I purposely did order it on my current truck. I had it on my Durango, Xterra and 4Runner and it never worked well. The trucks' transfer cases had to be in 4low, which doesn't allow the tires to spin at different speeds. The system overheated the brakes when used for too long a distance. The Toyota's was the worst, the system would overheat and suddenly turn the system off. The Xterra's system was dependent on a problematic electronic locking rear differential.
I didn't have it on my Nissan Frontier, and that's when I learned that riding the brakes while creeping in neutral was the safest way to descend the hill on ice and snow.
If you are going down an extremely steep icy slope you MUST creep down the slope at the slowest possible speed possible. Once committed you can't stop. Not without skidding. You will skid some. You correct the skid only by releasing the brakes and steering. The anti-lock brakes will do this above something like 3-5 mph. But below that speed, the driver has to be able to quickly release the brakes and steer to get the vehicle straightened. If the truck's transfer case is in low gear this is impossible as the engine is always trying to brake all the wheels the same amount and have them spin at the same rate. If you need to go around something, the wheels must turn at different speeds (the differential must be unlocked). And you can't get a transfer case out of 4 low unless the truck is stopped and in neutral. That's impossible to do when going down a steep icy slope.
My method is simple:
Transfer case is usually in Auto, which is where I leave it.
I brake to a stop at the top of the steep slope.
I put the truck in neutral using the automatic gear shift knob on the dash.
I reduce brake pressure until the truck starts to roll (from gravity) and I keep the speed to barely moving.
The antilock brakes usually activate when a wheels skids.
If they don't, I reduce brake pressure until I can steer. Then I slowly reapply the brakes.
I don't try to stop the truck on the slope. I just try to keep the speed as low as possible without stopping.
The goal is to go down the center of the road, stay out of the ditch and off the cliff.
My method is different then yours, I travel down a 25% slope everyday (my driveway) with a switchback towards the bottom of it.
Your method is the one I will use with 2wd vehicles, not on one with a low range.
With 4wd and a low range if I am heading down for some reason before I've sanded, which would be possible during an ice storm.
I'll start in low range first gear and seeing as how this truck has the e-locker rear that will be engaged and I'll start creeping down I don't know if I will use the Hill Decent Control or not, I may.
I did use the HDC a couple of times this summer to see how the truck behaved using it.
I almost never use the auto on the transfer case onless the road is patchy snow covered,
completly snow covered it'll be high loc.
The tires do not have to be independent going down a steep grade,
trusting your brakes to be perfectly balanced and the traction surface to be uniform is'nt going to happen.
If you need to turn while going down hill your front wheels should pull you in the desired direction anfd the rear will follow.
It will be interesting this winter as it will be my first with this newest style transfer case and RAM programing,
my 15 was terrible, that t-case went to 2wd when you put the truck in park and didn't stay locked up in loc and
also didn't provide any engine braking thru the t-case.
Untill I added the switch kit to make the electric clutch part atay fully engaged while it was on.
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