Failed hill climb recovery in an Auto

**biggin** · 3rd November 2011, 04:39 PM

I find the safest way to reverse down a slope too slippery to get up, is best done with footbrake on, handbrake on and transmission in a forward gear.

At least you can power forward a bit if it starts to slide with all the brakes on, and gravity taking over.

I have no doubt this is exactly the wrong thing to do. But it works for me.

You get in a rollover once, and your brain turns to mush.

I will try Wardy's method, but I'm not sure I'll try it first on the tracks I'm talking about here.

There is one thing I do know though, don't rely on the HDC mode when descending a steep hill. It wants to go way too fast before the HDC kicks in (yes, that was the cause of the rollover

).

**Hymie** · 3rd November 2011, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Hastykiwi

Well what do you know

( just ran outside), you don't try, you don't learn.

cheers
Nick

Facepalm...

**Hymie** · 3rd November 2011, 04:50 PM

Whatever works for you is fine, Park is a big no no and the most important thing is to not panic and never put the vehicle in Neutral with the Handbrake off in that situation.

**steveG** · 3rd November 2011, 05:06 PM

Haven't owned a D2 personally, but observed a few in this situation.
If you dont have a CDL, be very careful when reversing, as the front wheels tend to lock and you lose steering. Most braking force is on the front, and not much weight. If there is any side slope then the front will tend to slide to the lower side which puts the vehicle sideways on the hill.
On a CDL equipped vehicle the rear wheels will tend to keep the front turning and prevent the lockup.

A spotter to make sure you are staying on track is a good thing too.

Steve

**Marmoset** · 3rd November 2011, 05:22 PM

Thanks all, I do have CDL so that's a plus - good point about HDC wanting to register a certain speed before it kicks in, I'll certainly not be relying on that if/when going backwards.

**B92 8NW** · 3rd November 2011, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by biggin

I find the safest way to reverse down a slope too slippery to get up, is best done with footbrake on, handbrake on and transmission in a forward gear.

At least you can power forward a bit if it starts to slide with all the brakes on, and gravity taking over.

I have no doubt this is exactly the wrong thing to do. But it works for me.

Have to admit I've done this once or twice before today as well. Probably wrong, but I wanted to try it out.

**camel_landy** · 3rd November 2011, 07:49 PM

Nail the brake.
Pop into Neutral.
Start engine.
Into Reverse
Make sure HDC is still on (it should be)

Feet off and down you go!

M

**northiam** · 3rd November 2011, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by steveG

Haven't owned a D2 personally, but observed a few in this situation.
If you dont have a CDL, be very careful when reversing, as the front wheels tend to lock and you lose steering. Most braking force is on the front, and not much weight. If there is any side slope then the front will tend to slide to the lower side which puts the vehicle sideways on the hill.
On a CDL equipped vehicle the rear wheels will tend to keep the front turning and prevent the lockup.

A spotter to make sure you are staying on track is a good thing too.

Steve

Great advice but shouldnt the TC prevent the front wheels locking up?

**steveG** · 3rd November 2011, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by northiam

Great advice but shouldnt the TC prevent the front wheels locking up?

AFAIK TC only applies the brake to an individual wheel to stop it spinning and to redirect torque to the wheel with traction. There is no way it can make a wheel turn if both front wheels are locked and there is no drive coming to the front axle.
This is the situation with no CDL and the rear wheels turning. Any engine drive will go to the rear.

Steve

**Casper** · 3rd November 2011, 09:48 PM

My opinion is that as good as the technology is it should not be relied upon in these sort of situations.

Firstly, there are few reasons that you will stall an Auto landy but should you lose traction up a hill and start sliding backward, slap it into reverse and with the CDL in lock pull the park brake on until you can just feel it dragging and then you can control the speed to all 4 wheels fairly easily from there by driving through the foot brake as described before.

Should you for some un known reason actually stall going up a hill, as said before, restart in neutral with foot brake and park brake on and then select reverse and drive through the brake releasing the park brake once you have stalled the trans up.

Just an opinion from what I have done in the past, again, may be wrong but has worked for me (on slippery hills that is).

Cheers Casper

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