Ok still new to the 4x4 world and jk is my first. Went offroading the other day and came to a point where it was steep and was very nervous so i turned around. I didnt want to go down riding my breaks so what can i do for future referance. I was also alone and didnt want to do somthing dumb and be stuck out there otherwise i would have done it no problem, i was just concerned if i braked i would slip on lose dirt and slide. Should i put it in 4low 1 and descend. Any help would be great thanks. Oh and heres a pic of the little guy

 

Automatic or manual?

Manual = 4 low, first gear, let the jeep idle down with no throttle or brake and it will maintain a very slow speed.

 

Its an automatic

 

In an auto 4lo 1 hill decent holds 1 mph, 2 holds 2.5. Your instinct to turn back was correct though. If you aren't comfortable you should attempt it. Panic is a real danger. Hill decent in an auto is done with braking so if you slide it won't help you.

Chances are your jeep can handle it but it depends a lot on your tires and your skills. Another factor is your escape route. If you did slide can you recover or will you roll off the trail? Steep downhills are best done with your front end facing straight down hill. If an obsticle or the trail forces you to turn you lose the advantage in roll over angle.

Speed is a big factor as well. Slow crawling is much safer as the faster you go any disruption in speed is more likely to cause a roll as well as loss of traction.

If you can get someone to lead you that has experience that would help a lot. If you aren't comfortable doing it, listen to your instincts. They maybe wrong but it is better to err in the direction of caution than danger.

 

So 4lo 1 for going down? Or can you also have it in 4lo 2 ? Then what about climbing a hill vs going down it? with an auto thx

 

Just found a post on another forum that explained it in the 2011 manual so it should be available in yours. I should also say that you need to press the HDC (hill decent control) to activate it. It works in 1,2, D or R but only in 4L. Climbing in an auto is up to your throttle control.


Here is the full text explanation. I believe it is directly from the 2011 operating manual:

HDC is only intended for low speed off-road driving. HDC maintains vehicle speed while descending hills in off-road driving conditions by applying the brakes when necessary.
The symbol indicates the status of the Hill
Descent Control (HDC) feature. The lamp will
be on solid when HDC is armed. HDC can only
be armed when the transfer case is in the "4WD
LOW" position and the vehicle speed is less then 30 mph (48 km/h). If these conditions are not met while attempting to use the HDC feature, the HDC indicator light will flash on/off.
When enabled, HDC senses the terrain and activates when the vehicle is descending a hill. HDC speed may be adjusted by the driver to suit the driving conditions. The speed corresponds to the transmission gear selected.
Gear Approximate HDC Set Speed
1st 1 mph (1.5 km/h)
2nd 2.5 mph (4 km/h)
DRIVE 7.5 mph (12 km/h)
REVERSE 1 mph (1.5 km/h)
However, the driver can override HDC operation by applying the brake to slow the vehicle down below the HDC control speed. If more speed is desired during HDC control, the accelerator pedal will increase vehicle speed
in the usual manner. When either the brake or the
accelerator is released, HDC will control the vehicle at the original set speed.
Enabling HDC
1. Shift the transfer case into 4WD LOW range. Refer to
"Four-Wheel Drive Operation" in "Starting and Operating" for further information.
2. Press the "Hill Descent" button. The "Hill Descent Control Indicator Light" in the instrument cluster will turn on solid.
NOTE:
If the transfer case is not in 4WD LOW range,
the "Hill Descent Control Indicator Light" will flash for
five seconds and HDC will not be enabled.

Disabling HDC
1. Press the "Hill Descent" button or shift the transfer case out of 4WD LOW range. The "Hill Descent Control Indicator" light in the instrument cluster will turn off.

 

Thank You

 

HDC also uses the anit-lock feature of the brakes, so unless the surface is so slippery that nothing can help you HDC does its best to keep you running in a straight line. Its been a pleasant surprise how well HDC actually works.

 

No problem. I had a hill like that. As I drove up to it I thought I found the edge of the earth. Turned around and didn't come back for a while. Now it's no big deal but if I froze up then the steep hill ends with a sharp left and long cliff so I think I played it right.

Have fun.

 

I have an 08 Auto and not HDC... So far I've been keeping it in 4Lo and trying to keep it under control with the brakes. Any other suggestions? So far I'm still alive, and I'm sure Florida doesnt offer the same kind of steep descents that I'm used to. I'm just always looking to learn some more.