1993 CHEVROLET S10 steering

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake squeal w\
hen the brakes are first applied or lightly applied. This does not mea\
n something is
wrong with your brakes.
Rear Drum Brakes
Your rear drum brakes don’t have the wear indicators, but i\
f 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 tire\
s are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have the front brak\
es 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 s\
ign 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 brak\
es may need
adjustment. Adjust them by backing up and firmly applying the \
brakes a few
times.
Braking In Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard
braking. You have the rear wheel antilock braking system. Your front wheels
can stop rolling when you brake very hard. Once they do, the \
vehicle can’t respond to your steering. Momentum will carry
it in whatever direction it was
headed when the front wheels stopped rolling. That could be of\
f the road,
into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
So, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you max\
imum braking
while maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on the brake pedal
with steadily increasing pressure. When you do, it will help maintain steering
control. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than \
even the very
best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the\
system
fails to function, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news \
happen on
curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of 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 sudd\
enly apply the
brakes. Both control systems-steering and braking-have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can de\
mand 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 accel\
erate. 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.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams of your lights. This is
one
good reason to drive slower.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braki\
ng. For
example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a
4-1 %

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by
braking-if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action-steering around the proble\
m.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes, but not enough to lock your front wheels.
It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space
available.
KO444
An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick de\
cision. If you
are holding the steering wheel at the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions,
you can turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the
wheel once you have avoided the object. You must then be prepared to steer
back to your original lane and then brake
to a controlled stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent for an un\
prepared driver.
This is one
of the reasons driving experts recommend that you use your
safety belts and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible
is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of
a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
AM428003
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in
the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to
114 turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straigh\
t down the
roadway.
If the shoulder appears to be about four inches (100 mm) or more below the
pavement, this difference can cause problems.
If there is not enough room to
pull entirely onto the shoulder and stop, then follow the same\
procedures. But
if the right tire scrubs against the side of the pavement, do NO\
T steer more
sharply. With too much steering angle, the vehicle may jump ba\
ck onto the
road with
so much steering input that it crosses over into the oncoming traffic
before you can bring it back under control. Instead, ease
off again on the
accelerator and steering input, straddle the pavement once more,\
then
try
again.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits
for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicl\
e ahead, then goes back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a\

potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies t\
he same lane
as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can sud\
denly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents-the head-on
collision.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh 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 driv\
er to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve 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 conditi\
ons, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’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 foo\
t
off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the tires 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 limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your bes\
t to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine brak\
ing by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden move 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember: The rear wheel antilock 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 dow\
n 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.
Off-Road Driving with Your FoutNVheel
Drive Vehick
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive.\
Also, see
“Antilock Brakes’’ in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level, so\
lid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards.
The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American\
road system behind.
Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There a\
re no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, \
you’ve gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s why it’s very important
that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and suggestio\
ns. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable. \
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go outi For example, be sure to
have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure \
you read all
the information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this man\
ual.
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll
be driving?
If you don’t know, you should check with law enforcement people\

in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about how to load your
vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your rear
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
doesn’t toss things around.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the
best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some
things to keep in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain
for obstacles.
you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles.
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’\
re on an
unpaved surface.
I CAUTION
A When you’re driving off road, bouncing and quick changes in direc-
1 tion can easily throw you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you’re driving on or off the road,
you and your passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need
to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. \
Here are some
things
to consider.
Surface Conditions
Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand,
mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration,
and braking of your truck in different ways. Depending upon the kind of
surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer braking distances\
.
Surface Obstacles
Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles
are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain
itself. Here are some things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
these subjects
later.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a firm g\
rip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can je\
rk the wheel
out
of your hands if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, your wheels can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t contro\
l
the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially \
important to avoid
sudden acceleration, sudden turns, or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted speed limits
or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
A
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And t\
his is
certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident if you drink and drive or ride \
with
a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving” in the
Index.)
I
Driving On Off=Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
r
A
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive\
up them,
you will stall.
If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be serio\
usly
injured
or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
I
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s
just too steep to climb, descend,
or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, co\
nstant incline
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