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Post by 5thmech on Jan 21, 2016 10:03:48 GMT -5
I have a 21 foot Sportsmen Ultra Lite. Dry weight is 3020, per the sticker inside the trailer. My tow vehicle is a 2007 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, V-8, 4X4, with optional tow package. Curb weight with me sitting in it is 6080. My wife, who pulls a 36 foot goose neck horse trailer, advised me that it is a dangerous practice to use cruise control when towing. Since in her younger years she drove 18 wheelers over the road, she is not exactly a new comer to pulling trailers.
What is the advice anyone can give a guy new to this? Do y'all use your cruise control? |
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Post by paroadking1 on Jan 21, 2016 10:29:46 GMT -5
I pull a 30TH and use cruise control all the time. You do have to pay close attention to the road and upcoming traffic, but I have never had an issue. With my truck and the exhaust brake, it actually reacts better than I do with grade changes.
Time and place for it, but great for open road.
Just my $.02
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Post by sandymelody on Jan 21, 2016 11:18:45 GMT -5
I have a Sportsman 16RBT with a weight of about 3,000 lbs loaded and I tow with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Switched into tow/haul mode and using cruise it does a great job on level grade and even moderate hills. The only time I take it off cruise is where the grade reaches the point where the transmission is searching.
In the Sierra Nevadas, nope, no cruise, across Nebraska, I loved it.
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 21, 2016 11:50:13 GMT -5
I have a Sportsman 16RBT with a weight of about 3,000 lbs loaded and I tow with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Switched into tow/haul mode and using cruise it does a great job on level grade and even moderate hills. The only time I take it off cruise is where the grade reaches the point where the transmission is searching. In the Sierra Nevadas, nope, no cruise, across Nebraska, I loved it. Good answer. The only time I don't use it is when I want to allow the speed to drop before cresting hills. |
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Post by johnr on Jan 21, 2016 14:46:41 GMT -5
Hi, looks like you served in the 5th, thanks for your service!
I do use cruise control, like others here. It did take me a long time to actually start because I wasn't comfortable. There are times that it just won't work for me, in mountains, when traffic is heavy, etc.
I'd be interested in the reasons your wife has for saying that. Maybe she could teach us all something.
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Post by 5thmech on Jan 21, 2016 16:16:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies.
I'll have to ask the wife more questions about her opinion (a dangerous thing with some women).
Her trailer weighs almost 7,000 empty (4 horse, slant load w/living quarters). With 3 horses in there that's another 3,600.
When I'm pulling my 5X10 utility trailer loaded with 2400 pounds of hay I use cruise, no problem.
I plan on doing the same with my TT, since you guys seem to be OK with it.
Johnr - I was with the 5th at Fort Carson, Colorado, and in Vietnam. I actually volunteered for Vietnam after one winter in Colorado. Waaaay too cold for a Florida boy.
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Post by joecamper on Jan 22, 2016 18:28:22 GMT -5
I pull a Durango 5er, loaded weight about 12,500 with my GMC Durango. I use my cruise all the time except for the reasons posted already. Just be smart about traffic and road conditions and you'll be fine.
Thanks for your service, we were probably somewhat close at some time or another, I live in Palisade, Colorado after my time in the Air Force.
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Post by ronc on May 6, 2016 21:17:04 GMT -5
I have a 381 REF that weighs 16,4000 lbs ready to go ... I pull it with a Ford F-350 6.7 diesel ... I use cruise control every chance I get. It not only maintains speed better that me, it greatly reduces my "workload" as the driver.
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cmore
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 34
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Post by cmore on May 21, 2016 9:54:42 GMT -5
I don't use the cruse as my gas mileage suffers. Trying to maintain the exact speed while going up and down hills causes more gas to be used.
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k0vwa
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 47 
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Post by k0vwa on May 24, 2016 10:48:07 GMT -5
I don't use cruise control on mountain roads but I do use it on long interstate hauls. Our 2004 V8 Touareg automagically goes into tow mode when a trailer is plugged in. It alters shift points and such so I just leave it in "D".
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