
Off-Road Driving with Your 
Four- Wheel  Drive  Vehicle 
This off-road  guide is for vehicles  that  have  four-wheel  drive. 
Also,  see “Anti-lock  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, solid 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 are 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 
suggestions.  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  out. 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 manual.  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 
Be sure  the  load is secured properly, so driving  on the  off-road  terrain 
rear axle. 
Put heavier items as far forward as  you can. 
doesn’t toss things around. 
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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. 
The  following 
steps 
will  tell  you  how  to 
use  the jack  and 
change 
a tire. 
The  equipment you’ll  need  is located 
in the rear  cargo  area.  You’ll also find 
your spare  tire there. 
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With the UP marking 
on the  ratchet  facing 
you, rotate  the  ratchet 
to  the  right. 
That  will 
lift the jack  head  a  little. Before  raising  the  vehicle,  do the 
following things. 
Put  your spare tire  near  the flat tire. 
Remove  the  wheel  trim. 
i 
2’ 
If there  is a wheel 
cover,  pry  along the 
edge  until it comes 
off. 
Be careful;  the  rim 
edges may be sharp.  Don’t  try to remove it with  your 
bare  hands. 
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Remove all the  wheel 
nuts  and  take 
off the 
flat  tire. 
Remove  any  rust 
or 
dirt from the  wheel 
bolts,  mounting  surfaces  and 
spare 
wheel. Place the spare 
on the  wheel 
mounting  surface. 
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Tire  Storage  -Utility  Model 
If you  have a utility  model,  use these locations. 
1.  Carrier 
3. Adapter 
4. Spare  Tire 
5. Nut 
2.  J-Bolt 
6. Cover 
7. Pins 
9. Use  Upper 
Hole and  Pin  for 
LT265 Tire or Lower Hole  and  Pin 
For  LT225/245  Tires 
8. J-Bolt 
Put  the  cover back  on  the  tire  if your  vehicle  has  one. 
Put  the tire  into  the  vehicle,  over the  bolt.  Slide the adapter onto the  bolt  in 
the  proper  location  for your  model,  and  put  the wing 
nut on. Turn  the  wing 
nut to the right  until  the  adapter is  tight against the wheel,  then  close the 
cover. 
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Lap  and  Shoulder  Belts  Condition  and  Operation - Inspect  belt system, 
including  webbing,  buckles,  latch  plates,  retractors,  guide  loops\
  and 
anchors. Have 
a belt  assembly  replaced if the webbing  has  been  cut  or 
otherwise damaged. 
Body Lubrication  Service - Lubricate  all  body  door hinges  with  engine 
oil. 
Also lubricate the tailgate,  tailgate  handle  pivot  points,  and  tailgate 
mounted  spare tire  carrier  (if  equipped). Lubricate  the  body  hood, 
fuel door 
and  rear  compartment  hinges, latches and  locks  including  interior  glove box 
and  console doors,  and  any folding seat  hardware.  Lubricate  the  hood  safety 
lever  pivot  and  prop rod  pivot.  More  frequent  lubrication  may  be  required 
when  exposed  to 
a corrosive  environment. 
Periodic  Maintenance  Inspections - Listed  below  are inspections  and 
services  which  should  be  performed  at  least  twice 
a year (for instance  each 
spring  or fall).  You should  let  your 
GM dealer’s  service  department  or other 
qualified  service center  do 
these jobs. Make sure  any  necessary  repairs  are 
completed  at once. 
Steering  and  Suspension  Inspection? - Inspect  front  and  rear suspension 
and  steering  system  for  damaged, loose or missing  parts,  signs 
of wear  or 
lack  of  lubrication.  Inspect  power  steering  lines  and  hoses  for proper 
hook-up,  binding,  leaks,  cracks,  chafing, etc. Lubricate the  steering  linkage. 
Accelerator  Control  System - On gasoline  engines,  lubricate the pivot  at 
the 
TBI throttle  lever  stud  with  engine oil. Do not oil any  accelerator  or 
cruise  control  cables. Replace  any  cables that  have  high  effort  or excessive 
wear. 
Exhaust  System  Inspection - Inspect  the  complete system  including  the 
three-way  catalytic converter.  Inspect  the  body  near 
the exhaust  system. 
Look  for broken,  damaged,  missing or out-of-position  parts, 
as well as, 
open  seams, holes, loose  connections  or other conditions  which  could cause 
a  heat  buildup 
in the  floor  pan or could let exhaust  fumes seep into the 
passenger  compartments. 
Drive  Axle  Service? - Check  readfront  axle tluid  level  and  add as needed, 
Check constant  velocity joints and axle seals  for leaking. 
Transfer  Case  (Four-wheel  Drive)  Inspection+ - Every 12 months  or at 
oil change  intervals,  check  front axle and transfer case  and  add  lubricant 
when  necessary.  Oil  the  control  lever  pivot  point  and  all  exposed control 
linkage.  Check 
vent hose  at  transfer  case for kinks  and  proper  installation. 
More frequent  lubrication  may  be  required  on  heavy-duty or off-road  use. 
?A fluid  loss in these  systems  may indicate  a problem.  Have  them  inspected 
and  repaired  at  once. 
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T 
Tachometer ..................................................... 2-74 
Tailgate 
......................................................... 2-8 
Theft 
.......................................................... 2-10 
Thermostat 
..................................................... 6-40 
Tiltwheel ...................................................... 2-37 
Tires 
.......................................................... 6-62 
Balancing 
................................................... 6-67 
Chains ...................................................... 6-69 
Flat 
........................................................ 5-24 
HubCapsandWheelNutCaps 
.................................. 5-32 
Loading 
..................................................... 6-59 
New ........................................................ 6-66 
Pressure 
..................................................... 6-62 
Spare (See  “Spare Tire”) 
Uniform  Tire  Quality  Grading 
................................... 6-66 
Towing 
A Trailer ................................................ 4-36 
Following  Distance 
............................................ 441 
ChangingaFlat ............................................... 5-25 
Inspection  and  Rotation ........................................ 6-64 
TorqueLock 
.................................................... 2-27 
Backingup 
.................................................. 6-41 
Hitches 
..................................................... 4-39 
Maintenance 
................................................. 4-44 
TowingYourVehicle 
.............................................. 5-7 
TrailerBrakes 
................................................... 4-40 
Towing 
..................................................... 4-36 
Wiring  Harness 
............................................... 2-80 
Trailering Package ............................................... 6-61 
Transfer  Case 
.............................................. 2-33,  6-34 
Transmission  Automatic 
................................................... 2-14 
Five-SpeedManual 
........................................... 2-14 
Fluid 
....................................................... 6-28 
Fluid,  ToAdd 
................................................ 6-31 
Four-wheel  (See “Four-wheel  Drive”) 
Fluid, 
To Check 
............................................... 6-28 
ShiftLight 
................................................... 2-25 
Tripodometer 
.................................................. 2-65 
Vehicle 
Damage Warnings ............................................... vii 
Identification  Number .......................................... 6-78 
Loading 
................................................ 4-12. 6-59 
Storage 
..................................................... 649 
Symbols ...................................................... vii 
AirVents ..................................................... 3-3 
Tips 
......................................................... 3-2 
Voltmeter 
...................................................... 2-77 
Ventilation  System 
................................................ 3-2 
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