User Guide

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’t do.
There are some hills that simply can’t be driven,
no
matter how well built the vehicle.
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.
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I A 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’t 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, don’t drive the hill.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one
of those hills that’s 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
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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
won’t have to make turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path (boulders. trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill?
Is there a cliff, an
embankment. a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk
the
hill if you don’t know. It’s 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.
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