Just wondering what you guys recommend as the thing to do if you were going up a steep hill, but started sliding or rolling backwards? What is the best way to regain control? Is there anything that should be done differently with an auto vs a manual transmission?

 

Natural instinct is to hit the brakes; however, if you do and slide sideways, you have a good chance of testing out your roll bar the rest of the way down. Best thing to do is continue with the gas but if you can't get traction, steer yourself back down backwards and if you have to use the brakes, pump them instead of freaking out and pushing it to the floor.

I am curious to hear what others have to say. Good question.

 

Just watched a video where a guy started going backwards slammed on the brakes & flipped right onto the top & went back down the hill

 

Link?......

 

In a two door, going up a really steep hill - your forward motion stops and your front end is coming up or really getting light - I pop it into neutral and apply the brakes. The front end will come down and easing the brakes on will cause you to regain control. If you are sliding down hill at an angle you'll have to steer while braking to get straight.

There are just too many variables in what you are asking to give an answer that will work all the time. I have started up too steep a grade in snow and ice and when you loose forward motion you are then sliding backwards fairly fast and you just have to steer while braking as best you can.

Going down a really steep grade if your rear starts sliding out you may have to accelerate to straighten yourself out.

These things work for me, maybe not for you????

 

Great question. Very little makes me more nervous off-road than a steep climb at an angle. For the most part I try and avoid it entirely. If you can get your Jeep pointed straight up a grade, that's almost always your best choice (assuming you have a good line). Sometimes that means you have to "wiggle" it backwards and forwards for a while to get the right line. But you don't always have that luxury. If you really start losing traction, others are correct -- steer your Jeep back down the way you came. Hitting the brakes suddenly will cause weight to shift rearward suddenly and that is very dangerous. Also try to avoid bouncing up the hill, as this can cause sudden weight transfers that you can't correct for. Slow and steady.

If you can get your Jeep into reverse smoothly, your t-case gear reduction works just as well in reverse as it does going forward. On a manual JK, reverse is nearly as low as 1st. Often you can crawl back down in reverse rather than using the brakes.

Side note: this is one reason I'm not crazy about loading the back of the Jeep with gear racks, water, and Jerry cans. Yeah, it looks cool, but it puts a lot of cantilevered weight back there. That may be unavoidable with extra fuel, but I try to keep water, coolers, and other heavy items ahead of my rear axle and as low as possible. You just never know when you'll need that extra ounce of stability.

 

Never thought about that Great tip. Thanks!

 

Here's the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mcT2...e_gdata_player
& going down a hill is newtons law an object in motion tends to stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force. So as soon aa you jam on that brake all that momentum shifts to the back & with a lifted jeep your center of gravity went up so your back axel acts as a fulcrum & your basically a lop sided titer toter

 

Yep, that's one scary video. It's not like the guy did anything egregiously wrong. I would note that applying the braking wasn't his problem, though. It was releasing the brake and rolling backward so quickly. Then the tire gets jammed and all the weight transfers and...

Another thing that I don't agree with (but see all the damn time) is trucks right on each others' bumpers on steep hills like this. They're lucky a truck wasn't behind this one. When I do trail runs, I make sure the first truck makes it up to the top of a steep spot before the next one starts. It takes longer, but you shouldn't be doing technical wheeling if you're in a hurry.

 

This subject is one of those things that comes down to seat time. Just because you read what to do when it happens doesn't mean you will have the chance to think and apply. I have been in more then a couple sticky situations and it comes down that first second of reaction.