2006 HUMMER H3 wheel

Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
You approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.
You have less time to react.
You have more vehicle bounce when you drive over
obstacles.
You will need more distance for braking, especially
since you are on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you are
driving on or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain
and its many different features. Here are some things
to consider.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow,
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration, and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer
braking distances.
Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can startle
you if you are not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow, or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
There is more discussion of these subjects later.
Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
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When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
rm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or
other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your
hands if you are not prepared.
When possible, it is a good practice to survey the
landscape ahead on foot prior to driving to observe
hidden obstacles.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you cannot control the
vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns, or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits, or signal
lights. You have to use your own good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the
very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reexes, perceptions, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. SeeDrunken Driving on page 4-3.Crossing Obstacles
Approach Angle — a Key to Mobility
If you encounter a large dip in the terrain, do not enter
straight on; enter at an angle — 15 degrees minimum
approach (A), 75 degrees maximum approach angle (B).
For very large dips, ditches, or small washes, coast
in, using the engine as a brake (transmission and
transfer case lowest gears). Then, use the low ranges in
the transmission and transfer case to power out.
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Roll Your Tires Over Large Rocks
Do not straddle large
rocks; drive over them,
letting the tire envelop the
rock. The tread of the
tire is thicker and tougher
than the sidewall of the
tire and is more resilient to
impact than underbody
components.
Log Crossing
Using the proper technique, your vehicle will cross logs
up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) in diameter. Approach the
log at approximately a 15 degree angle (A) with
the transmission in FIRST (1) and the transfer case in
Four-Wheel-Low Lock and “walk” your vehicle over, one
tire at a time. As with all obstacles, face your tires
perpendicular to the object for best traction and tire life.
It may be necessary to modulate your brake pedal
and accelerator to avoid spin-out. Ease the vehicle down
from the log with your brake.
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Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps:
Use transmission and transfer case low gear and
get a rm grip on the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain
your speed. Do not use more power than you
need, because you do not want your wheels to start
spinning or sliding.
Let the traction system work to control any wheel
slippage. The traction control system allows for
moderate wheel spin with some capability to dig in
and power up the hill.
Do not continue if the vehicle shudders or exhibits
suspension hopping. This can cause damage to
the driveline or suspension components. Improper
driving technique is not covered by your vehicle
warranty.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to nd
another route.
{CAUTION:
Turning or driving across steep hills can be
dangerous. You could lose traction, slide
sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When driving up
hills, always try to go straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of
the hill.
Attach a ag to the vehicle to make you more
visible to approaching traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill
to let opposing traffic know you are there.
Use your headlamps even during the day. They
make you more visible to oncoming traffic.
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{CAUTION:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed
can cause an accident. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even another
vehicle. You could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I cannot make it up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed, apply the
parking brake. If you have an automatic
transmission, shift the transmission to PARK (P).Restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the
hill as straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This
way, you will be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill:
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you
cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight
down the hill.
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Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide I just cannot do it. What should
I do?
A:Set the parking brake. If you have an automatic
transmission, shift to PARK (P). Turn off the
engine. Leave the vehicle and go get some help.
Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it rolled downhill. Do not
shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL when you leave
the vehicle. Leave it in some gear.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P), or, if you have a
manual transmission, even if you are in gear.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
This is because the NEUTRAL position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission. You
or someone else could be injured. If you are
going to leave your vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission to PARK (P),
or, put the manual transmission in FIRST (1).
But do not shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL.
Leave the transfer case in the Four-Wheel
High, Four-Wheel-High Lock, or
Four-Wheel-Low Lock position.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they will not have to do all the work. Descend
slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and have a
serious accident:
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do:
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
2. If you have an automatic transmission, shift to
PARK (P). While still braking, restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
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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:
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.For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully
whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline does not mean you have to
drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
{CAUTION:
Driving across an incline that is too steep will
make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any
doubt about the steepness of the incline, do
not drive across it. Find another route instead.
Q:What if I am driving across an incline that is 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 slipping. 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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