How to Drive Uphill Faster
Encountering steep hills when driving is very common, and while it looks easy, it can be very difficult, especially for a beginner. If you want to drive a car uphill at a faster speed, you need to know the proper techniques and safety considerations before you start climbing. Here’s a quick guide to help you.
Safety First
Practice. If you’re a new driver, find a place without any traffic, so you can practice going uphill without causing any accident. Always buckle your seat belt.
If there’s a car ahead of you when you’re driving uphill, always leave plenty of room in between. Same goes for a car trailing behind you.
If holding your car in place on inclines, don’t use your clutch or it will become worn out.
For uphill driving, diesel vehicle will work better because of their lower rpm torque.
Tips To Drive Uphill Faster
When driving faster uphill, there are two main techniques you can follow: you can either adjust the powertrain and engine of the car, or change your driving method.
Upgrade the car engine. This will increase its horsepower. Make your your financial means allow you to do this, though.
driving uphill
Enhance the engine’s performance by tuning it up. You might need to change the plug wires, spark plugs, air filter. It depends on your car’s service history and mileage. If your vehicle is old, built before the 1980’s, you might also need to adjust the engine spark timing, carburetor and the valves, so the engine’s performance will be satisfactory. (Tips on how to tune a car)
Be aware of your tire’s inflation. Having properly inflated tires that are slightly leaning towards the maximum inflation pressure gives lower rolling resistance. This enables them to transfer more engine power so you can propel your car. It also gives better gas mileage.
Put in a lower ratio differential or rear end. One with a 411 gear ratio gives more torque to your pulling wheels, compared to a 243 gear ratio. Don’t forget to look at the effects on the gas mileage, because the 411 gear ratio increases the engine revolution for every tire revolution. In other driving conditions, this means the engine needs to turn more RPMs so the normal driving speeds will be maintained.
Take away excess weight from the car. Check behind the seats, the trunk and other places where heavy cargo might be stashed away. Some car manufacturers increase auto fuel efficiency by making use of lightest weight material when building new cars.
Turn the air conditioning off, because it can drain a significant amount of engine power for operating the compressor.
When you drive the car, do it at peak horsepower and torque. You’ll need to downshift when the gear you’re using starts to “pull” or lose power. Keep the engine RPM as close to the maximum as possible, so you’ll have the maximum speed. If your car has a tachometer, this will be easy. You can also listen to the engine, so you’ll have a good idea of how it’s doing. On approaches to short steep hills, accelerate your vehicle.
There are other drastic ways to increase speed. Here are some examples.
Buy the smallest possible cranking battery.
Lower the amount of gasoline in the tank to the minimum level when you make your trip.
Leave tire changing tools and spare tire at home.
Remove non-essential car accessories. (see 8 essentials items you never thought to keep in your car)
Driving a car uphill can be a real challenge, but as long as you know how to do it properly, you can easily master it. Just remember to keep safe while doing this.