light CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1996 Workshop Manual

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?
trees, logs or ruts)?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders,
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 Uphi//
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
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0 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.
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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.
Sound the horn as
you approach the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible
to oncoming traffic.
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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.
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.
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Driving ln 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 biush 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.
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Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and
keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light
up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road
in a safe place and rest.
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Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light
to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example,
if you spend the day
in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses.
Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from
headlamps, but
they also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams,
or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean
- inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than
clean glass would, making the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light
up far less of a roadway when you are
in
a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out
dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly
for proper aim,
so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers
suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and aren’t
even aware
of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
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Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your tires haven’t much
tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t
a hard and
fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is
to slow down when it is
raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights - not just your parking lights - to
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be
help
make you more visible
to others.
especially careful when
you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on
them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay
attention to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
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Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice
on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and
keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers
are
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there
is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have
a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over your
shoulder as often as necessary. Try
to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make
sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” spot.
Once you
are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant
mix is correct.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush
or broom, a supply of windshield
washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old
carpet or a couple
of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items
in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road, you can
have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and
will need to be very careful.
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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it
go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps
the battery (or batteries) charged. You will need a well-charged battery
(or
batteries) to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater
run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have
to run it at a higher speed to get
enough heat. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the
way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat
this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half
hour or so until
help
comes.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle
is stationary or anchored.
I NOTICE:
Using a power winch with the transmission in gear may damage
the transmission. When operating a power winch, always leave
the transmission in NEUTRAL
(N).
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake, or block the wheels to keep
your vehicle from rolling.
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