Land Rover Defender Owners Handbook Aus Rover

Off-road driving
171 DRIVING ON SOFT SURFACES & DRY SAND
The ideal technique for driving on soft ground
and dry sand, requires the vehicle to be kept
moving at all times - soft ground and sand
causes excessive drag on the wheels,
resulting in a rapid loss of motion once
driving momentum is lost. For this reason,
gear changing should be avoided.
·Engage the DIFF LOCK.
·Select the highest suitable gear and
REMAIN in that gear until a firm surface is
reached. It is generally advisable to use
LOW range...

Off-road driving
172 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
(ice, snow, mud, wet grass)
·With the DIFF LOCK engaged, select the
highest gear possible.
·Drive away using the MINIMUM possible
throttle opening.
·Drive slowly at all times, keeping braking
to a minimum and avoiding violent
movements of the steering wheel.
·Disengage the DIFF LOCK as soon as a
non slippery surface is reached.DRIVING ON ROUGH TRACKS
Although rough tracks can sometimes be
negotiated in normal drive, it is advisable to
lock the...

Off-road driving
173 CLIMBING STEEP SLOPES
Engage the DIFF LOCK and ALWAYS follow
the fall line of the slope - travelling diagonally
could encourage the vehicle to slide broadside
down the slope.
Steep climbs will usually require the LOW gear
range. If the surface is loose or slippery, use
sufficient speed in the highest practical gear
to take advantage of the vehicles momentum.
However, too high a speed over a bumpy
surface may result in a wheel lifting, causing
the vehicle to lose traction. In this...

Off-road driving
174
DESCENDING STEEP SLOPES
A.Stop the vehicle at least a vehicle length
before the slope and engage first gear
LOW range with the differential locked.
B.Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle
in order to negotiate obstructions,DO NOT
touch the brake or clutch pedals during
the descent - the engine will limit the
speed, keeping the vehicle under control
provided the front wheels are turning. If
the vehicle begins to slide, accelerate
gently to maintain directional stability - DO
NOT...

Off-road driving
175 TRAVERSING A SLOPE
Before crossing a slope, ALWAYS observe the
following precautions:
·Check that the ground is firm and not
slippery.
·Check that the wheels on the downhill side
of the vehicle are not likely to drop into
any depressions in the ground and that the
uphill wheels will not run over rocks, tree
roots, or similar obstacles that could
suddenly increase the angle of tilt.
·Ensure that passenger weight is evenly
distributed, that all roof rack luggage is
removed and that all...

Off-road driving
176 WADING
WARNING
The maximum advisable wading depth is
0,5 metre (20 in.).
Severe electrical damage may occur if the
vehicle remains stationary for any length of
time when the water level is above the door
sills.
If the water is likely to exceed 0,5 metre (20
in.) while the vehicle is moving, the following
precautions MUST be observed:
·Fix a plastic sheet in front of the radiator
grille to prevent water from soaking the
engine and mud from blocking the
radiator.
·Fit a drain plug to...