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Secure all items so they cannot
fly
forward and injure you or
you
r passengers if you brake
hard,
hit an obstacle, or are
involved
in a collision.
If you want to put cargo on the
roof,
use a roof rack, secure all
items,
and make sure the cargo
does
not exceed 200 pounds. Towing a Trailer
You may be able to safely tow a
lightweight
trailer (such as a
motorcycle trailer or small tent
trailer)
off-road if you follow
these guidelines:
Do not exceed a trailer weight
of 1,000 pounds (including
cargo) or a tongue weight of 100
pounds. (Tongue weight should be about 10% of the
trailer weight.)
Try
to stay on smooth, level
dirt
roads, and avoid driving in
hilly terrain.
Allow extra room for starting,stopping,
and turning.
Slow down if you encounter
bumps
or other obstacles.
Extr
a Equipment and Supplies
We strongly recommend that you
DO NOT carry extra fuel. Gasoline is highly flammable and
explosive.
It cannot be safely
carried
inside the vehicle or
strapped to the top or rear. The
best thing to do is fill up your tank
before
you leave pavement. Off-Road Driving Information
Page 278 of 294
It's always wise to take along
water,
food, blankets, a flashlight,
and
matches. You may also want
to take:
A towin
g rope, strap or chain -
in case you or someone you're
with
gets stuck.
Wheel chocks - to help keep your vehicle from rolling when
you
park.
First aid kit - a good idea whenever you travel far from
medical
support.
Flag - to help others see you
(except
in forests or areas with
tall bushes).
Portable phone or citizens band (CB
) radio - should you need
to
call for help.
Shovel
- in case you need to
dig yourself out. Off-Road Driving Information
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Turning
Off-road, the basic turning
technique is to drive at low speed
and gradually adjust the amount
of steering to suit the surface.
You
should have no problem
making sharp turns on level
ground - if you keep speed low.
But
one thing you should NOT do,
off-road
or on pavement, is make abrupt turns at higher speeds.
With a higher center of gravity,
your
vehicle can more easily tip
or roll over in a turn.
Braking
Th
e best off-road braking
technique
to use with anti-lock
brakes is to gently depress the
brake pedal at first, then increase the pressure as more braking is
needed.
Avoi
d hard braking. Light to
moderate braking is usually all
that
is necessary on soft surfaces
such as soft sand, loose dirt or
gravel, powdery snow, or mud.
If you need to brake hard because
of an emergency, apply steady
even
pressure to the brake pedal.
Do not pump the brakes; let the anti-loc
k braking system pump
them
for you. If you pump the
brakes, the anti-lock cannot work as efficiently, and your stopping
distance
may be increased.
Keep in mind that, in general, you
need
more time and distance to
brake to a stop when driving
off-road
.
Off-Road Driving Information
Page 290 of 294
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving in light rain should cause
no special driving problems. But heavy
rain can impair visibility,
make off-road surfaces slippery,
swell streams and cause flooding.
Avoid
streambeds and canyons
whenever rain is heavy or there are
thunderstorms in flash-flood
areas. Find a safe place to stop if
you can't continue driving safely. Driving
in snow can also impair
visibility. As snow covers the
ground, it can conceal rocks, ruts,
ditches
and other hazards. Snow
can make it impossible to follow a trail
or choose a safe path. If snow
threatens
to become heavy, we
recommend
that you leave the
area
as soon as possible and return
to pavement. Should you need to
stop
while it's snowing, do not let
the engine idle for a prolonged
time
unless you have good
ventilation.
Carbon monoxide can
collect in the vehicle and cause illness
or death. Off-Road Driving Information