Off-Road Driving (Except Ss) - Chevrolet 2006 TrailBlazer EXT Owner's Manual

Off-Road Driving (Except SS)

This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, see Braking on page 4-6. If your vehicle
does not have four-wheel drive, you should not
drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some
definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain
itself.
"Off-roading" means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill, or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this guide.
You will find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
4-20
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields, if equipped, are properly attached.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are
the fluid levels up where they should be? What are
the local laws that apply to off-roading where you will be
driving? If you do not know, you should check with
law enforcement people in the area. Will you be
on someone's private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
•
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of the rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
•
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain does not toss things around.