Off-Road Driving With Your Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle - GMC 1999 Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual

may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues-such as enough water, ice
or packed snow on the
road to make a "mirrored surface''-and slow down when you have any
doubt.
Remember: the rear wheel anti-lock braking system (RWAL) helps avoid only
a rear braking skid. In a braking skid (where the front wheels are no longer
rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the front wheels rolling
again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have
to stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels are rolling, you
will have steering control. Steer the way you want to go.
Off-Road Driving with Your FourcWheel
Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. Also, see
"Anti-lock Brakes" in the Index. If your vehicle doesn't have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn't drive off-road unless you're 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've left the great North American road system behind.
Traffic lanes aren't marked. Curves aren't banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you've gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that's why it's very important
that you read this guide. You'll find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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. 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'll
be driving? If you don't 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.
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