flat tire GMC SIERRA 1997 User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 1997, Model line: SIERRA, Model: GMC SIERRA 1997Pages: 436, PDF Size: 23.38 MB
Page 262 of 436

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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Page 264 of 436

I Lower Raise
H
/1
A. Hoist Assembly
B. Ratchet
C. Jack Handle
D. Hoist Shaft
E. Valve Stem, Pointed
Down
E Spare Tire
G. Retainer
H. Hoist Cable Follow these
instructions to lower the spare tire:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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.
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.
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,
Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
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Page 265 of 436

The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), the jack
handle extension
(B), the jack handle (C), the wheel
wrench
(D) and the ratchet (E).
If the flat tire is on the rear of the vehicle, you'll need
the jack handle extension also.
- .'
. . .* ::*>:.,;,: , -.... ,.
Attach the jack handle (and jack handle extension, if
needed) to the jack.
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Page 267 of 436

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the
Spare Tire
1 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.
3
Front
Position
Rear
Position
2. Position the jack under the vehicle. If the flat tire is
on the front of the vehicle, position the jack on the
frame behind the flat tire. If the flat tire is on the
rear, position the jack on the rear axle between the
spring and the shock absorber.
I-
AC
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
NOTICE:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned will damage the vehicle or may allow
the vehicle to
fall off the jack. Be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising your vehicle.
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Page 268 of 436

Front Position Rear Position
3. 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.
~ 4. Remove all the wheel
nuts
and take off the
flat tire.
5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel
bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
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Page 271 of 436

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.
9. 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
TI
with the ratchet and wheel wrench.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
'A
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 was stored.
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Page 272 of 436

For an underbody spare tire carrier, stow the tire under
the rear
of the vehicle in the spare tire carrier. To store
the tire:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Put the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle
with the valve stem pointed down and
to the rear.
Tilt
the retainer downward and through the wheel
opening. Make sure that the retainer
is fully seated
across the underside of the wheel.
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.
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.
Grasp and push against the tire to be sure it is stored
securely and does not move.
I Lower Raise
H
r-
F- e>&
E
A. Hoist Assembly
B. Ratchet
C. Jack Handle
D. Hoist Shaft
E. Valve Stem,
Pointed Down
E Flat or Spare Tire
G. Retainer
H. Hoist Cable
Return
the jack, ratchet, wheel wrench and jack extensions
to their location behind the passenger’s seat. Secure the
items and replace the jack cover, if there
is one.
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Page 326 of 436

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your
GM Warranty booklet for details.
-
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
0 Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread
is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationmire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, or on the incomplete vehicle document
in the cab, shows the correct inflation pressures for your
tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle has
been sitting for at least three hours or driven no more
than
1 mile (1.6 km).
You can operate some vehicles at reduced inflation
pressures only when you’ll be carrying reduced loads.
On those vehicles, the minimum cold inflation pressures
for
a typical reduced load are printed on the Improved
Ride Tire Pressure label located on the driver’s door.
Weigh the vehicle to find the load on each tire and see
the label for the minimum cold inflation pressures for
that load.
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
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
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.
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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. If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, also
see “Dual Tire Operation” later in this section. 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.
I FRT FRT
I
If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
If your vehicle has front tires with different load ranges
or tread designs (such as all season vs. odoff road)
than
the rear tires, don’t rotate your tires front to rear.
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