Driving On Sand, Snow Or Ice - Ford Falcon 1961 Owner's Manual

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DRIVING ON SAND, SNOW, OR ICE ... If
you
should have to drive your Falcon through deep
sand or snow, shift to second (with Conventional
Drive only) or first gear (L on Fordomatic). You'll
have more power available to keep the car going
steadily without getting stuck. Avoid spinning the
wheels ... they'll only dig deeper into the sand or
snow. Snow ti res or tire cha ins are often helpful in
driving where there's poor traction .
Should the rea r wheels get stuck in deep snow or
ruts, keep a light, steady pressure on the accelerator
pedal, and shift back and forth between reverse and
first gears (R and L on Fordomatic). Don't race the
engine. Time the movement of the lever from one
position to the other to take advantage of the back-
and-forth rocking momentum of the car. Don't ·
shift the lever while the car is moving. If you're
still stuck ilfter a minute or two of rocking, you'd
better have the car pulled out to prevent overheating
and possibly damaging the transmission.
To start your Falcon moving on icy surfaces where
there's not much traction, start in second or third
gear (0 with Fordomatic), and accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the wheels or skidding the car. Drive
slowly. I n fact, make all your driving maneuvers
more slowly than usual to keep your car under
control. When you need to stop, a pply the bra kes
gradually by pumping the brake pedal lightly to
prevent skidding or sliding. If the car should begin to
skid, turn the steering wheel slightly-not sharply-
in the direction that the rear wheels skid, and then
accelerate gently to straighten outthe car.