If the wheels tend to 'break away' while descending a steep bank, accelerate out at the bottom. This saves the enormous shock loading that occurs on the front drivetrain as you 'land' at the foot of the bank or hill. As you accelerate off the bottom of the bank, the front wheels will pull you out onto the flat.

All Land Rover engines fitted to their products are absolutely perfect for off-road work. Both the four and eight cylinder petrol engines give ample engine braking when descending, providing the idle revs are turned down to about 700-800 rpm.

All too often, we have vehicles on our course whose idle settings are too high. Not good for engine braking when descending. It must, however, be remembered that one must have sufficient idle revs so as to maintain satisfactory engine oil pressure.

On the other hand, diesel engined vehicles are brilliant off-road as their high compression ratio always ensures incredible engine braking. In the case of the newer Tdi engined vehicles, engine braking is even more superb. Where you use first gear to the bottom of a hill in a petrol engined vehicle, in a Tdi you could well be using second. First is sometimes too low, causing you to slither down a wet hillside as the tyres break away.

Don't forget it is always advisable to use only first gear and, if this seems too low, just gently accelerate to bring the speed of the wheels up. At least that way, if you need to slow down, you need only take your foot off the accelerator in order to slow down again.

Automatic Models

If you have a vehicle with automatic transmission, you will probably already know that the engine braking isn't as good as it could be even though you have selected 'one'.

When descending gentle slopes 'one' is probably good enough to maintain control. If the vehicle is starting to run away with you, you can very carefully, slow things up by gently feathering the brakes. But be warned, if you press down on the footbrake too hard, you will cause one or more wheels to lock up which could be disastrous.

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(c)Goodwinch Limited 2006