change wheel GMC SIERRA 1997 User Guide

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.
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.
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.
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10. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
11. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have your GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance”
in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new, by adding such things as fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions
may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
the four-wheel-drive option.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for the
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
transmission and transfer
case, if you have one.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
5-8
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Engine Fan Noise
Your vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spi.ns faster to provide
more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the fan is spinning slower and the clutch is
not fully engaged. This improves
fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully engages.
So you may
hear an increase in fan noise. This
is normal and should
not be mistaken as the transmission slipping or making
extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system functioning
properly. The fan will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this
fan noise when you start the engine.
It will
go away as the fan clutch partially disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” 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 “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
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.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
use your
jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
I A 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 firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in
PARK (P) or shift a manual
transmission to
FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn off the engine.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
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I a 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.
b, 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.
6. Replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each wheel
nut by hand using
the wheel wrench until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
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How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level
to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
C3 (3500 HD) Trucks Equipped with
Dana Rear Axle
Additional rear axle scheduled maintenance is required
on
3500 HD models equipped with Dana rear axles
when they are driven under the following conditions:
Extreme loading (at or near GVWR) or trailer
Operation above 45 mph (70 km/h) for extended
towing, and:
periods of time.
Vehicles used in any
of these conditions require the rear
axle lubricant be changed every
30,000 miles (50 OOO km).
Fluid capacity is 4.12 quarts (3.9 L).
Four-wheel Drive
Most lubricant checks in this section also apply to
four-wheel-drive vehicles. However, they have two
additional systems that need lubrication.
Transfer Case
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections” in the Index.
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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.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence
to GM specifications.
If you have rear drum brakes, they 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 brake pads replaced, have
the
rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section 7 of this manual
under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
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 brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
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.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put in -- be sure
you get new approved
GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer. work properly. For
example, if someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle,
the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
Rust or dirt
on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make 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 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. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
Some commercial truck
tires may not have
treadwear indicators.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
tire’s rubber.
enough
to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
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Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Replacement part numbers listed in this section are based on the latest information available at the time of printing,
and are subject to change. If a part listed
in this manual is not the same as the part used in your vehicle when it was
built, or if you have any questions, please contact your GM truck dealer.
These specifications are for information only. If you have any questions, see the service manual for the chassis or
refer to the body manufacturer's publications.
VIN Code
Oil Filter*
Air Cleaner Filter*
PCV Valve*
Spark Plugs*
Fuel Filter* Wiper Blades**
Wiper Blade Type
Wiper Blade Length
W
PF52
A
1 300C
CV746C
4 1-932
GF626
22 154886
Trico 18 inches (45.0 cm)
M
PF1218T
A 1300C
CV796C
41 -932 GF626
22154886
Trico
18 inches (45.0 cm)
*AC part number
**GM part number
?Use a PF52 oil filter if your vehicle has four-wheel drive.
R
PF1218T
A 1300C
CV796C
4 1-932
GF626
22154886
Trico 18 inches (45.0 cm)
J
PF1218
A 1300C
cv774c
4 1-932
GF626
22154886
Trico
18 inches (45.0 cm)
6-77
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Maintenance Schedule
-
Short Trip/City Definition -- Gasoline Engines
Follow the Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures
are below freezing.
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
off-road frequently.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or
You frequently tow a trailer.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if you
operate
your vehicle under any of these conditions is that
these conditions cause engine
oil to break down soonel:
Short Trip/City Intervals -- Gasoline Engines
Every
3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
or other commercial application.
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first). Chassis
Lubrication (or
3 months, whichever occurs first). Drive
Axle Service (or
3 months, whichever occurs fmt).
Short Trip/City Intervals -- Gasoline Engines
Every 6,000 Miles (10
000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Shields and
Underhood Insulation Inspection (GVWR above
8,500 lbs. only). Front Wheel Bearing Repack (2WD
only) (or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Fuel Filter Replacement.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (vehicles over
8600 GVWR or
driven under severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines
Inspection. Exhaust Gas Recirculation System
Inspection. Evaporative Control System Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Positive
Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve Inspection.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule
on the following pages.
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