Thor Forums

[blw2]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Coming back from our recent trip I noticed something you can do while on those long rolling hills.

When going uphill the cruise control tends to wait until the speed drops too much before downshifting thus causing it to downshift too far in an effort to catch back up to the set point. (I note that most discussions here involve turning off the cruise in hilly areas because of this.) What I found was that just as the coach is entering the hill and speed begins to drop if you give it enough gas at that point to downshift a little("a little" = a gear) and then take your foot off the gas the cruise will tend to hold the speed in the new gear without all the drama of a further downshift (unless the hill is either too long or too steep). You do have to wait until the speed starts to decrease a little otherwise it will simply upshift again when you remove your foot from the gas.

I found using this method makes for a relatively stress free way to maintain speed on those long hills and still be able to carry on a conversation (and to continue to use cruise control).

I have been known to do this sort of thing sometimes

I'll also sometimes allow speed to build a bit higher that the cruise set point on the downhill by feathering in a bit more gas pedal (just a little, not too fast)....and then kill the cruise control on the uphill just before that big downshift and just let the speed bleed off.

I don't know....kind of depends on road condition and mood.
on the big downhills though, I just let tow/haul do its thing.