Rolling back on a hill you can't climb, put it in neutral, or?

[JAsh1967]

So I'm still a newbie off-roader, all my experiences so far have been a local ORV park or some flat, sandy trails up north. The ORV park has some hill climb sections (some are more "rock climb" with cement blocks / chunks) and I've watched people trying to climb the hills and not making it.

Now my question is, if I try to tackle one of these climbs (NOT the rock climb!) and the wheels start spinning partway up, what's the best, safest, least likely to damage the transmission system, way to back down? Leave it in drive and let it roll back, using the brakes and the transmission trying to push it up the hill (might be hard on the clutch?) Put it in neutral and just use the brakes (and do I need to put both the 4-wheel and 2-wheel shifters into neutral? Plus, I would expect this is harder on the brakes.)

Some notes, my Glad is an automatic, no lift, Sport S. I'm also presuming I'm at least NOT getting hung up in a rut with the axle resting on the ground, keeping me from moving as that's a whole different ball of wax to get out of (winches, tow straps and someone else, traction boards...)

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[shooterrex]

If you read your owner's manual. There is a button to push in 4low that let's the truck lower you in reverse without touching the brake or gas pedal. It will also let you set the rate of movement with the gear shift. It also works going up hill. Only works in 4 low and on an incline.

 

[Gvsukids]

Now my question is, if I try to tackle one of these climbs (NOT the rock climb!) and the wheels start spinning partway up, what's the best, safest, least likely to damage the transmission system, way to back down?

Great question to research before ending up stuck in this situation. You can shift into reverse and back down, you don't need to touch the 4x4 shifter. You can also let the vehicle roll a little bit backwards and try the obstacle with a little more momentum.

If you read your owner's manual. There is a button to push in 4low that let's the truck lower you in reverse without touching the brake or gas pedal. It will also let you set the rate of movement with the gear shift. It also works going up hill. Only works in 4 low and on an incline.

The button you are referring to is off-road cruise control/duck mode. Works great down hill too. Can also be used on flat surfaces.

 

[JAsh1967]

If you read your owner's manual. There is a button to push in 4low that let's the truck lower you in reverse without touching the brake or gas pedal. It will also let you set the rate of movement with the gear shift. It also works going up hill. Only works in 4 low and on an incline.

I did not know (until I was today years old) that the selec-speed control system also does reverse. That certainly would be an easy way to maintain control on the way back down.
Thank you!

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Never. Nevaevaevaevaeva put it in N and let it roll back to the bottom. That’s a good way to send it sideways and start doing somersaults. When you do that you give up the mechanical advantage and gravity takes over. Off-road cruise or if it doesn’t work use the 2 foot method in reverse and just ease er on down. Great question to ask about. Lots of people get it wrong and that feeling of backing down an incline is one of the worst ones on a wheeling excursion.

 

[JLPeekaboo]

So I'm still a newbie off-roader, all my experiences so far have been a local ORV park or some flat, sandy trails up north. The ORV park has some hill climb sections (some are more "rock climb" with cement blocks / chunks) and I've watched people trying to climb the hills and not making it.

Now my question is, if I try to tackle one of these climbs (NOT the rock climb!) and the wheels start spinning partway up, what's the best, safest, least likely to damage the transmission system, way to back down? Leave it in drive and let it roll back, using the brakes and the transmission trying to push it up the hill (might be hard on the clutch?) Put it in neutral and just use the brakes (and do I need to put both the 4-wheel and 2-wheel shifters into neutral? Plus, I would expect this is harder on the brakes.)

Some notes, my Glad is an automatic, no lift, Sport S. I'm also presuming I'm at least NOT getting hung up in a rut with the axle resting on the ground, keeping me from moving as that's a whole different ball of wax to get out of (winches, tow straps and someone else, traction boards...)

The safest, least damaging way to back down is to apply the brakes, come to a complete stop, shift into Reverse, and slowly back straight down using engine braking to control your speed. Never back down in neutral, as you will lose engine braking and overheat your brakes.

 

[Fundamental Jeepster]

When I off road I always use 4L, take my time and try to stay out of that situation. But if I have to back down, it's ALWAYS in gear. Never pop into neutral. You'll drop like a rock. Happy trails.

 

[Stan H]

The safest, least damaging way to back down is to apply the brakes, come to a complete stop, shift into Reverse, and slowly back straight down using engine braking to control your speed. Never back down in neutral, as you will lose engine braking and overheat your brakes.

This

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Keep in mind this is all assuming a normal trail that just had some loose that you weren’t expecting. Sand dune stuff is slightly different. Biggest rule on down hill when going front first is if you start to slide out “steer down”. Sand can do funky things under your tires sometimes and before you know it you’re off kilter. Always steer down. Don’t worry about anything else until the vehicle comes to a complete stop but pointing those tires at the bottom of the incline. I remembered yall had some kind of dunes area up there in Michigan so wanted to mention it. I personally hate sand and avoid it if I can. Hard to do in the desert though.

 

[JAsh1967]

Keep in mind this is all assuming a normal trail that just had some loose that you weren’t expecting. Sand dune stuff is slightly different. Biggest rule on down hill when going front first is if you start to slide out “steer down”. Sand can do funky things under your tires sometimes and before you know it you’re off kilter. Always steer down. Don’t worry about anything else until the vehicle comes to a complete stop but pointing those tires at the bottom of the incline. I remembered yall had some kind of dunes area up there in Michigan so wanted to mention it. I personally hate sand and avoid it if I can. Hard to do in the desert though.

Yep, Silver Lake Dunes ORV area. We're probably going there later this year.
Going nose down (sand or otherwise,) I'd keep it in gear (D), light touch on the brakes, and keep the front wheels pointing towards the bottom. Which, honestly, sounds very similar to keeping control going down an icey slope, like say, a part of a freeway in freezing rain in a 1973 Chevy Chevelle Malibu (that's... Oddly specific, wonder where I came up with that? LoL)

Seriously, thank you for the advice.

 

[Antrmo]

The offraod cruise button? Are you referring to the hill decent button?..

 

[Janster]

Always in 4lo…… let the engine control your speed where applicable. Braking as necessary.

But take note: Depending on how ‘steep‘ the hill is……..Your engine braking might be TOO SLOW for a safe decent (4lo, 1st gear, for example). Not something you’d experience often and mostly going forward. Hard to explain…. Your front wheels will PLOW forward (No steering) and the ass-end of the vehicle gets ‘light’ and will want to go ahead of you. The safest way …although, extremely uncomfortable for the driver… is to go faster down the hill. Shift into 2nd gear and hope that’s a more controlled decent.

This reminds me of a trip we took that was covered with thick ice & snow with deep ruts you stayed in. It wasn’t even a hill climb. It was a gradual upward trail about 1/4 mile long. Our momentum was reduced the farther up we went and about 3/4 the way up….we lost all forward movement. You couldn’t even stop and hold it there, it just started sliding backwards. OMG….talk about seat sucking. All I could do was hold on….in neutral, and let those deep ruts control where you went. Sliding backwards a good long distance and not doing anything to fight it.
As mentioned, it wasn’t steep, just gradual and eventually came to rest. But that was one of the worst feelings I’ll never forget!!

 

[3TDJEEP]

I highly recommend watching the following video. It includes some great info including the hill descent control feature (now called "select speed" feature) which works in forward and reverse, and also going up or down a hill. Lot's of other great info for new Jeep owners. Some of it is for Rubicon only models but you can skip those parts.

 

[Flyboy2109]

Nah, I just depress the clutch.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

@JAsh1967 it’s almost like ice conditions but Janster said it exactly correct. Sand can do weird things like I said. It sounds like a horrible thing to do but sometimes increasing your speed can save a descent gone wrong in the sand going FORWARD. Backing down a sand dune is something I try to avoid like the plague and cancer. If I’m too far up an ascent in sand I’ll figure out a way to winch the rest of the way up the incline before I back down. Whether I have to dig out and bury the spare or I have someone with me as an anchor point. Backing down a sand dune is not for the faint of heart.

I’ve done very limited snow wheeling but sand I’ve been in too much for my liking.

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