1995 GMC Jimmy Owner's Manual - Page 170

Approaching a Hill When you approacha hill, you need to decide if it's oneof those hills that's just too steep climb, descend, or cross.Steepness can be hard to to judge. On a very small hill, forexample, there may bea smooth, constant incline with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near thetop, but you may notsee this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass, or shrubs. Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill. 0 Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places? Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire slipping? 0 Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won't have to make turning maneuvers? Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path(boulders, trees, logs or ruts)? What's beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk the hillif you don't know. It's the smart way to find out. 0 0 Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often haveruts, gullies,troughs and exposed rocks because theyare more susceptible to the effects of erosion. Driving Uphill Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to takesome special steps. Use a low gear and geta firm grip on the steering wheel. Get a smooth start up the hill and t y to maintain your speed. Don't use r more power than you need, because you don't want your wheels start to spinning or sliding. 4-16