1976 CHEVROLET VEGA towing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Hauling
Since passenger cars are designed
and intended to be used primarily
as passenger conveyances, towing
a trailer will effect handling, dura­
bility
and economy. Maximum
safety and satisfaction depends
upon proper use of correct equip­
ment and avoiding overloads and
other abusive operation.
The maximum loaded trailer
weight which you can pull with
your car depends on what special
equipment has been installed on
your car. Chevrolet does not rec- ommend
towing any trailer
over
1,000 pounds gross trailer weight.
Information on trailer haul­
ing capabilities, special equipment
required, and optional equipment
offered by Chevrolet
is available
from your Chevrolet Dealer or by
writing Chevrolet Motor Division,
Detroit, Michigan 48202
(or in
Canada by writing to General
Motors of Canada Limited,
Owner
Relations Department, Oshawa,
Ontario LlJ 5Z6).
To assist in attaining good han­
dling of the car-trailer combination,
it
is important that the trailer
1-9
tongue load be maintained at ap­
proximately 10%
of the loaded
trailer weight. Tongue loads can
be adjusted by proper distribution
of the load in the trailer, and can
be checked
by weighing separately
the loaded trailer and then the
tongue.
When towing trailers, tires should
be inflated to the highest inflation
pressures shown on the placard
affixed
to the left front door. The
allowable passenger and cargo
load, also shown on the same pla­
card,
is reduced by an amount
eq ual to the trailer tongue load on
the trailer hitch.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance
More frequent vehicle mainte­
nance
is required when using your
car to pull a trailer. Change the:
• Automatic transmission fluid
and filter each
15,000 miles,
(see Trailering brochure for addi­
tional information).
• Rear axle fluid each 15,000
miles,
• Engine oil each 90 days or 3,000
miles, whichever occurs first,
• Positive crankcase ventilation
valve each
12 months or 15,000
miles, whichever occurs first.
• See index for important informa­
tion on belts, cooling system care
and automatic brake adjustment.
Break-in Schedule
In addition to the new car preak-in
instructions in this manual, it is
recommended that your new car
be operated for
500 miles before
trailer towing.
If it is necessary to
tow during this period, avoid speeds
over
50 MPH and full throttle
starts. The same precautions should
be observed whenever a new en­
gine, transmission or axle
is in­
stalled in your car.
1-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In Case of Emergency
Four Way Hazard
Warning
Flasher
• Use the warning flasher to warn
other drivers any time your
ve­
hicle becomes a traffic hazard,
day or night.
• A void stopping on the roadway
if possible.
• Turn on the hazard warning
flasher by pushing
in on the but­
ton located on the column just
below the steering wheel. Flasher
can
be actuated with
engine ignition either
off or on.
• Turn signals do not work with
hazard flashers operating.
• If the brake pedal is depressed,
the lights will not flash but
re­
main continuously lit.
• To cancel the flasher, pull the
button out.
Freeing Car from Sand, etc.
If it becomes necessary to rock
the car to free it from sand, mud
or snow, move the selector lever
on automatic transmission models
from
"D" to "R" in a repeat pat­
tern while simultaneously applying
moderate pressure
to the accelera­
tor.
(On standard transmission
models, move gear shift lever from
second to reverse gear.) Do not
race engine. For best possible trac­
tion, avoid· spinning wheels when
3-1
trying to free the car. The use of
AC Liquid Tire Chain
is recom­
mended for temporary assistance
when traction
is lost on ice or
snow.
Towing
Proper lifting and towing equip­
ment
is necessary to prevent dam­
age to the vehicle during any tow­
ing operation. State (Provincial in
Canada) and local laws applicable
to vehicles in tow must be
fol­
lowed. Detailed towing instructions
are available at your Chevrolet
dealer. Your Vega may be towed on
all
four wheels, at speeds of less · than

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 35 mph, for distances up to 50
miles, provided the driveline, axle,
transmission, and steering system
are otherwise normally operable.
Use only towing equipment specifi­
cally designed for
this purpose
following the instructions of the
towing equipment manufacturer.
A separate safety chain system
must
be used for such towing and
steering must be unlocked, trans­
mission in neutral and the parking
brake released. Attachments must
be made to main structural mem­
bers of the car. Do not attach to
bumpers or associated brackets.
Remember that power brake and
power steering assist will not be
available when engine
is inopera­
tive.
Recreational Towing
Vega models with a manual 3-
or 4-speed transmission may be
towed (with propshaft installed) be-hind
another vehicle
as a "dinghy"
at freeway speeds if additional SAE
80
or SAE 90 Gear Lubricant is
added to the transmission. This can
be accomplished · by removing the
filler plug and installing a
900-;.2
inch pipe street elbow fitting and
adding one quart
(2 lbs.) of SAE
80
or 90 Gear Lubricant. Use the
filler plug to cap the elbow fitting.
The additional lubricant will have
no adverse affect to the transmis­
sion during normal use of the
ve­
hicle and may be left in the trans­
mission.
EMERGENCY STARTING
A car with a discharged battery
may
be started by using energy
3-2
from a battery in another car­
called "jump starting".
NOTICE: Do not push or tow this
vehicle
to start. Damage to the cata­
lytic converter and/or to other parts
of the vehicle may result.
Jump Starting
Jump starting may be dangerous
and should
be attempted only if, the
following three conditions are met.
If they are not,we strongly recom­
mend that you leave the starting to
a competent mechanic.
• The battery in the OTHER vehi­
cle must
be 12 volt and nega­
tively grounded,
like the one in
THIS car. (Check the other car's
owner's manual to
see if it is.)
• The battery in THIS car must be
equipped with flame arrestor
vents (like the original-equip­
ment Delco Freedom battery)