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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.
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’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
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.
D Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply
steeper in places?
D Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
D Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
won’t have to make turning maneuvers?
D Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
D 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.
D 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.
Summary of Contents for 2002 Silverado 1500 Pickup
Page 1: ......
Page 6: ...v These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle ...
Page 19: ...1 12 Take the simplest vehicle Suppose it s just a seat on wheels Put someone on it ...
Page 174: ...2 94 The Instrument Panel Your Information System ...
Page 354: ...5 28 Front Position 2WD 1500 Series Front Position All Other Models ...
Page 357: ...5 31 Front Position 2WD 1500 Series Front Position All Other Models ...
Page 404: ...6 39 Power Steering Fluid 8100 V8 Engine All Other Engines ...
Page 440: ...6 75 GM Vehicle Care Appearance Materials ...
Page 447: ...6 82 ...
Page 462: ...Scheduled Maintenance 7 7 ...
Page 463: ...Scheduled Maintenance 7 8 ...
Page 485: ...7 30 Maintenance Record DATE ODOMETER READING SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ...