Cruise control or not

[Goodpete]

I am fairly new to towing and I just thought about using cruise control when towing. I have taken several trips in the last year and realize that I have never used it while towing. Do you use it? Are there any concerns when doing so, other than the obvious?

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

I'm shocked that we haven't heard from anybody that they got an email from a police man that says if you drive in the rain with your CC on your truck will turn into a deadly airplane and go flying through the air and kill scores of people. :R

[mikegt4]

I have had cars with CC since the 1980's and count the time that I have used it on my fingers. Never had it on a truck. Then again I don't have automatic transmissions except in full size vans where it is standard equipment.

I never could understand why people think that CC is a fuel saving device, it's NOT unless you can't control your right foot. One of my biggest pet peeves is coming up on 2 people with their CCs set 1 or 2 mph apart and one is passing the other, it takes 2 miles to get around!

[SpoiledRotten]

I use it about 90% of the time. If I'm in a hilly area where the TV wants to shift in and out of OD, then I go ahead and keep it off until I'm in a little flatter area. It very seldoms shifts out of OD as long as I'm going 65MPH or more. The turbo boost gauge will shoot up to about 15 - 18 but eases back down just before shifting.

[JIMNLIN]

Made a living towing trailers (non RV) with mostly one ton DRW trucks for many years and over 800k miles. I wouldn't own a truck without cruise even pulling at 25k-30k GCW. CC gave me a rest when out on the open highways.

However my foot could always get better mpgs than any CC system as it doesn't anticipate like the operator for setting up for the next grade change (up or down).

[mosseater]

korbe wrote:
Nope. Most of our towing is in the hills but while towing I want to be ready for any and everything, which includes my foot on the gas and ready for the brake.

I'm actually surprise by the responses. I have NEVER used mine while towing. The above response mirrors mine. I will manual in and out of OD when the converter unlocks, but I have never used cruise while towing in 6 years of owning our trailer. I just feel like it keeps me in the game. My combo tows wonderfully, but I don't want to get lulled into a sense of security. Too much at stake. My .02.

[allen8106]

When I towed with my 2009 6.0L gas I absolutely could not even on flat terrain. With my 2013 6.6L Duramax I absolutely can and do.

[pappcam]

Yes. Use it.

Some people over think this whole towing thing.

[ReferDog]

If you have plenty of power, and it's flat to some hills , why not. I do, never had any problems, not in traffic.

[bluie5]

I use it all the time except if it is wet and/or slippery. I have not had any problems with hills when we had our lightweight TT. I now have a much heavier TT and have not had it out for any long hauls yet. Going down hill the cruise with the exhaust brake holds speed well.

[Wishin]

I like to use it. It lets me focus on things other than my speed, I can spend a little more time watching traffic than worrying about going too fast, which would be my tendency. It does depend on the vehicle and the terrain. If the vehicle withe the cruise on is doing what you would do with it off, then use it. If it causes too much erratic behavior in an attempt to maintain speed, then don't use it. I used it constantly with my wagon but haven't towed with the Suburban enough to know, I think I'll be able to use it most of the time however.

[Ron3rd]

I always use my CC when towing on the freeway.

[gmw_photos]

I use it as much as I can, partly due to an old hip injury on the right side makes for some pain on a long day if I have to hold the pedal manually.
My Nissan is a manual transmission, so I don't have the issues of an automatic being downshifted due to an over zealous cruise control. Like others have said, I agree about not using it on rain slick ( or other slick ) roads.

[Tystevens]

Depends on the vehicle for me. In my diesel, I used it pretty much everywhere, mountains, flats, whatever. The vehicle had no trouble keeping the speed right where I wanted it.

My 1/2 ton Suburbans have had a harder time keeping the speed right there, and will lose speed on a minor incline, overpass, etc. With the cruise on, the truck falls all over itself to keep it right at speed, and I didn't like the redline shifts to pick up the 4-5 mph I lost when I knew that I'd be able to make the speed back up on the other side of the hill with constant pressure on the pedal. So I almost never use cruse towing with my Suburban.

I haven't towed enough w/ my F150 Ecoboost to know what will work yet. I expect it will do much better than my Suburban on flat or small inclines, but I will find out soon!

[ependydad]

I use it as much as possible. It's the only way I can drive so slowly! It's pretty well impossible for me to drive 62mph otherwise. 😄