Chevrolet 2002 tracker Owner's Manual download pdf (Page 183)

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Driving Across an Incline

Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across

the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide

whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some

things to consider:

A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be

too steep to drive across. When you go straight

up or down a hill, the length of the wheel base

(the distance from the front wheels to the rear

wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle will

tumble end over end. But when you drive across

an incline, the much more narrow track width

(the distance between the left and right wheels)

may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and

rolling over. Also, driving across an incline puts

more weight on the downhill wheels. This could

cause a downhill slide or a rollover.

Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive

across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet

grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.

If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something

that will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.

Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the

incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with

the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into

a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.

For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully

whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because

the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean you

have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have

rolled over.

CAUTION:

Driving across an incline that’s too steep will make

your vehicle roll over. You could be seriously

injured or killed. If you have any doubt about t

he steepness of the incline, don’t drive across it.

Find another route instead.

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Chevrolet 2002 tracker Owner's Manual Page 183