wheel CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN 2003 1.G Workshop Manual

{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.
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.
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 ªWheel Nut
Torqueº under
Capacities and Speci®cations on
page 5-97.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-65for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
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 a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
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.
5-63

If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblowoutº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the ¯at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel ®rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you'd use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a ¯at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a ¯at tire.
If a tire goes ¯at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a ¯at tire safely.
5-64

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes ¯at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning ¯ashers.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured. Find a level place to change your tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake ®rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't
move, you can put blocks at the front and rear
of the tire farthest away from the one being
changed. That would be the tire on the other
side of the vehicle, at the opposite end.The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-65

The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), jack
handle extension (B), jack handle (C), wheel wrench (D)
and the ratchet (E).
Your spare tire is stored underneath the rear of your
vehicle. You will use the wheel wrench (D) and the
ratchet (E) to lower the spare tire.
The ratchet has a DOWN side and an UP side.Attach the wheel wrench
and ratchet, with the
DOWN side facing you.
The wheel wrench
has a socket end and a
¯at chisel end.
Put the ¯at chisel end of the wheel wrench on an angle
through the hole between the body and the bumper.
Be sure the ¯at end connects into the hoist shaft.
5-67

Turn the ratchet counterclockwise to lower the spare tire
to the ground. If the spare tire does not lower to the
ground, the secondary latch is engaged causing the tire
not to lower. See ªSecondary Latch Systemº later in
this section.When the tire has been lowered, pull the tire toward you
so you can reach the tire retainer and pull it up
through the wheel opening.
If you have a vehicle which was completed from a cab
and chassis, refer to the information from the body
supplier/installer.
The spare tire is a full-size tire, like the other tires on
your vehicle.
Notice:To help avoid vehicle damage, do not drive
the vehicle before the cable is restored.
5-68

6. Place the jack under the vehicle, ahead of the rear
bumper. Position the center lift point of the jack
under the center of the spare tire and turn the
handle clockwise to raise the jack until it lifts the
secondary latch spring.
7. Keep raising the jack until the spare tire stops
moving upward and is held ®rmly in place, this
lets you know that the secondary latch has
released. The secondary latch has released and
the spare tire is balancing on the jack.8. Lower the jack by turning the ratchet
counterclockwise. Keep lowering the jack until the
spare tire slides off the jack or is hanging by
the cable.
9. Disconnect the jack handle from the jack and
carefully remove the jack. Use one hand to
push against the spare while ®rmly pulling the
jack out from under the spare tire with the
other hand.
If the spare tire is hanging from the cable, slide the
ratchet onto the wheel wrench and insert the
wheel wrench into the hoist shaft hole above the
bumper and turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise
to lower the spare the rest of the way. Be sure
the DOWN mark on the ratchet is facing you.
10. Tilt the retainer at the end of the cable and pull it
through the wheel opening. Pull the tire out from
under the vehicle.
11. If the cable is hanging under the vehicle, turn the
wheel wrench in the hoist shaft hole in the bumper
clockwise to raise the cable back up.
Have the hoist assembly inspected as soon as you can.
You will not be able to store a spare or ¯at tire using
the hoist assembly until it has been repaired or replaced.
To continue changing the ¯at tire, return to Step 4 of
ªRemoving the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare
Tireº later in this section.
5-71

Removing the Wheel Covers
If your vehicle has plastic wheel nut caps, loosen them
by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise. The
wheel nut caps are designed to remain with the center
cap. Remove the center cap.
If the wheel has a smooth center piece, place the chisel
end of the wheel wrench in the slot on the wheel and
gently pry it out.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. With the DOWN side facing you, use the ratchet
and wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.
2. Assemble the jack and tools for a front or rear ¯at
as follows:Front Flat:Assemble the jack (A) together with the
jack handle (B) and ratchet (C) as shown. Be
sure that the ratchet has the UP mark facing you.
Rear Flat:Assemble the jack (A) together with the
jack handle (B), jack handle extension (C) and
ratchet (D) as shown. Be sure that the ratchet has
the UP mark facing you. To assemble the jack
handle and jack handle extension, use the art and
text following.Front Position
Rear Position
5-72

4. Raise the vehicle by turning the ratchet clockwise.
Make sure the UP mark faces you. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough
room for the spare tire to ®t.5. Remove all the wheel
nuts, and take off the
¯at tire.
5-75

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.
7. Put the wheel nuts
back on with the
rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel.
Tighten each wheel
nut by hand until
the wheel is held
against the hub.
8. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
5-76

9. Tighten the nuts ®rmly in a crisscross sequence
as shown. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise.
{CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque speci®cation. See ªCapacities
and Speci®cationsº in the Index for wheel nut
torque speci®cation.
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 speci®cation. See ªCapacities and
Speci®cationsº in the index for the wheel nut torque
speci®cation.
10. Put the wheel cover back on, or put the center cap
and plastic wheel nut caps back on. Remove any
wheel blocks.
Remember that the jack, jacking equipment and tire
must be properly stored in their original storage position
before you begin driving again. The next part will
show you how.
5-77