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4WD Tip - Conquering Hills There are times when you are going to have to recover your vehicle off the side of a hill… I'm going to show you 2 methods, using forward and reverse gears. When you get stuck in a rut on a steep incline… sometimes you'll lose traction, or even lift a wheel off the ground. DO NOT attempt to right the vehicle with the engine off. You'll have little or no control, and you could end up worse off than you when started. INSTEAD select reverse gear before you start the vehicle, resisting the urge to put your foot on the clutch. When you're on safe ground, decide whether you should just find another way around altogether…or if it's worth having another go. Before you even think about driving down a hill, you need to get out and have look to choose your line of travel. In the Toyota Landcruiser, a good rule of thumb is that if I lose sight of the path I'm taking, it's probably steep enough to get out and check what lies ahead.. Keep an eye out for big rocks or impediments. I find retractable seatbelts often refuse to extend when you're on a steep decline, so I always wrap it around the headrest, so it's easy to put back on. Again - start in gear without engaging your clutch… and always select first gear to get down the hill. Stay relaxed, and you'll be surprised how smoothly you can get across even the most treacherous ranges.
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