tires CHEVROLET TRACKER 1993 Owners Manual

To unlock the hubs:
1. Stop your vehicle.
2. Drive seven feet (two meters) in the
direction opposite to the direction
you were driving before you stopped.
3. Then, press the clutch if you have a
manual transmission, and shift the
transfer
case to 2H. The hubs will
unlock.
Transfer Case
The transfer case shift lever is on the
floor to the right of the driver. Use this
lever to shift into and out of four-wheel
drive. An indicator light comes on when
the transfer case is in
4H or 4L.
2H: This setting is for driving in most
street and highway situations. Your front
axle
is not engaged in two-wheel drive.
4H: This setting engages your front axle
to help drive your vehicle. Use
4H
when you need extra traction, such as
on wet or icy roads,
or in most off-road
situations.
N (Neutral): Shift to this setting only
when your vehicle needs
to be towed.
4L: This setting also engages your front
axle to give you extra traction, but
should be used only for driving downhill
or on slippery surfaces when you’re
driving slower than
35 mph (55 km/h).
Remember that driving in 4H or 4L may
reduce fuel economy. Also, driving
in
four-wheel drive on dry pavement could
cause your tires to wear faster and make
your transfer case harder to shift.
You can shift from
2H to 4H or from
4H to 2H at any speed if your hubs are
locked and your wheels are straight
ahead. Your front
axle will engage
faster if you take your foot off the
accelerator pedal for a
few seconds as
you shift.
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Your Driving and the Road
- 9 126
There's something else about drinking
and driving that many people don't
know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse. That's especially
true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means that if anyone who
has
been drinking - driver or passenger
- is in a crash, the chance of being
killed or permanently disabled is higher
than if that person had not been
drinking. And we've already seen that
the chance
of a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
A
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your
reflexes, perceptions, and
I
judgment will be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious
- or even
fatal
- accident if you drive after
drinking. Please don't drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you're with a group,
designate a driver who
will not
drink.
I Conboi of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle go where
you want it to go.
They are
the brakes, the steering and the
accelerator.
All three systems have to do
their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on
snow or ice, it's easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. That means you can
lose control of your vehicle.
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Some driving conditions or climates may
cause a brake squeal when the brakes
are first applied or lightly applied. This
does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
~ Rear Drum Brakes
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear
indicators, but if you ever hear a rear
brake rubbing noise, have the rear brake
linings inspected. Also, the rear brake
drums should be removed and inspected
each time the tires are removed for
rotation or changing. When you have
the front brakes replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too. Brake
linings should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This
could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake
stop, your disc brakes adjust for wear.
If you rarely make a moderate or
heavier stop, then your brakes might not
adjust correctly. If you drive in that
way, then
- very carefully - make a few moderate
brake stops about every
1,000 miles (1 600 km), so your brakes
will adjust properly.
If your brake pedal goes down farther
than normal, your rear drum brakes may
need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the
brakes a few times.
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the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get
in a curve
depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re
in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp
curve. Then you suddenly apply the
brakes. Both control systems
- steering
i and braking - have to do their work where the tires
meet the road. Adding
the hard braking can demand too much
at those places.
You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you’re
steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control
systems
- steering and acceleration -
can overwhelm those places where the
tires meet the road and make you lose
control.
What should you do if this ever
happens? Let up
on the brake or
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed.
Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you
approach a curve, do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can
“drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
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Your Driving and the Road
you just passed may seem to be
further away from
you than it really
is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little
to the right.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet
the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care
suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible. The three types
of skids correspond
to
your Geo’s three control systems. In the
braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering skid,
too
much speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to
spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your
vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot off the accelerator
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pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out. As
it does, straighten
the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is
on the road. For safety,
you’ll want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down
on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance
will
be longer and vehicle control more
limited. 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 “mirrored surface’’
- and slow down when you have any
doubt. Remember: the
rear wheel anti-lock
braking system (RWAL) helps avoid
only a rear braking skid. In a braking
skid (where the front wheels are no
longer rolling), release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the front wheels
rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop
suddenly. As long as the front wheels
are rolling, you will have steering
control. Steer the way you want to go.
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Your Driving and the Road
A Cargo on the load floor
L piled higher than the
seatbacks can be thrown forwarc
during a sudden stop. You or
your passengers could be
injured. Keep cargo below the
top of the seatbacks.
floor can be tossed about when
driving over rough terrain. You
or your passengers can be strucl
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.
Unsecured cargo on the load
I
You’ll find other important information
in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading,”
and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip,
especially when going to a remote area.
Know the terrain and plan your route.
You are much less likely to get bad
surprises. Get accurate maps
of trails
and terrain.
Try to learn of any blocked
or closed roads.
It’s also
a good idea to travel with at
least one other vehicle.
If something
happens to one of them,
the other can
help quickly. Does
your vehicle have a winch? If
so,
be sure to read the winch instructions.
In a remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck. But you’ll want to
know how to use it properly.
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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.
0 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.
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..
I
CA UTlON
t
Getting out on the downhill
(low) side of a vehicle
stopped across 811 incline is
dangerous. If the vehicle rolls
over, you could be crushed or
killed. Always get out on the
uphill (high) side of the vehicle
and
stay well clear of the rollover
path.
I
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.
I
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Your Driving and the Road
I CAUTION
A
Driving on frozen lakes,
ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs,
currents under the ice, or sudden
thaws can weaken
the ice. Your
vehicle could fall through
the ice
and you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle
on safe
surfaces only.
I CAUTION
)riving in Water
ight rain causes no special off-road
riving problems. But heavy rain can
lean flash flooding, and flood waters
emand 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.
’ Driving through rushing water
- can be dangerous. Deep water
-m sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your
passengers could drown. If it’s
only inches deep, it can still wash
away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction
and roll the vehicle over. Don’t
drive through rushing water.
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