Page 189 of 436

Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It’s
the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of
victims every year. Alcohol takes away three things that anyone\
needs to
drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Police records show that half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol-a driver, a passenger or someone else, such as a pedes\
trian, had
been drinking. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. Over
25,000 motor vehicle-related deaths occur
each year because of alcohol, and thousands
of people are injured.
Just how much alcohol is too much
if a person plans to drive? Ideally, no
one should drink alcohol and then drive. But
if one does, then what’s “too
much”? It can be a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on
each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem.
The
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon\
four things:
How much alcohol is in the drink.
The drinker’s body weight.
The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking.
The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol.
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Page 211 of 436

Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If
this happens, you have to decide whether to try to drive across the incline.
Here are some things to consider:
0
For
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive
across. When you go straight up
or down a hill, the length of the wheel
base (the distance from the front wheels
to the rear wheels) reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive
across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the distance
between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle from
tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill slide
or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a hill. Loose
gravel, muddy spots,
or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip
sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something that
will trip
it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness
of the incline even worse. If
you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels
drop into a rut
or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try to drive
across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incl\
ine doesn’t mean
you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try
it might have rolled over.
CAUTIP!
4 Driving across an incline that’s too steep will make your v\
ehicle roll
over. You could be seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness
of the incline, don’t drive across it. Find another
route instead.
Q: What if I’m driving across an incline that’s not too steep, but I hit
some
loose gravel and start to slide downhill. What should I do?
A: If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn downhill. This
should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side sl\
ipping. However,
a much better way to prevent this
is to get out and “walk the course” so you
know what the surface is like before you drive it.
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Page 329 of 436

Other Maintenance Items
Front Suspension and Steering Linkage
Your maintenance schedule will tell you how often to lubricate the fittings. See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants’’ in the Index for the proper lubricant to
use.
Front Wheel Bearings
Your vehicle has front wheel bearings that must be cleaned and repa\
cked.
Your maintenance schedule will tell you how often this must be done.
Front Shock Absorbers
The front shock absorbers of your vehicle do many things. They help the
vehicle ride smoothly and also control the travel
of the suspension system.
When the shock absorbers are serviced, any replacement shock absorber\
s
must be the same as the original equipment shock absorbers in both
extended length and strength.
1 NOTICE
If you use shock absomers that are nor me same as the original shock
I absorbers, the shock absorbers or suspension system could be da\
maged.
Wheel Nut Torque
For vehicles with dual wheels, when the vehicle, wheel or fast\
eners are new,
have the torque set at the first
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1600 and
9600 km). Use the torque specified in the appropriate Specification \
Chart later
in this section.
Single Belt Accessory Drive
If your new vehicle uses a serpentine belt, it is lighter, and more durable
than systems with several belts.
The belt runs over or around the pulleys
on the engine. A tensioner is used
to keep the belt tight at all times. The tensioner also makes replacing the
belt easier.
If you need to replace the belt, be sure to get the correct
replacement belt. Your dealership
or parts supplier can help you with this.
The Accessory Drive Belt Routing label on your vehicle will sh\
ow you how to
route the belt your vehicle uses.
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