STARTING AND OPERATING
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Skid Plates And Underbody Protection
Steel skid plates protect the major driveline components
of the truck including the fuel tank, transfer case and
steering damper. In addition, this vehicle is equipped with
boxed cross members and fore/aft rails. This additional
protection allows the vehicle to be utilized in severe
off-road situations that would be considered impassable
by a normal truck.
Ramp Travel Index (RTI)
The RTI is the distance, in inches, that you can drive
your vehicle with one wheel on a 20-degree ramp without
lifting any other wheel off the ground. This distance up the
ramp divided by the wheelbase of the vehicle and
multiplied by 1,000 is the RTI. This vehicle has an RTI of
429 (connected sway bar) or an RTI of 538 (disconnected
sway bar), which means you can articulate one front wheel
22 inches (56 cm) or 27.5 inches (70cm) in the air while
the other three wheels remain in contact with the ground.
Water Fording Characteristics
Water fording characteristic is the vehicle's ability to cross
a body of still water, where the powertrain and drivetrain
are safe from water ingestion. This vehicle has high water
fording characteristics with the ability to cross a pool of
water, without stopping, 24 inches (60 cm) deep at a
maximum speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) and a pool of
water 30 inches (76 cm) deep at a maximum speed of
5 mph (8 km/h), both with an entrance ramp angle of
1.3 degrees.
Simultaneous Brake And Throttle
Operation
Many off-road driving conditions require the simultaneous
use of the brake and throttle (two footed driving). When
climbing rocks, logs, or other stepped objects, using light
brake pressure with light throttle will keep the vehicle from
jerking or lurching. This technique is also used when you
need to stop and restart a vehicle on a steep incline.
The Basics Of Off-Road Driving
You will encounter many types of terrain driving off-road.
You should be familiar with the terrain and area before
proceeding. There are many types of surface conditions:
hard packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
and ice. Every surface has a different effect on your
vehicle's steering, handling and traction. Controlling your
vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road driving, so
always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and
maintain a good driving posture. Avoid sudden
accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases there are no
road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore
you will need to use your own good judgment on what is
safe and what isn't. When on a trail you should always be
looking ahead for surface obstacles and changes in
terrain. The key is to plan your future driving route while
remembering what you are currently driving over.
When To Use Low Range
When driving off-road, shift into 4WD LOW for additional
traction or to improve handling and control on slippery or
difficult terrain. Due to the lower gearing, low range will allow
the engine to operate in a higher power range. This will allow
you to idle over obstacles and down hills, with improved
control and less effort. Also, use 4WD LOW in rain, ice, snow,
mud, and sand to get heavy loads rolling, improve traction,
or whenever 4WD HIGH traction will not do the job.
D
RIVING
I
N
S
NOW
, M
UD
A
ND
S
AND
There is a drastic reduction in traction when driving in
snow, mud or sand. The vehicle will be less responsive to
steering, acceleration and braking inputs. Therefore you
should accelerate slowly, leave greater stopping distances
and avoid abrupt vehicle maneuvers. You want to keep a
slow constant steady pace. The key is to maintain the
vehicle's momentum.
CAUTION!
The door sill height is 25 inches (63.5 cm). Water may
intrude into the interior of the vehicle at greater depths.
WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down cargo.
Unsecured cargo can become projectiles in an off-road
situation.
CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials. The heat from your vehicle
exhaust system could cause a fire.
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