Community Forums

dmason · 10-30-2013, 07:38 PM

What's the pros/cons of towing with your cruise control on?

BobGed · 10-30-2013, 07:43 PM

I think the pros are obvious, and I can't think of any cons. I use my CC every time I can.

KIX · 10-30-2013, 07:46 PM

The only con I can think of to using cruise control when towing is if it causes the transmission to downshift and potentially overspeed your engine.

vsheetz · 10-30-2013, 07:46 PM

Same here, use cruise whenever practical to do so - towing or not.

Mr_D · 10-30-2013, 07:48 PM

Same here. It's on most of the time when on the freeway.

CJScepter · 10-30-2013, 08:18 PM

I like to enjoy the view cruising down the road and using the cruise control gives me one less thing to do, watch the speedometer! In hilly terrain I turn cruise off so coach doesn't shift up and down too much.
John G.

deSanford · 10-30-2013, 08:22 PM

I 5th it........deSanford

frankdamp · 10-30-2013, 08:29 PM

Modern automotive computer systems are a great deal smarter than the people driving the vehicles. Leave everything to the computer, except overall control of speed for the conditions, keeping the rig between the fog line and the center-line and avoiding running into the guy ahead!

There may be a computer program for those before too long.

H-Rambler25 · 10-30-2013, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

Modern automotive computer systems are a great deal smarter than the people driving the vehicles. Leave everything to the computer, except overall control of speed for the conditions, keeping the rig between the fog line and the center-line and avoiding running into the guy ahead!

There may be a computer program for those before too long.

Years ago owned a Itasta MH the cruise stuck on and would not turn off. Every time I stepped on the brake we went faster. I had my wife get into the driver seat I got out we were going over 60mph, I got under the dash and pulled out the wires to disengage the CC. A big scare for us with two small children.

Arch Hoagland · 10-30-2013, 10:53 PM

I'm on cruise control 95% of the time except for downhill and I'm always towing.

nodine · 10-31-2013, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmason

What's the pros/cons of towing with your cruise control on?

You gotta love the cruise control. I set mine to be 2 or 3 MPH less than the flow of traffic so everyone passes me and I don't have to keep hitting the brake. Then I sit back and enjoy the view through that huge windshield. In the mountains when the speed passes the cruise setting I will manually downshit the Allison to reduce the speed going down hill. If the grade is steep and long I will get out of cruise and keep downshifting the Allison without using the exhaust brake. When we get to the bottom of the hill I just hit D on the Allison and Resume on the cruise. There are times through when it is necessay to use the exhaust brake and then we have to reset the cruise speed. I have a bar on the VMSpc that shows when the cruise is enabled and a window for actual speed and a window for the cruise speed setpoint.

Bob

frankdamp · 10-31-2013, 09:43 AM

A quick follow-up to my previous post. I was thinking of modern digitally-controlled CC NOT the old analog type. We had an '85 Class C with a 460 Ford that had analog CC. We got on a steep grade while the CC was on, and it couldn't maintain the set speed (we had a binding rear brake problem we hadn't recognized).

When the error between set speed and actual speed reached a certain value, CC disconnected itself. We were on wide-open throttle, with a rich mixture in the exhaust. When it disconnected there was a big bang and sounds of pieces falling off. The pieces were the outer ends of the tailpipes!

johnboy2 · 11-01-2013, 02:58 PM

I use CC most of the time I'm not in town. I find that even in areas like the Blue Ridge Parkway if I use CC I won't be as likely to speed

Cooperhawk · 11-01-2013, 03:11 PM

I don't use it in heavy traffic, but the rest of the time I like it a lot.

In gently rolling hill country I use the "Mode" button on the Allison shifter. I causes the transmission not to shift so often and lets the engine lug the hills a little.

I also shift down to 5 or 4 on steep hills. Dynamic braking.