Two types of in situ etching (H(2)+HCl and H(2)+C(3)H(8)) and epitaxial growth were performed on 4H-SiC substrates inclined 8 degrees off from (0001) towards <1 (1) over bar 00 > and < 11 (2) over bar0 >. The H(2)+HCl etch produced larger microstep heights on the <1 (1) over bar 00 > -off direction compared to the microsteps on the < 11 (2) over bar0 > -off direction. The H(2)+C(3)H(8) etch produced similar microstep structures with the height of 1-2 bilayers on both off-orientations. Even though the films were up to 19 mum thick, high quality epilayers without incorporation of 3C-SiC, large-scale step bunching, and rough 3D nucleation were obtained on 4H-SiC substrates inclined towards both <1 (1) over bar 00 > and < 11 (2) over bar0 > by APCVD using Si(2)Cl(6)+C(3)H(8) system.