Cruise Control while Towing
 

So this may be a dumb question to the Veteran towers... but since I have been towing with the 6.0 for less than a year, was hoping to get some input.

I tow a 5-6000 lb trailer (loaded) with my Excursion. Is there any reason that I should/shouldn't use cruise control when towing? Like just rolling down the interstate. When I tow the trailer empty I will set the cruise and on some hills, it downshifts and pushes about 30psi for a couple seconds... but have never used cruise while loaded. Don't climb any mountains at all, just mostly rolling hills.

Truck is mostly stock, but it is Studded if that matters.

Thanks

-The Great

I use the cruise when towing my 5th wheel in the Eastern Sierras on some 7 and 8% grades. I usually set it at 60 mph and enjoy the ride. If temps start to climb too high I will manually pull it down to 3rd gear and reset the cruise. No problems at all. My 5er loaded is probably around 14,000 lbs. I will also have it in tow/haul mode while climbing and descending.

I use it on the flat and level roads but usually flip it off when the going gets hilly.

It may just be MY truck but I find the cruise control a bit annoying. If I set it to 65mph and there happens to be a small decline before a hill (amazing how often there is) it will lift the throttle and drop slightly to 62-63mph, lug into the beginning of the hill, then downshift partway up and accelerate over the crest the hill at exactly 65 and continue to climb to 67-69mph after the road levels out, then slowly settle back down to 65. That's a variance of 6-7mph. I know it can't see ahead or anticipate anything and it's a trivial complaint but after a few hills I can make life much easier on the truck and my nerves by flipping the CC off. It does this towing and unloaded.

CC while towing for me is hit-n-miss. If the roadways are fairly level it's nice to use. When there are routine hills it's better to have CC off.

I have some of the same experiences as Rusty when hitting the hills.

My cruise acts the same way, loaded or unloaded. I just wanted to make sure that using cruise while towing won't cause any undue damage

-The Great

Not gonna hurt a thing :-X22. Might make a slight difference in fuel mileage and make you look like your'e not paying attention if there's other vehicles around you lol.

I agree with the above posters. The cruise works great on the flats or mild rolls but in the larger rolls or hills it gets annoying.

But two exceptions. On the long, steady grades, I use it. And on the long steady descents, if you set it with t/h engaged, it will automatically downshift to hold back your speed. Its not perfect or as exact as a driver would be, but it is a good help in many situations.

Even w/o towing the cruise control even on mild hills (or interstate "overpasses") seems to be more easily confused then in other vehicles I've driven. }>

Obviously, when towing, the human would use a downgrade to gain speed to help on the hill that always seems to be at the bottom.. The cruise can't look ahead and see when there is a up (or down) grade ahead. :-X03

I don't understand that statement unless your engine is down on power or you have other problems.

Agreed, it's just slow to react, over reacts, and then slow to return to steady state. Maybe it's more difficult to do cruise on a diesel for some reason?

My wife's 6k lb XC90 Volvo gasser doesn't vary at all. Steadiest cruise control I've ever seen. 1click is 1mph also. Sweet.

Anyway, glad to hear mine isn't the only one or I'd have to start chasing gremlins :(.

I see that same thing in the diesel vs the gas ones I have driven.
But this is also my first turbo. So maybe it something to do with
the turbo lag.

Sean :-drink