Cruise Control While Towing? |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508 |
Topic: Cruise Control While Towing? Posted: 30 Apr 2012 at 12:13pm |
Tidalwave, very helpful. Thank you!
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TIDALWAVE
Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315 |
Posted: 30 Apr 2012 at 10:52am |
I tow with a Chevy Silverado with auto-transmission and Tow-Haul. On level runs at 55 mph with no head-winds I get about 12-13 mpg. In hilly areas with Tow-Haul engaged, I average about 10 mpg. In steep mountain areas I am lucky to get 6-8 mpg. The engine is pretty big...even stiff head winds only drop the mpgs by about 1 mpg. Towing at Interstate speeds, 65-75 mph, my mileage drops 2-3 mpg at minimum. The frontal area of any R-Pod is so large that even an increase of 10 mph will drastically cut your mileage.
One big difference is the type of fuel you use. On my last run to Florida, my mileage dropped by about 15-20% where only ethanol was sold. I bought non-ethanol gas if the price was within 20% of ethanol. |
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TIDALWAVE
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508 |
Posted: 30 Apr 2012 at 9:41am |
Does anyone tow with a full size pick-up or with a diesel pick-up? What do you average for miles per gallon. We presently tow with a Dodge Grand Caravan and average from 10 in the mountains of Vermont to 13 once we get below New England on our trips to Florida.
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wagnert
Newbie Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Location: Gig Harbor, WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 7:40pm |
WE have a 2003 Toyota Mini-van.
On our recent 3800 mile trip from Seattle to AZ and return, I used cruise control on the flat stretches. Worked fine. I turned off overdrive whenever the transmission downshifted. The Toyota's V-6 was a champ. Handled the 6-7 mile long mountain climbs very well. I drove conservatively, but ended up passing semis on the long climbs, just because there was no reason to slow down. |
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Tom Wagner
2012 R-Pod 177 2003 Toyota Sienna |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 16 Apr 2012 at 10:47am |
Welcome, loudog.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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loudog
Newbie Joined: 14 Oct 2011 Location: San Jose, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 6 |
Posted: 15 Apr 2012 at 9:58pm |
We've got a somewhat modified 182G and tow with a newer Acura MDX. I don't use cruise control in the hills, but I've found that the adaptive cruise control is awesome on the flats... especially in heavier traffic. It uses radar to range the vehicle ahead of you and maintain a constant distance. What a difference it makes on HW 5 in California. I set the car for 57 Mph, and just steer.
I'll never buy another tow vehicle that doesn't have it. It's just that nice. You should be fine with cruise if the transmission isn't "hunting" for a gear all the time -- a sure sign that you need to take direct control I've found that locking out overdrive (sport mode on the MDX) and keeping the speed down makes cruise usable on almost any flat. -- Lou -- A geek, a lady, and a teen in the beanpod of doom.
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TerryM
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950 |
Posted: 15 Apr 2012 at 4:33am |
Now that I have a Ford F-150 V8 towing is much better. It never leaves 6th. gear. I set the cruise control and leave it.
Terry |
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RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3227 |
Posted: 14 Apr 2012 at 10:35am |
We only use c.c in the open country when the roads are flat to gently hilly, otherwise we use the pedal. As others have already stated, the engine is constantly searching for the correct speed and the tranny is constantly shifting as well to accomadate the engine rpm's.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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DocTom
Senior Member Joined: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Kansas City, MO Online Status: Offline Posts: 190 |
Posted: 14 Apr 2012 at 8:21am |
I use the cruise control, specially on long drives across Kansas, without problem. I did find that I got a few tenths better gas mileage not using it.
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Brush and Floss, It is the Secret of Life!
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uphillracer
Newbie Joined: 30 Sep 2010 Location: Mobile AL Online Status: Offline Posts: 21 |
Posted: 13 Apr 2012 at 7:00am |
On our very first trip - home from picking up the POD - I learned not to use CC. The engine would kick down to 3rd gear all the time and I saw I was getting about 7.5 MPG. The LR3 has a manual shift option. I quickly learned to use that and mostly keep the beats in 5th gear, in 4th up some hills and occasionally in 3rd when needed. At a highway speed between 60 and 65 I now get 12.2 - 12.4 MPG. My tach is my shift guide.
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Uphill, Di, Tracer & Jorja
2011 171 2008 LR3 |
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