Page 148 of 292

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph
(70 kmh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you
have an automatic transmission with
Overdrive, you may prefer to drive
in “D’
instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to,
a lower gear). Or,
if you have a manual
transmission with fifth (or sixth) gear
and you are towing a trailer, it’s better
not to use fifth (or sixth) gear. Just drive
in fourth gear (fifth gear if you have a
six-speed manual transmission) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a
hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged.
But if you
ever have to park your
rig on a
hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
“P’ (Park) yet, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
trailer wheels.
4. Reapply the
regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then
shift to
“P” (Park), or “R” (Reverse)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave after
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop ahd have someone pick up and
of the
chocks.
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you’re pulling a trailer. See the
Maintenance Schedule for more on this.
Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid (don’t overfill), engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system,
and brake adjustment. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and
the Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your
trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
. . ,146
Page 174 of 292
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
Remove all the wheel nuts and take off
the flat tire.
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 emer-
gency,
you can use a cloth or a papa-
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.
:l.
Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel
bolts, mounting surfaces and spare whee
Place the spare
on the wheel mounting
surface.
. . .172
Page 221 of 292

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give
you the longest tire life and best
overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However,
if
you notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling one way or the other,
the
alignment may need to be reset. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted.
If wheel nuts keep coming
loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air out, replace
it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your Chevrolet dealer
if
any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know
the kind of wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
[f you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them
Drily with new GM original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for your Chevrolet model.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer cal-
ibration, headlight aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance, and
tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
219..