Question about downhill braking on loose surfaces.
I'm fairly new to offroading and was hoping for some advice. I had my 98 ranger out last weekend and on my way down the mountain (loose gravel/snow lots of curves pretty steep downslope) I was struggling to control speed without just keeping constant pressure on my brakes.
I tried a combination of engine braking and regular brakes but had to stop eventually due to a hot smell coming from my engine (I assume brakes or clutch) but after about fifteen minutes it didn't smell too bad so I continued on my way.
What would you do to control speed in a situation like this? Do you think it was my clutch? My brakes? Something else?
Posted Apr 18, 2016, 7:08 PM UTC
313
4lo first gear should help quite a bit. if it doesn't suffice, braking is required. smell was probably brakes unless you were on/off the clutch a lot, it won't smell from just engine braking.
If you're brakes heat up too much you can boil the fluid in the lines causing air bubbles resulting in brake failure, so yeah, let them cool down periodically...
I didn't even think to put it in 4lo. I guess I need to hit that mountain again just to check. Yeah. Just to check my braking ability.
4Lo makes so many things a lot easier off road. I almost never use 4hi honestly.
This is the first vehicle I've had 4x4 so I'm still learning the ins and outs. When do you find yourself in 4wd the most?
Honestly only when I'm off-road on trails.
you can be in 4w hi or lo any time you're on a surface that your tires can slip on. So, dry pavement, no. dirt roads, yes.
The only real down side to putting it into 4w on say, a good dirt road where you probably won't NEED it, is milage.
Do be careful with 4lo, you're able to put a lot more power into tire spin at low speeds with 4lo, this is where you break axles and other parts :) It's also where all the fun is so don't be afraid, use the gear that makes the best sense. There are lots of videos and write ups about how gearing works, watch them and learn so you understand what you're getting into.
have fun!
Same. Nothing but 4low from air down to air up. It's so much easier to control, and comes with a built in speed limit to keep me from doing really stupid things.
My truck almost over powers the brakes in 4lo.
My brakes almost can't stop my truck in 4lo... I almost exclusively use 4hi in this truck. Then last one was almost always 4lo.
Sounds like you need new brakes...