question for you offroaders

[internetsurfer]

when going down a steep hill in 4wd low , letting the surf do its thing , when you reach the bottom of the hill and its going to level out , but the speed seems too fast , do i A. press the brake to slow hoping it wont stall , B.dip the clutch and brake at the same time ( but then it may skid and speeds up ), or C.do neither and hope it dont bottom out??

[TonyN]

Leave the clutch alone whatever, if your clever you can use the brakes to help the engine braking but you need the feel for when the wheels lock up and you'll loose steering and get off them.

It won't stall unless you in a really high gear, if you're nearly at the bottom and you have plenty of room just let it go and slow down when at the bottem.

If its really slippy it'll be sliding on engine braking alone, so you'll still speed up and may have to blip the throttle to keep steering and just hold on tight.

[internetsurfer]

thanks tony. so in 1st gear i'd just let it go , dab the brake a bit at the bottom , but not enough to lock up the wheels.

i will try that on my next outing. thanks again .

[StevenN]

re going down hill

Thats ok for those with a clutch but what should you do with an auto?

I have often wondered but have been too afraid to try.
If I am going down a steep gradient and I feel I need to assist the brakes with the engine,
can I select second or first gear without coming to a complete standstill?

Sorry to ask but I would hate to bugger up the gearbox if I found out the hard way.

cheers

Steve

[Slugsie]

Thats ok for those with a clutch but what should you do with an auto?

I have often wondered but have been too afraid to try.
If I am going down a steep gradient and I feel I need to assist the brakes with the engine,
can I select second or first gear without coming to a complete standstill?

Sorry to ask but I would hate to bugger up the gearbox if I found out the hard way.

cheers

Steve

If you are going down a steep gradient, then you start off in 1st low range, and stay there. If you started off in 2nd, then yes you can switch it to 1st, but there is no guarantee the gearbox will move into 1st as it will only do it if it won't over-rev the engine.

The really big advantage of an auto over a manual is that basically at no point is the gearbox in neutral, so you always have engine braking even when changing gear.

[StevenN]

So to look realy thick

what if you arrive at the hill in D drive. Can you still put the box into 1 or 2 without stopping?

and then at the bottom put it back into drive again?

Thanks again
Steve

[Wild Thing]

So to look realy thick

what if you arrive at the hill in D drive. Can you still put the box into 1 or 2 without stopping?

and then at the bottom put it back into drive again?

Thanks again
Steve

Yes you can but it will only drop into 2nd or 1st when the vehicle speed is slow enough so as not to over rev the engine

[Slugsie]

So to look realy thick

what if you arrive at the hill in D drive. Can you still put the box into 1 or 2 without stopping?

and then at the bottom put it back into drive again?

Thanks again
Steve

If you are going down a hill that is steep enough that stuff like this is a concern, then you should be stopping at the top, looking over the descent to check for hazards etc, and assessing safety. You then set off in 1st Low, and just let the engine do the work of regulating speed. First few times you do it it's a bit scarey as it feels very alien. But after a few times you'll grow to trust that it will work.

Oh, and the first time that you forget to set the gearbox correctly (i.e. 1st Low) you will scare yourself silly enough that you won't do it again. I speak from experience.

[StevenN]

Ok

Thanks Paul & Gary

I will have to try next time I am up Derbyshire going down hill fast.

The decent that springs to mind is Castleton.

I admit I am scared to force it into gear without knowing if I can but I still wonder why when I am going down this hill I always have to pass cyclists trying to cycle up.

They don't even try to ride back down the same way!

WHY


Thanks again

Steve

[BUSHWHACKER]

If you shift into reverse at speed, the engine will cut out, ask Da slug man!

[MattF]

If you shift into reverse at speed, the engine will cut out, ask Da slug man!

He didn't, surely?

[BUSHWHACKER]

He didn't, surely?

Yup, just to see what would happen!!!!!!



and stop calling me Shirley!

[MattF]

Yup, just to see what would happen!!!!!!

He's a brave, (read stupid), , man.

and stop calling me Shirley!

Thought it'd be a good pseudonym whilst your wearing your new boots.

[BUSHWHACKER]

The blokes a nutta!







They're starting to chafe my inner thighs a bit now!

[Woodzie]

They're starting to chafe my inner thighs a bit now!

Been buying from VIXEN FOOTWARE again VINCE