spare tire CADILLAC ESCALADE 1999 1.G Owners Manual

yellowblue
4-14
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four
-wheel drive.
Also, see ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº in the Index.
Off
-road driving can be great fun. But it does
have some definite hazards. The greatest of these
is the terrain itself.
ªOff
-roadingº means you've left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren't
marked. Curves aren't banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you've gone right back to nature.Off
-road driving involves some new skills. And that's
why it's very important that you read this guide. You'll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off
-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your
four
-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough
fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels
up where they should be? What are the local laws that
apply to off
-roading where you'll be driving? If you
don't know, you should check with law enforcement
people in the area. Will you be on someone's private
land? If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.

The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.

Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off
-road terrain doesn't toss things around.

yellowblue
5-20 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is located in the rear cargo
area. The spare tire is located under the rear of
the vehicle.
To open the jack cover, turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and take the cover off.
To take the jack out, turn the wing
-head bolt
counterclockwise and take it and the retainer off.
Take the jack and storage box out and take the tools
out of the box.Your vehicle may have a pair of emergency gloves
secured to the jack. You can use them when changing
the tire, or during other emergency situations.
Remember to replace them with the jack, so you will
have them if needed later.
The spare tire is stored under the vehicle in an
underbody carrier.A. Hoist Assembly
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Ratchet
D. Jack HandleE. Retainer
F. Valve Stem, Pointed Down
G. Spare Tire

yellowblue
5-21
Follow these instructions to lower the spare tire:
1. One side of the ratchet has an UP marking. The other
side has a DOWN marking. Assemble the ratchet to
the hook near the end of the jack handle (as
illustrated) with the DOWN marking facing you.
Insert the other end through the hole in the rear
bumper and into the hoist shaft.
2. Turn the ratchet counterclockwise to lower the spare
tire to the ground. Continue to turn the ratchet until
the spare tire can be pulled out from under
the vehicle.
3. When the tire has been lowered, tilt the retainer at
the end of the cable so it can be pulled up through
the wheel opening.
4. Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), the jack
handle extension (B), the jack handle (C), the wheel
wrench (D) and the ratchet (E).
The jack handle extension is used if the flat tire is on the
rear of the vehicle.

yellowblue
5-24 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Use the ratchet and wheel wrench to loosen all the
wheel nuts. Turn the wheel wrench
counterclockwise, with DOWN facing you, to loosen
the wheel nuts. Don't remove the wheel nuts yet.
2. If the flat tire is on the rear of the vehicle, put the
jack handle extension on the jack handle.
3. Position the jack under the vehicle. If the flat tire is
on the front of the vehicle, position the jack on the
frame behind the flat tire. If the flat tire is on the rear
of the vehicle, position the jack on the axle near the
flat tire between the spring and the shock absorber.

yellowblue
5-25
CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal injury and
vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack lift head
into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.
Front Position Rear Position
4. With UP on the ratchet facing you, raise the vehicle
by rotating the ratchet and wheel wrench clockwise.
Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there
is enough room for the spare tire to fit.

yellowblue
5-26
5. Remove all the wheel
nuts and take off the
flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the 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 the 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.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.

yellowblue
5-27
7. Mount the spare tire on
the wheel mounting
surface. Replace the
wheel nuts with the
rounded end of the nuts
toward the wheel.
Tighten each wheel nut by hand with the wheel wrench
until the wheel is held against the hub.
Front Position Rear Position
8. Lower the vehicle by rotating the ratchet and wheel
wrench counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.

yellowblue
5-29
CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
140 lb
-ft (190 N´m)
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
Store the flat tire where the spare tire is stored.
Put the tools into the storage box and close it tightly. Fit
the storage box on the bracket with the bolt through the
box. Put the jack onto the box. Be sure the jack is stored
as shown in the following illustrations. The jack handle
attachment point is circled in the following illustrations
to show the direction the jack should face when it is
stored properly. Secure the emergency gloves, if your
vehicle has them, to the jack using the provided strap.
Slide the retainer over the bolt onto the jack and put the
wing nut on it. Turn the nut clockwise until it is tight
against the retainer.

yellowblue
5-31
Spare Tire Storage
A. Hoist Assembly
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Ratchet
D. Jack HandleE. Retainer
F. Valve Stem, Pointed Down
G. Spare TireFollow these instructions to restore a spare or flat tire:
1. Lay the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle.
Position the tire so that the valve stem is pointed
down and to the rear of the vehicle.
2. Tilt the retainer downward and through the wheel
opening. Make sure that the retainer is fully seated
across the underside of the wheel.
3. Attach the ratchet, with the UP mark facing you,
near the hook at the end of the jack handle. Insert the
other end, on an angle, through the hole in the rear
bumper and into the hoist shaft.
4. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the
vehicle. Continue turning the ratchet clockwise until
there are two ªclicksº or ªratchets.º The spare tire
hoist cannot be over
-tightened.
5. Grasp and push against the tire to be sure it is stored
securely and does not move.

yellowblue
6-40
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:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

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.
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 ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for
more information.
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 ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Maintenance Schedule
booklet for scheduled rotation intervals.