Off-road driving
201
CLIMBING STEEP SLOPES
ALWAYS follow the line of the slope; travelling
diagonally could encourage the vehicle to slide
broadside down the slope.
Steep climbs will usually require the LOW gear
range. If the surface is loose or slippery, use
sufficient speed in the highest practical gear
to take advantage of the vehicle’s momentum.
However, too high a speed over a bumpy
surface may result in a wheel lifting, causing
the vehicle to lose traction. In this case try a
slower approach. Traction can also be
improved by easing off the accelerator just
before loss of forward motion.
If the vehicle is unable to complete a climb, do
not attempt to turn it around while on the
slope. Instead, adopt the following procedure
to reverse downhill to the foot of the slope.
1. Hold the vehicle stationary using both foot
and parking brakes.
2. Restart the engine if necessary.
3. Engage LOW range reverse gear.
4. Release the parking brake. Then release
the foot brake and allow the vehicle to
reverse down the slope using engine
braking to control the rate of descent.
5. Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle
in order to negotiate obstructions, DO NOT
apply the brake pedal during the descent.
6. If the vehicle begins to slide, accelerate
slightly to allow the tyres to regain grip.
When the vehicle is back on level ground or
traction can be regained, a faster approach
will probably enable the hill to be climbed.
However, DO NOT take unnecessary risks, if
the hill is too difficult to climb, find an
alternative route.
WARNING
The engine must be restarted before
reversing down the slope as there will be no
braking effect from the gearbox unless the
engine is running.
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