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6-19
TIP
To help the gears engage or disengage when a drive indicator (and indicator light) is flashing, make
sure that there are no obstacles or people around the vehicle, and then briefly operate the vehicle a
few times in reverse and forward until the indicator (and indicator light) for the selected drive mode
comes on. In addition to operating in reverse and forward, also turning the steering wheel back and
forth will help the front differential gear lock engage or disengage.
When the On-Command drive indicator “” or the On-Command drive indicator “” and the “DIFF.
LOCK” indicator light are flashing, the vehicle speed is limited. The vehicle speed returns to normal
when the differential gear engagement or disengagement is completed and the indicators and indica-
tor light stop flashing.
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7-3
KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
This off-road vehicle will handle and maneuver dif-
ferently from cars, ATVs, go-carts, golf-cars and
grounds-keeping vehicles. The Rhino has higher
ground clearance and other features to handle
rugged terrain, and, as a result, can overturn in sit-
uations where some vehicles may not. This would
include vehicles made primarily for pavement,
roads, improved paths, or grounds-keeping. If you
do not use care in maneuvering the Rhino, you
can cause it to roll over even on flat, open areas.
Doing things with a Rhino that some people do for
thrills in other vehicles (such as sideways sliding,
skidding, back-wheel sliding, or donuts) have led
to side rollovers. These rollovers can result in
crushed limbs and other serious injuries or death
to drivers or passengers.
EE.book Page 3 Monday, January 19, 2009 5:30 PM
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7-27 a. CORRECT GRIP EXAMPLE
b. INCORRECT GRIP EXAMPLE
a. EXEMPLE DE MAINTIEN CORRECT
b. EXEMPLE DE MAINTIEN INCORRECT
a. EJEMPLO DE SUJECIÓN CORRECTA
b. EJEMPLO DE SUJECIÓN INCORRECTA
a
b
Steering wheel
Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Do not
hold the steering wheel with your thumbs inside
the rim. Keep your palms on the outside of the
steering wheel. Similar to other off-road vehicles, if
the Rhino hits a deep rut or large obstacle, the
steering wheel could briefly jerk in one direction or
back and forth as the tires and vehicle respond to
the obstacle. This quick motion could injure your
thumbs or wrist if your thumbs or hand(s) are in-
side the steering wheel. Grip the steering wheel so
that your thumbs will not be hit by the spokes. As
an example, see the illustration.
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7-33
Become familiar with the way the vehicle feels in
low and high ranges, first in two-wheel drive with
both differentials unlocked “DIFF UNLOCK” and
with the rear differential locked “2WD”, and then in
four-wheel drive “4WD” and four-wheel drive with
the differential locked “DIFF LOCK”. Steering may
take more effort in four-wheel drive with the differ-
ential locked “DIFF LOCK”. Also practice driving in
reverse.
Take the time to learn basic operation of the vehi-
cle before attempting more difficult maneuvers.
Getting ready to ride
Perform the Pre-Operation Checks on pages 5-1–
5-31. Follow the instructions starting on pages
6-7–6-9 to start the engine.
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7-35
Turning
Use care in turns – turning the steering wheel too
far or too fast can result in loss of control or a roll-
over. Slow down before entering turns. When
making tight turns from a standstill or at slow
speeds, avoid sudden or hard acceleration. Driv-
ing aggressively or making abrupt maneuvers
even on flat, open areas can cause side rollovers.
Avoid sideways sliding, skidding, or back-wheel
sliding, and never do donuts. If you feel the Rhino
begin to slide sideways or the back wheels slide
during a turn, steer into the direction of the slide, if
possible, and gradually let off the accelerator ped-
al to regain directional control and avoid rollover.
For example, if you feel the back of the vehicle
start to slide to your right, steer to the right.
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7-37
If you think or feel that the vehicle may tip or roll,
keep your body completely inside the protective
structure of the vehicle:
Brace yourself by pressing your feet firmly on
the floorboards and keep a firm grip on the
steering wheel or handholds.
Do not put your hands or feet outside of the ve-
hicle for any reason. Do not try to stop a tipover
using your arm or leg.
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7-41
Braking
When slowing down or stopping, take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and press the brake pedal
smoothly. Improper use of the brakes can cause
the tires to lose traction, reducing control of the ve-
hicle and increasing the possibility of an accident.
Braking ability is affected by type of terrain. In most
cases, gradual application of the brakes is more
effective than abrupt braking, particularly on loose
surfaces, such as gravel. Always allow for greater
braking distance on rough, loose, or slippery sur-
faces.
Engine braking
Engine compression braking is designed to assist
you when operating your Rhino off-road. With this
feature, the engine helps slow the vehicle down af-
ter you take your foot off the accelerator. Engine
braking is more noticeable in four-wheel drive. Ap-
plication of vehicle brakes provides additional
stopping power.
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7-45
Parking on a flat area
When parking on a flat area, stop the engine and
shift the drive select lever into the neutral position.
Apply the parking brake to help prevent the vehicle
from rolling.
Parking on a slope
The parking brake acts only on the rear wheels
when in “DIFF UNLOCK” and “2WD”. For the park-
ing brake to take effect on all four wheels, shift to
“DIFF LOCK” before stopping the engine.
If you park on a hill that is too steep the vehicle
may roll out of control. Never park on hills that are
so steep you cannot walk up them easily. If you
must park on an incline follow these instructions:
1. Bring the vehicle to a stop by applying the
brakes.
2. Put the vehicle in “DIFF LOCK”.
3. Turn the engine off.
4. With the brake pedal applied, set the parking
brake.
5. Block the front and rear wheels with rocks or
other objects.
EE.book Page 45 Monday, January 19, 2009 5:30 PM