Before Driving; Ascending a hill; Descending a hill- Page 146

3–64

Before Driving

Towing

Passing

Plan well ahead to pass other vehicles, and provide plenty of room before changing lanes. 

Crosswinds from passing vehicles, especially larger ones, and the effects of rough roads will 

affect handling.

If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and reduce speed immediately, but 

gradually.

Steer straight ahead. If no extreme correction of steering or braking is made, the 

combination of less speed and firm steering will result in stability.

Backing up

Backing a vehicle with a trailer requires practice and patience. Back slowly, and have a 

helper outside at the rear of the trailer to reduce the risk of an accident.

To turn the trailer, place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it in the 

direction you want the trailer to go. Make only slight movements to prevent sharp or 

prolonged turning.

Ascending a hill

Shift into a lower gear to reduce the possibility of overloading or overheating the engine, or 

both.

Descending a hill

Shift into a lower gear and use engine compression as a braking effect.

WARNING

Always use lower gears to reduce speed:

Holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently is dangerous as it could cause 

the brakes to overheat and lose power, resulting in loss of control and a serious accident. 

Use lower gears to help reduce speed. Pull off the road and allow brakes to cool down 

whenever braking performance feels reduced.

Overheated engine

The extra weight of the trailer may strain the engine on hot days and on long or steep 

upgrades.

If the temperature gauge indicates overheating, turn off the air conditioner, drive safely 

to the side of the road, park off the right-of-way and wait for engine to cool. Refer to 

Overheating on page 7-24.

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