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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.
0
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 doesn’t mean
you
have
to drive
it.
The
last
vehicle to
try
it
might have rolled over.
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 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.
Stalling
on
an
Incline
If
your
vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your
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’ll 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.
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