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174
STARTING AND OPERATING
vehicle up and place a few rocks under the tires so the
weight is off of the high point when you let the vehicle
down. You can also try rocking the vehicle or winching
the vehicle off the object.
CAUTION!
Winching or rocking the vehicle off hard objects
increases the risk of underbody damage.
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good under-
standing of your abilities and your vehicle's limitations.
Hills can cause serious problems. Some are just too
steep to climb and should not be attempted. You should
always feel confident with the vehicle and your abilities.
You should always climb hills straight up and down.
Never attempt to climb a hill on an angle.
BEFORE CLIMBING A STEEP HILL
As you approach a hill, consider its grade or steepness.
Determine if it is too steep. Look to see what the trac-
tion is on the hill side trail. Is the trail straight up and
down? What is on top and the other side? Are there
ruts, rocks, branches or other obstacles on the path?
Can you safely recover the vehicle if something goes
wrong? If everything looks good and you feel confident,
shift the transmission into a lower gear with 4L
engaged, and proceed with caution, maintaining your
momentum as you climb the hill.
DRIVING UP HILL
Once you have determined your ability to proceed and
have shifted into the appropriate gear, line your vehicle
up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate with an
easy constant throttle and apply more power as you
start up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep grade;
the abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose
control. If the front end begins to bounce, ease off the
throttle slightly to bring all four tires back on the
ground. As you approach the crest of the hill, ease off
the throttle and slowly proceed over the top. If the
wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a hill,
ease off the accelerator and maintain headway by turn-
ing the steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly
back and forth. This will provide a fresh "bite" into the
surface and will usually provide enough traction to com-
plete the climb. If you do not make it to the top, place
the vehicle in REVERSE and back straight down the
grade using engine resistance along with the vehicle
brakes.
WARNING!
Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline
increases the risk of a rollover, which may result in
severe injury.
DRIVING DOWNHILL
Before driving down a steep hill, you need to determine
if it is too steep for a safe descent. What is the surface
traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a slow, con-
trolled descent? Are there obstacles? Is it a straight
descent? Is there plenty of distance at the base of the
hill to regain control if the vehicle descends to fast? If
you feel confident in your ability to proceed, then make
sure you are in 4L and proceed with caution. Allow
engine braking to control the descent and apply your
brakes, if necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!
Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured or killed.
DRIVING ACROSS AN INCLINE
If at all possible, avoid driving across an incline. If it is
necessary, know your vehicle's abilities. Driving across
an incline places more weight on the downhill wheels,
which increases the possibilities of a downhill slide or
rollover. Make sure the surface has good traction with
firm and stable soils. If possible, transverse the incline
at an angle heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!
Driving across an incline increases the risk of a roll-
over, which may result in severe injury.
IF YOU STALL OR BEGIN TO LOSE HEADWAY
If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a
steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brake. Restart the engine and
shift into REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing
engine braking to control the descent and apply your
brakes, if necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
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