Steep hill driving advice

Morning

First time I’ve tackled a certain steep lane in defender yest. It’s a tarmac Devon lane but a bit hairy!
I had to stop half way up the lane. Handbrake couldn’t properly hold and was a bit panicky to be honest as had a shiny new car behind me but got away just using 1st in normal range.
When I go down rutted lanes in my Td5 defender, I put it in first and just let take my feet off. It crawls along then and won’t stall. I don’t know if this is anti stall or not...
Is there a technique on hills for this as reading contrasting stuff? I.e, can I put it in low 2nd and hold foot brake (If I had to stop), slowly lift clutch and it will crawl up? Would be good to know with winter on way. I need to go and practice locally I thibk!

1st should be ok on any steep, road ive used excepting odd hair pins on mountain tracks,keep revs above 2k to keep turbo boosting,unlike a normally aspirated once youve lost any boost your not long stalling

And adjust your handbrake! Should hold your car on a hill, even a steep one.

revs, in gear, as the clutch comes up to the biting point off with the handbrake and then immediately more revs.

arent hill starts taught in driving lessons??

Hill start will be a challenge without an effective handbrake (unless you've lightning reflexes to get from the brake pedal to the clutch)

You don't say what make the shiney new car was that was behind you but unless it was another landrover, the hill couldn't have been that steep.

Col

The handbrake was slipping which I think caused the panic as I wasn't trusting it and jumping off the brake onto accelerator. I rebuilt it last week so was first time I've tested it on steep slope!
It wasn't ascending that caused me the issue, it was the stopping half way up the steep slope and setting off again from stationary but I guess the clear problem I have there is not enough bite on handbrake.

resto_d1 said:

The handbrake was slipping which I think caused the panic as I wasn't trusting it and jumping off the brake onto accelerator. I rebuilt it last week so was first time I've tested it on steep slope!
It wasn't ascending that caused me the issue, it was the stopping half way up the steep slope and setting off again from stationary but I guess the clear problem I have there is not enough bite on handbrake.

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Oh, that explains it then. There is nothing more frustrating than a dodgy handbrake. Well, there is, but for the sake of this post, just go with it.

Col

Toe and heel to start off
Or switch off, put in first, no clutch pressed, and start in gear so it starts moving straightaway

Handbrake shoes are famous for not working due to oil leakage from the rear flange. Even if it isn't leaking now, it may have contaminated the shoes in the past. A good trick for cleaning them up, stick them in the oven, 150c fan (170 without) for a while and the oil will leach out, wipe off while still hot then a quick rub with sand paper once cold and they should work again.
Or just buy new ones! And it'll leak again next week

The steepest hill you can go up is steeper then the one you can stop and re-start on. Lesson? Don't stop on a steep hill, keep going. Its why vehiles going up hill have right of way.

rob1miles said:

The steepest hill you can go up is steeper then the one you can stop and re-start on. Lesson? Don't stop on a steep hill, keep going. Its why vehiles going up hill have right of way.

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Found that out when i first got my landy. Cheap, fake brand tyres, had to stop half way up the steep side of mow cop. Setting off again in first, clutch out, but landy was going backwards

If you are adjusting your hand brake, slacken off the cable, then adjust the adjuster on the hand brake drum, then re-adjust the cable.
If you just tighten the cable, you may run out of travel on the handbrake mechanism.

+ 1 with everyone on the handbrake. A properly set up handbrake will hold easily on tarmac at 45 degrees. Part of scrutineering check for trials use.

Well I changed seal, rebuilt it and it’s wet again with oil from the seal. Either sh1t seal itself or a sh1t seal against the shaft. Ffs

Could be the latter, a bit of fine wet n dry on the shaft may help if it's marked

There should be a slot machined in the transfer box to take any leaking oil from the brake shoes, make sure it's clear.
The oil seal runs against the drive flange, if the surface is worn badly get a new one, a kt is less than £20.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324199160656

Rougharse Racing said:

There should be a slot machined in the transfer box to take any leaking oil from the brake shoes, make sure it's clear.
The oil seal runs against the drive flange, if the surface is worn badly get a new one, a kt is less than £20.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324199160656

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exactly what I fitted mate.