wheel CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1994 Owner's Guide

When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t
control the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you
will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns, or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving
on paved roads and highways. There
are no road signs, posted speed limits
or signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is
certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have a serious
- or
even fatal
- accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle
can and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no matter
how well built the vehicle.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s
just too steep
to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way
to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top,
but you may not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
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Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places?
0 Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won’t have to make
turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders,
trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a
fence? Get out and walk the hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way
to find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs
and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible
to the effects of
erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Don’t use
more power than you need, because you don’t want your wheels to start
spinning
or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and
turns,
you might want to find another route.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching
traffic
on trails or hills.
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0 Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to let opposing
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible
traffic know you’re there.
to
oncoming traffic.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I
can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are
some things you must not do. First, here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
“P” (Park) (or, shift to “N’ (Neutral) if your vehicle has
a manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift to reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the
hill as straight as
possible in reverse.
wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll be able to tell if your
wheels are straight and maneuver as you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather than in the left or
right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will
increase the possibility of a rollover.
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering
Here are some things you
must not do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going
up a hill.
0 Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into “N” (Neutral) (or
depressing the clutch, if you have a manual transmission) to “rev-up”
the engine and regain forward momentum. This won’t work.
Your
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If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
Q: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them you could lose
control and have a serious accident.
0 When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline of
the hill. A hill that’s not too steep to drive down may be too steep to
drive across. You could roll over if you don’t drive straight down.
0 Never go downhill with the transmission in “N’ (Neutral) , or with the
clutch pedal depressed in a manual shift
. This is called
“free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Q: Am 1 likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking
brake.
Shift to “P,’ (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
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Driving Across an lncline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill.
If this happens, you have to decide whether to try to drive across the incline.
Here are some things to consider:
0
0
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive
across. When you
go straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel
base (the distance from the front wheels
to the rear wheels) reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive
across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the distance
between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle from
tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across
an incline puts more
weight on the downhill wheels.
This could cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across
a hill.
Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass can cause your tires to
slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit
something that will trip
it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the incline even worse. If
you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the downhill
wheels drop into
a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to
try to drive
across
an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean
you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
Q: What if I’m driving across an incline that’s not too steep, but I hit
some loose gravel and start to slide downhill. What should I do?
A: If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn downhill. This
should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side slipping.
However, a much better way to prevent this is
to get out and “walk the
course”
so you know what the surface is like before you drive it.
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Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your
passengers) get out on the uphill side, even
if the door there is harder to
open. If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over,
you’ll be right in its path.
Driving In Mud, Sand, Snow, Or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t get good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you’ll need
longer braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when you’re in mud
- the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving
so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel traction. But it will
depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on
beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has an
effect
on steering, accelerating, and braking. You may want to reduce the air
pressure in your tires slightly when driving on sand. This will improve
traction.
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Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces,
it’s very easy to lose control.
On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor
that you will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving, poor
steering and difficult braking can cause
you to slide out of control.
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water
is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles,
or exhaust pipe, don’t try it - you
probably won’t get through. Also, water that deep
can damage your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling
can also
occur if
you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take
you longer to
stop.
If you have a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information
on driving through water.
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After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired - by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips
on night driving.
0 Drive defensively.
0 Don't drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind
you.
Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
up
only so much road ahead.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call
it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about
an easy stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum
of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What
can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway
as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly
in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there,
here are some tips
that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
“Off-Road Driving”
in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
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What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be
slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Trv to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice, packed, blowing ,or loose snow -
drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even
more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability
to make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear
in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a
curve
or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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