Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION; Whenever a wheel is changed, always remove any corrOsion that may be present on inside of wheeland wheel mounting surface on vehicle. Installing wheels
without good metal·to--metalcontact at the mounting surfaces can cause wheel nuts to
loosen, which can later allow a wheel to come off while the vehicle -is moving, possibly
causing loss of control.
Alignment and Balance
Proper wheel alignment improves tire tread life. Your vehicle's suspension
parts should be inspected often and
aligned when needed. (See the
Maintenance
Schedule Folder for more information.) Ball joints have built-in
wear indicators and some movement in the joints is normal.
Improper alignment • will not-cause the vehicle to vibrate. However, improper
alignment can cause:
• the tires to roll at an angle, which will result in faster tire wear;
• your tires _ to wear unevenly;
•
your vehicle to "pull" to the left or right.
Proper tire balancing provides the
best riding comfort and helps reduce tire
tread wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause annoying vibration and uneVen tire
wear such as cupping and flat spots.
Traction
Driving, cornering, and braking traction are reduced -w~ater. snovv' ic:e., gravel, or other material is on the road. Adjust driving practices and vehiCia
speed to road conditions.
When driving on wet
or sluShy roads, a wedge of water can build up between
the tire and road. This is known as hydroplaning, and may cause partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle control, and stopping ability.
To red\ICe the chance of traclion loss, follow these tips:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are slushy.
2. StoW down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when the tread wear indicators are showing.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
H your vehicle has Tpc radial tires (see "Tire Replacement" in this section),
yoU, .lifes were designed to provide better snow traction. In fact, these tires
shOuld be adequate for driving in mO$ wiAter conditions. Howeve" ij you do feel you do need to buyconvenlional snow tires, be sure they are the same
size, load range, and .construction type (bias, bias· belled, Or radial) as your
other tires.
Tire Chain$ or Similar Traction Devices
If you buy tire chains for your car, make sure they are'designated as SAE
Class "S" type chaios. Use of other types of chains may cause damage to
your vehicle.
Use
of chains may adversely affect your vehicle's handling. -When using
chains: (1) adjust speed to road conditions, (2) avoid sharp turns, and (3) when
possible, avoid
locked-wheel braking.
In addition, to help prevent chain damage to your vehicle:
5-15
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Install the chains on the front tires as tightly as possible, then tighten them
again after driving 1/4 to 1/2 mile (0.4 to 0.8 kilometer). The use of chains
on the rear tires is not recommended; the chains may contact and
possibly damage the vehicle. If you intend to use chains on the rear tires, be sure
there is enough clearance.
• Do not exceed 45 mph (70 km/h), or the chain manufacturer's speed limitation, if lower.
• Drive in a restrained manner and avoid large bumps, potholes, severe turns and other manuevers which CQuid cause the tires to bounce up and down.
• Follow any other instructions of the chain manufacturer which do not
disagree with the above.
Spare Tire
For the use and installation of your spare tire, see "In Case of Emergency,"
Section 3 of this manual.
Tire Replacement
CAUTION:" 00 not mix different tire construction types (such as radial, bias, and biasbetted) on your vehicle exceptio emergencies, because your vehicle's handling could be affected and may result in loss Of control. This caution does not apply to a compact spare tire furnished with your vehicle.
On most vehicles originally eqUipped with radial tires, you will find a TPC Spec.
No. (Tire Performance Criteria Specification Number)
molded into the tire
sidewall
near the tire size marking. This shows that the tire meets rigid size
and performance standards which were developed for your vehicle. The TPC
Spec. No. assures a proper combination of endurance,
handHng, load capacity,
ride and traction on wet, dry, or snow-covered surfaces. When you replace your tires with tires having the same TPC Spec. No., your new tires will be
compatible with your vehicle.
When replacing tires with those not having a TPC Spec. No., you should use
the same size, load range, and construction type (bias, bias-belted, or radial)
as the original tires on your vehicle. A different size or type of tire may affect
such things as ride, handling, speedometer/odometer calibration, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance to the body or chassis. If
replacing only a single tire, it should be paired on the same axle with the least worn tire of the other three.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the tire grading system developed by the
United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which will grade
tires by traction and temperature performance. (This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.)
Traction -A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, S, and C. They represent
the tire's
::ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
~urfaces 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 (straight
ahead) traction tests
and does not include cornering (turning) traction.
5-16
