water can erode the streambed, causing your vehicle to
sink into deeper water. Determine exit point(s) that are
downstream of your entry point to allow for drifting.
Standing Water
Avoid driving in standing water deeper than 24 inches
(60 cm), and reduce speed appropriately to minimize
wave effects. Maximum speed is 5 mph (8 km/h).
Maintenance
After driving through deep water, inspect your vehicle
fluids and lubricants (engine oil, transmission oil, axle,
transfer case) to ensure the fluids have not been con-
taminated. Contaminated fluid (milky, foamy in appear-
ance) should be flushed/changed as soon as possible
to prevent component damage.
Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand
In heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for additional
control at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a low
gear and shift the transfer case to 4WD LOW if neces-
sary
page 116. Only shift into a lower gear to main-
tain forward motion. Over-revving the engine can spin
the wheels and traction will be lost.
Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads,
because engine braking may cause skidding and loss of
control.
Hill Climbing
NOTE:
Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the condi-
tions at the crest and/or on the other side.
Before climbing a steep hill, shift the transmission to a
lower gear and shift the transfer case to 4WD LOW. Use
FIRST gear and 4WD LOW for very steep hills.
If you stall or begin to lose forward motion while climb-
ing a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine, and
shift into REVERSE (R). Back slowly down the hill, allow-
ing the compression braking of the engine to help regu-
late your speed. If the brakes are required to control
vehicle speed, apply them lightly and avoid locking or
skidding the tires.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls, you lose forward motion, or can-
not make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never
attempt to turn around. To do so may result in tipping
and rolling the vehicle. Always back carefully straight
down a hill in REVERSE gear. Never back down a hill
in NEUTRAL using only the brake.
Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill. Always
drive straight up or down.
If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a
hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain forward
motion by turning the front wheels slowly. This may pro-
vide a fresh “bite” into the surface and will usually pro-
vide traction to complete the climb.
Traction Downhill
When descending mountains or hills, use Hill Descent
Control or Selec-Speed Control to avoid repeated heavy
braking.
If not equipped with Hill Descent Control or Selec-Speed
Control use the following procedure:
Shift the transmission into a low gear, and the transfer
case into 4WD LOW range. Let the vehicle go slowly
down the hill with all four wheels turning against engine
compression drag. This will permit you to control the
vehicle speed and direction.
When descending mountains or hills, repeated braking
can cause brake fade with loss of braking control. Avoid
repeated heavy braking by downshifting the transmis-
sion whenever possible.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle
than does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it
is always a good idea to check for damage. That way
you can get any problems taken care of right away and
have your vehicle ready when you need it.
•
Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension,
and exhaust system for damage.
•
Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean
as required.
•
Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly
on the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and
suspension. Retighten them, if required, and torque
to the values specified in the Service Manual.
•
Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These
things could be a fire hazard. They might hide dam-
age to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and
propeller shafts.
•
After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or
similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake
rotors, wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes
inspected and cleaned as soon as possible.
168 STARTING AND OPERATING
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