freightliner EconicSD - Page 146

Drivingoff-road
Important safetynotes
G
WARNING
Whendrivingoff-road, your bodyissubject
to forces from all directions, due to the
uneven surface. You could be thrown from
your seat,for instance. There is ariskof
injury.
Always wear aseat belt,evenwhen driving
off-road.
!
If you drive off-road thevehicle could be
damaged by obstacles.
Objects could damage thefollowingparts,
forexample:
R
Axles
R
Propeller shafts
R
Fueltank
R
Compressed-air reservoir
R
Engine
R
Transmission
Therefore, always drive slowly when off-
road. If you mustdrive over obstacles, have
theco-driver instructyou. Always be aware
of thegroundclearanceofthe vehicle. If
possible, avoid obstacles.
!
Whendrivingthe vehicle on rough terrain,
ensurethatthe drive wheels always have
sufficienttraction.Avoid wheelspin of the
drive wheels. You could otherwise damage
thedifferential gear system.
Driving off-road increasesthe possibilityof
damage to thevehicle, whichmay cause
assemblies or systems to fail. Adapt your driv-
ingstyle to theconditionsofthe terrain.Drive
carefully. Havevehicle damage rectifiedimme-
diately at aqualified specialistworkshop.
Whendrivingoff-road, substances suchasdirt,
sand, mud and water or water mixed withoil
may get into thebrakes. Thismay lead to a
reduction in braking performanceortotal
brake failure as aresult of increasedwear.The
braking characteristics will varydependingon
thesubstances that get into thebrakes. Clean
thebrakesafter drivingoff-road. If you notice
grindingnoisesorareduction in braking per-
formance, havethe brake systemchecked at a
qualified specialistworkshop immediately.
Adapt your drivingstyle to suit thealtered
braking characteristics.
Checklist beforedrivingoff-road
X
Checkthe fueland DEFsupplies
(Y page 69)and refill (Y page 151).
X
Engine: checkthe oil level (Y page 80) and
refill theoil (Y page 163).
Before drivingupordown steep gradients,
fillthe oil to themaximum level.
i
If you drive up or down steep gradients,
the 4 symbol may appear in an event
window on theon-boardcomputer. The
engineoperatingsafetyisnot put at riskif
you havefilled theengineoil to themaxi-
mum level beforethe journey.
X
Automatic transmission: checkthe oil
level and refill theoil (Y page 164).
Before drivingupordown steep gradients,
fillthe oil to themaximum level.
X
Vehicle tool kit: checkthatthe jack is
working (Y page 171).
X
Makesurethatawheelwrench, wooden
underlay forthe jack,arobust towcable
and afoldingspadeare carriedinthe vehi-
cle.
X
Tyresand wheels: checkthe tread depth
(Y page 193) and tire pressure
(Y page 195).
X
Driver's seat: blockhorizontalspringing.
X
Mudflaps: fold themud flapsforwardand
attach them.
Rules for off-road driving
G
WARNING
If you drive over obstacles or in ruts, the
steeringwheelmay jerk out of your grip,
causinginjurytoyour hands.
Always holdthe steeringwheelfirmly with
bothhands. Whendrivingoverobstacles,
you mustexpectsteeringforces to increase
briefly and suddenly.
On gradientsand inclines, always follow the
lineoffall and avoid changinggear.Drive up
gradientswithout stoppinguntil you are at the
topofthe hill.Ifyour vehicle is unable to cope
144
Driving tips
Driving mode