag of running on the interstate with the windows down. I don't know if that's accurate or not but, I run my a/c all the time towing or not.

If a heavy duty truck can't handle the slight power loss from an A/C compressor along with pulling a load, it's not a heavy duty truck....

Towing through Arizona in the summer without the A/C is kind of annoying.