CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationrnire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, shows the correct inflation pressures
for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means your
vehicle has been
sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is
all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
When
to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement” later
in this section for more
information.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels,
also see “Dual Tire Operation” later in this section. The
purpose of regular rotation
is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure the vent holes in
the inner and outer wheels on each side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear inflation pressures
as shown on the
Certificationflire label. Make certain
that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque’’
in the Index.
A CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
6-44

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
Some commercial truck
tires may not have
treadwear indicators.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel nut is replaced, check the wheel nut
torque after
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel
Nut Torque” in the Index.
The outer tire on
a dual wheel setup generally wears
faster than the inner tire. Your tires will wear more
evenly and last longer if you rotate the tires periodically.
If you’re going to be doing a lot of driving on
high-crown roads, you can reduce tire wear by adding
5 psi (35 kPa) to the tire pressure in the outer tires. Be
sure to return
to the recommended pressures when no
longer driving under those conditions. See “Changing a
Flat Tire”
in the Index for more information.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough
to show cord or fabric.
6-45
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is
badly underinflated, the tire can overheat.
An
overheated tire can lose air suddenly or catch
fire. You or others could be injured. Be sure all
tires (including the spare) are properly inflated.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the CertificatiodTire label.
The tires installed
on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow). If you
ever replace your tires with those
not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine TIION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United
States.) The grades are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading system does not apply
to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires, space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters
of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires. While
the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a
tire graded 150 would wear one and a
half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course
as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon
the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -action -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and
does not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment ant
’e Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory
to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road,
your wheels may need
to be rebalanced.
6-48

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly
rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be
replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except
some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If
you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your vehicle.
I A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling
of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
I NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced
on
a dual wheel setup, check the wheel nut torque after
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles ( 160, 1 600 and 10 000 km)
of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut Torque’’
in the Index.
See “Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how
far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace
a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle.
Tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you can
hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop
and retighten them.
If the contact continues,
slow down until it stops. Driving too fast
or
spinning the wheels with chains on will
damage your vehicle.
6-50

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame
if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes
in a closed space.
When you use anything from
a container to clean your
vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
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Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe
vinyl, leather, plastic and painted surfaces
with a clean, damp cloth.
Your dealer has two cleaners, Multi-Purpose Interior
Cleaner and Capture Non-Solvent
Dry Spot and Soil
Remover for cleaning fabric and carpet. They
will
clean normal spots and stains very well. You can get
GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer. (See
“Appearance Care and Materials’’
in the Index.)
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
0 Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Carefully scrape off any excess stain.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
often.
A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or
it will set.