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Cruise Control While Towing

E-Rod

E-Rod

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Location
Kansas
2-Horse Slant Trailer w/ Tack Room & 2 full size quarter horses. Trailer: 3,000lbs + Equine: ~2,200lbs = ~5,200lbs total weight

Midwest to South Texas driving with virtually no hills... however if steep hills are encountered, is it best to cancel Cruise Control... or just let it eat?

Growing up my dad always said to never use Cruise Control while towing anything heavier than a couple 4-wheelers on a light single axle trailer

I'm young and this truck is my first pickup independently purchased since an old hand-me-down from my dad at 16.
 
I tow a 30' 9k TT and use the adaptive cruse control whenever possible. Works fine in mountains. Keeps speed going up and does a great job managing gearing going downhill.
 
JohnandDonna said:
I tow a 30' 9k TT and use the adaptive cruse control whenever possible. Works fine in mountains. Keeps speed going up and does a great job managing gearing going downhill.
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Thanks. Is "adaptive" cruise control standard?

(Mine does have the Towing Technology Package)
 
I pull a 34' travel trailer at roughly 9000 pounds, and I use cruise control all the time.
 
Cruise on, exhaust brake on, and relax. Uphill, downhill, stress-free towing. I do cancel cruise in traffic.
 
E-Rod said:
Thanks. Is "adaptive" cruise control standard?

(Mine does have the Towing Technology Package)
Click to expand...

Adaptive cruise control is not standard and is part of the Safety Group. Trucks with it still have regular cruise control as well with it's own button.
 
RV_Goose said, "my 2020 RAM 3500 Cummins pull just fine with cruise control on with exhaust brake on auto and tow/haul mode on." Same for my 2020 3500 6.7 HO, up the mountain, down the mountain or over a flat highway, it works perfectly. Very impressed and pleased.
 
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Run with the cruise and concentrate on other driving tasks.

If you're towing near max, it's OK to override the cruise with a little go pedal approaching a big hill to help maintain momentum, though not really necessary for some of us...
 
E-Rod said:
Thanks. Is "adaptive" cruise control standard?

(Mine does have the Towing Technology Package)
Click to expand...
Depends on your trim level and optional packages. Most come standard with regular cruise control. The adaptive is great as it adjusts your speed in order to maintain the set interval.
 
No cruise control goes back to the days of 3 and 4 speeds that didn't have electro-mechanical controls. Modern trucks change the shift patterns to keep you from hunting gears or blowing out the overdrive and torque converter. Cruise is fine, just make sure you have tow/haul turned on.
 
I tow with a 2020 gasser. I use cruse control unless approaching a long steep grade.
Personally I would rather maintain a loser RPM and slow down a bit than run at a much higher RPM just to maintain the speed limit.
 
smithb29 said:
I tow with a 2020 gasser. I use cruse control unless approaching a long steep grade.
Personally I would rather maintain a loser RPM and slow down a bit than run at a much higher RPM just to maintain the speed limit.
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Its better on the trans and engine to be in the high rpm when climbing lugging an engine is probably the worst thing you can do to it besides idling for long periods
 
I pull a 40' gooseneck that weigh's 9600lbs with upwards of 15K on the deck. Use cruise control ( when I remember to ) except when traffic starts to thicken up or in the mountains. Never really had much of a problem in the mountains, but I like to be in control of the speed with the big trucks.
 
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