spare wheel CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1997 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 1997, Model line: SUBURBAN, Model: CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1997Pages: 433, PDF Size: 21.49 MB
Page 194 of 433

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.
0 Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
0
0
0
Cargo on the load floor piled higher than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward
during a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be
tossed about when driving over rough terrain.
You or your passengers
can be struck by flying
objects. Secure the cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured
if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far forward
and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information in this manual.
See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires”
in the Index.
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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 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. If
your two-door utility
model has a jack cover,
turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and
take the cover
off.
To take the jack out, turn the wing nut 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.
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Page 265 of 433

If your vehicle has wheel
nut caps, use the wheel
wrench and ratchet to
remove them. Turn
the wheel wrench
counterclockwise, with
DOWN facing you, to
If the wheel also has a trim ring, use
the wheel wrench
to pry along the edge and remove it.
If the wheel has a smooth center piece, place the wheel
wrench in the slot on the wheel and gently pry
off.
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.
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Page 267 of 433

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.
5. Remove all the wheel
nuts and take off the
flat tire.
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6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and
spare wheel.
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I CAU‘IWN: (Continued)
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 the
proper torque. For proper torque, see
“Capacities and Specifications” in the Index.
L
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.
11. Put the wheel trim back on. For vehicles with
plastic wheel nut caps, tighten the caps until
they
are finger tight, then tighten them an additional
one-half turn with the ratchet and wheel wrench.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
I I
’
C TION:
-
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.
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D
Spare Tire -- 4-Door Utility Model
A.
Hoist Assembly
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Ratchet
D. Jack Handle
E. Retainer
E Valve Stem, Pointed
Down
G. Spare Tire For four-door utility
models equipped with an
underbody spare tire carrier, follow 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 until there are
two “clicks” or “ratchets.” The spare tire hoist
cannot be over-tightened.
securely and does not move.
5. Grasp and push against the tire to be sure it is stored
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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
0 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 “When It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement” 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 “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
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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.
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.
Traction -- 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 (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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