Are you wondering how to use your Ram 1500 cruise control while towing? Then you have to the right place. While using cruise control when towing is frowned upon, it is doable. As long as you bear some things in mind and do whatever is necessary to tow your car safely.
Keep reading to learn how to use cruise control when towing.
Can You Use Cruise Control When Towing?
Yes, you can tow on cruise control. However, your truck will likely do whatever it takes to maintain the assigned speed. This means your truck will shift gears as it attempts to maintain speed. This constant shifting and ramping of RMPs isn’t ideal for many of the essential components of your car.
If you use cruise control in tow/haul mode, your vehicle will struggle when going up hills and mountains. Cruise control works best on level surfaces where your truck doesn’t have to do excessive work.
If you approach an incline or decline, override the cruise control and take over accelerating manually if you want more control.
Safe Towing Practices
Here are some safety tips that will help keep you and others on the road safe;
Double-Check Your Hitch
Always double-check your hitch before towing. For example, ensure everything is locked, plugged in, or in optimal working order. Your hitch is an integral part of keeping your truck and trailer connected and takes tremendous stress.
It must be in optimal condition to ensure a safe towing experience. Therefore, buying the best gear for towing is advisable. The last thing you want is disconnect your trailer as you pull away.
This will cause extensive damage to your truck and trailer. Make sure you fasten all safety chains and breakaway cables. If the hitch does fail, you don’t want to further the damage by having your car roll away behind you.
Make Sure Everything Works
Before hitting the road, make sure everything on your RV is functioning correctly. This means checking your car’s brakes, taillights, turn signals, and other safety features.
Many drivers find it helpful to have a checklist that they go through before pulling out of a campsite. This list is one of the best ways to ensure you don’t miss an important step amid the excitement of hitting the road.
Research Your Route Ahead of Time
It may take some planning, but it’s essential to research your route before hitting the road. For example, you don’t want to find yourself approaching a low clearance overpass or a bridge. This can be incredibly dangerous and create a stressful situation. There are plenty of mobile apps like Co-Pilot that can help plan your route. You can also use Google Maps.
Be Aware of the Sway
Trailer sway is a common experience when towing. This is often a result of high winds, the force of larger vehicles passing you, or an under-rated tow vehicle. Some hitches will help minimize the sway you feel, but anticipate some sway and stay calm when it happens.
If trailer sway becomes excessive and you feel unsafe, remove your foot from the accelerator and slow down. If the sway results from high winds or other temporary conditions, don’t be afraid to pull over until the conditions pass.
However, if the sway is present every time you tow your car, you should ensure you set up your hitch correctly and don’t exceed your vehicle’s tow rating. Slow down and do not use the accelerator if trailer sway becomes excessive or unsafe.
Read Your Owner’s Manuals
Cruise control such as the F150 towing with cruise control is a great way to tow safely. Consult your owner’s manual and other documentation regarding your specific vehicle before using cruise control.
How to Protect Your Transmission While Towing
Here are some helpful towing tips for automatic transmission;
Gear Position
Your vehicle’s gear position determines whether your vehicle will sustain damages during towing. For example, towing your vehicle in the park position using the flat bar or two-wheel method will likely cause damage. The park position prevents the wheels from turning as the vehicle drags along the street.
This can damage the tires and exert too much tension on the device that connects the wheels to the transmission, eventually damaging the transmission. Additionally, if your vehicle’s emergency brakes are on, towing using the traditional flat bar or two-wheel towing method may not be possible.
Neutral gear is the safest position in which to tow your vehicle. The neutral position disengages the engine, minimizing the risk of damage in short-distance towing. However, the neutral position does not disengage the transmission, and if the tow truck drags your vehicle over a long distance, the transmission can overheat and lead to costly damage.
Wheel Drive Consideration
If yours is an automatic two-wheel-drive vehicle, you should be able to tow the vehicle over a relatively short distance without the risk of damage, as long as the vehicle is in neutral.
To prevent damage to a four-wheel-drive vehicle, the tow truck driver would need to remove the rear driveshaft and drag the vehicle on its back wheels. If you are unsure about the towing requirements for your make and model, refer to your owner’s manual to prevent damage to your car when towing.
Top Mistakes to Avoid When Towing
Here are the most common mistakes you should avoid when towing a car;
Overworking Your Engine
Overextending your vehicle by driving at high temperatures can start a landslide of engine troubles. When your engine overheats, parts of it will begin to crack. This mistake leads to a meltdown on the side of the road and may require a brand-new transmission.
Keep an eye on pressure gauges, temperature gauges, and your exhaust gas temperature. Temperature gauges can be inaccurate, so it’s important to move the temperature sender to the transmission pan aftermarket instead of leaving it in the case.
Wrong Weight Distribution Bars
If you don’t’ have your weight distribution bars set upright, you’re bound to have bouncing between your truck and your trailer. Not only can your ride be bumpier than usual if set up wrong, but the hitch and frame can be damaged in addition to potential loss of steering effectiveness.
And when it comes to weight distribution bars, bigger is not better. The bars with chains are tuneable and come in various strengths and weights. When properly loaded with the correct bar size, they should parallel the trailer’s frame.
Not Checking or Maintaining Brakes
Brakes are the most essential and most overlooked safety system you have, which put them at number three on our list, but they could have easily tied for first place.
Trailer brakes do not self-adjust like the brakes on your tow vehicle and must be manually adjusted by you. Additionally, they wear out just like any brake and must be checked regularly. Get a brake controller installed for the safest ride.
Wrong Ball/Ball Mount
Ensure that you have the right ball and mount for each trailer you tow. There are three different sizes of balls – 17/8 inches, 2 inches, and 25/16 inches – each with a different weight rating, so make sure you’re using the right one. Determining the right ball mount is easier as the ball size required is stamped right on the mount.
Check this too: How Much Can the Toyota Sienna Tow?
Using the wrong mount or ball will pitch your trailer up or down on your axles. Also, having the wrong ball or mount puts extra stress on your brakes and tires and reduces your braking ability. If you use multiple trailers, carry multiple mounts.
Driving Too Fast
Speeding up is counterintuitive for the longevity of your tow vehicle. Towing may exert under pressure on the towing vehicle making it crack. It will also cause the vehicle being towed to sway which may break the towing hitch.
Low-Pressure Tires
Maintaining the right tire pressure on both your tow vehicle and trailer means having even tire wear. It also means that you’re less likely to have blowouts from them overheating.
This scenario is especially dangerous when it happens on your rear trailer tires, so pay special attention to them. Also, consider that your tires degrade more quickly when not in use. Make sure to inspect your tires and pressure before hauling a load.
Not Lubing Your Components
Like any well-oiled machine, your preventative measures with your trailer and tow vehicle will go a long way. Axles and all pivot points where steel meets steel or rubber bushings meet steel should be greased. Keep the tongue jack greased to keep it from jacknifing – this usually never happens at a “good” time.