Driving On Off-Road Hills; Approaching A Hill - GMC Jimmy 2004 Owner's Manual

Driving on Off-Road Hills

Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a
hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment
and an understanding of what your vehicle can and can
not do. There are some hills that simply can not be
driven, no matter how well built the vehicle.
CAUTION:
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Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you can not control your speed.
If you drive across them, you will roll over.
You could be seriously injured or killed. If you
have any doubt about the steepness, do not
drive the hill.
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Approaching a Hill

When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it
is one of those hills that is just too steep to climb,
descend or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a
smooth, constant incline with only a small change in
elevation where you can easily see all the way to
the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as
you near the top, but you may not see this because the
crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you
approach a hill.
•
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get
sharply steeper in places?
•
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
•
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
will not have to make turning maneuvers?
•
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block
your path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
•
What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk
the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to
find out.
•
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.