
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to the vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
the vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, slow
down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance is longer and vehicle control more
limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You might not realize the surface is slippery until
the vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues —such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an area that is safe
and close to home before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes
need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected
obstacles. Your ears need to listen for unusual tire
or engine sounds. Use your arms, hands, feet, and body
to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher speeds:
You approach things faster and have less time
to react.
There is less time to scan the terrain for obstacles.
The vehicle has more bounce when driving over
obstacles.
More braking distance is needed, especially 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. Be familiar with the terrain and its many
different features.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading surfaces can be
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow,
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the vehicle’s
steering, acceleration, and braking in different ways.
Depending on the surface, slipping, sliding, wheel
spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer
braking distances can occur.
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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.
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?
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction
quickly?
When driving 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.
When driving over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, the
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.
Off-roading requires a different kind of alertness from
driving on paved roads and highways. There are no road
signs, posted speed limits, or signal lights. Use good
judgment about what is safe and what is not.
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° minimum
approach (A), 75° 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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Stalling on an Incline
{CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path.
If the vehicle stalls when crossing an incline, be sure
you, and any passengers, get out on the uphill side, even
if the door there is harder to open. If you get out on the
downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over, you will
be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path
the vehicle will take if it does roll over.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, the wheels do not
get good traction. Acceleration is not as quick, turning is
more difficult, and braking distances are longer.
It is best to use a low gear when in mud — the deeper
the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud,
keep the vehicle moving so it does not get stuck.When driving on sand, wheel traction changes. On
loosely packed sand, such as on beaches or sand
dunes, the tires will tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive
at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control.
On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you
will have difficulty accelerating. And, if the vehicle
does get moving, poor steering and difficult braking can
cause it to slide out of control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your
vehicle could fall through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on
safe surfaces only.
4-31

Put your transmission in N (Neutral).
Use your regular brakes to hold your vehicle in
place and block the wheels to keep the vehicle from
moving.
Notice:Using a power winch with the transmission
in gear to pull out another vehicle may damage
the transmission. When operating a power winch,
always leave the transmission in N (Neutral).
Notice:Driving your vehicle through an automatic
car wash with the winch installed, can cause
damage to your vehicle and the car wash. Always
remove the winch from your vehicle before using an
automatic car wash. SeeWashing Your Vehicle
on page 5-105for more information.
If you are using a winch to pull out your own vehicle,
follow the winch manufacturer’s guidelines for self
recovery and observe the following to prevent damage
to your vehicle:
Do not self recover your vehicle by wrapping the
winch cable around an object (such as a pulley
block or tree) and attaching it back to your vehicle’s
recovery loops.
Always attach the winch cable directly to a solid
anchor directly in front of your vehicle to achieve
a straight line pull.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certi cation/Tire label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts
on the vehicle can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
4-44

How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface.
When the differential is cold, the proper level is from
5/8 inch to 1-5/8 inch (15 mm to 40 mm) below the
bottom of the ller plug hole, located on the rear axle.
Add only enough uid to reach the proper level.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-13.
Four-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
It is not necessary to regularly check transfer case uid
unless you suspect there is a leak or you hear an
unusual noise. A uid loss could indicate a problem.
Have it inspected and repaired.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to change the lubricant. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
5-48