Cruise Control in Mountains?

[supercub]

Does it hurt to run the cruise control while driving in the mountains? I've just driven up I-5 in Oregon where there are several 6% grades. I'm usually cruising around 55-60mph. On steep grades I'll back it down to 50mph, I don't like the engine screaming above 4,000 rpms. Thanks for the info.

[supercub]

Does it hurt to run the cruise control while driving in the mountains? I've just driven up I-5 in Oregon where there are several 6% grades. I'm usually cruising around 55-60mph. On steep grades I'll back it down to 50mph, I don't like the engine screaming above 4,000 rpms. Thanks for the info.

[wilanddij]

I always try to get out of CC when I get to an uphill that's going to get me down into 3rd. Makes no sense to me to have the CC/engine keep trying to maintain crusing speed when I can manually keep the RPM in (what seems to me) a more economical operating range.

[runaground]

CC usually goes off in the mountains. The computer can not see the next hill comming up so it will not build speed or adjust quick enough to maintain speed/tourqe to climb hill or hold the speed back on a downhill run.
On the flats or rolling hills the CC is on, but in the steep mountains it is usually off. I do at times use the accelerator to build or maintain speed to climb the grade, then take my foot off the accelerator when the grade slows me down to CC speed.

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by supercub:
Does it hurt to run the cruise control while driving in the mountains? I've just driven up I-5 in Oregon where there are several 6% grades. I'm usually cruising around 55-60mph. On steep grades I'll back it down to 50mph, I don't like the engine screaming above 4,000 rpms. Thanks for the info. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


I wouldn'r run with the cruise control on in the mountains as you are better off gauging and anticipating the next hill on your own. Also the computer will try to keep you at the speed you set and will wait 'till you get under your set speed and downshift you when you could do better yourself.

[JCM]

I have to disagree. I use the cruse control all the time in the mountains - that where I live - as it allows the motor and transmission to "talk" to each other, giving a smoother shifting pattern. Occasionaly when very high rpm is required I will take over and "back off" to lower the rpm.

[CoastieSCPO]

For me, it depends upon the steepness of the grade or if we're going uphill or down. I never use cruise going downhill. With steep uphill grades I want to be able to have control rather than use cruise. With lesser mountain grades, the cruise does just fine. Now, we're talking about a gasser with Allison 1000 series tranny. It might be a different story with a diesel or a newer Allison.

[Geechee]

This has to be a first, six post and five of us agree. CC is not intended for the mountains. It is also not intended for heavy traffic conditions. I love my CC, but it is for limited access highways with moderate traffic loads.

[rvten]

Never use the CC in the hill and mountians. I also live in very hilly country. Even a very windy day is a reason not too use the CC.

CC down shifts too much and too low of a gear.

[max49]

Use control in the mountains if you want to act like a very aggressive driver who refuses to lose even 1 MPH before you floor it and cram and jam the downshifting. It'll also burn up that old gas in your tank faster.

[alvinc]

I don't use CC in the mountains, but use it all the time in rolling hills. It works even better after I did the UltraPower upgrade. Lets not go there.

My complaint about CC is that it could be more intelligent. I would love to be able to program it a little better. I would only allow it to downshift 1 gear and the maximum RPM would be only 3500-4000rpm.

[rotts4u]

I agree 100% Alvin. On slight grades I find the tranny will often downshift to make 100% sure it maintains the 70mph that I have it set at when I would be happy with 67 mph up that grade then a return to 70 once flat if it would stay in 5th.

I wish there was an adaptive cruise that had an adjustable range of speeds that the drive could dial in like the intermitant wiper speed. That way I could set it to tollerate a 5mph drop on hills.

Maybe Mike at Brazels could develop that for us too.

Don

[alvinc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rotts4u:

I wish there was an adaptive cruise that had an adjustable range of speeds that the driver could dial in like the intermitant wiper speed. That way I could set it to tolerate a 5mph drop on hills.

Don </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I think that would be just the ticket..... and it would be a simple user interface (I didn't say easy to implement). The ability to adjust the speed drop that will be allowed before the CC downshifts.