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:
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.
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 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.
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