1994 CHEVROLET TRACKER load capacity

Towing a Trailer
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can dam-
age your vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by your warranty,
To pull a trailer correctly, follow the
advice in this section, and see your
Geo dealer for important information
about towing a trailer with your
vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity
is for
your vehicle,
you should read the
information in “Weight
of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section.
But trailering
is different than just driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section.
In it are
many time-tested, important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section
carefully before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transmission, wheel assemblies,
and tires are forced to work harder against
the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads,
generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having
to do with trailering. Make sure your
rig will be legal, not only where you
live but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this information
can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first
500 miles (800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or
other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800
km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive
over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t
make starts at
full throttle. This helps
your engine and other parts
of your
vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
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Your Driving and the Road
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg), But even that can be too
heavy.
It depends
on how you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. And, it can also depend
on any special equipment that you have
on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or you can
write us
at:
Customer Assistance Department
Chevrolet/Geo
P.O.
Box 7047
Troy, MI 48007-7047
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
A B
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total or
gross weight of your
vehicle. The gross vehicle weight (GVW
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you will tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will be carrying that weight,
too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the
trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you
have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the :railer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of
;he
total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If they
uen’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around
in
the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to
the limit for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers
on the Certification label at the
rear edge of the driver’s door
or see “Tire
Loading” in the Index. Then be sure you
don’t
go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
0 If you use a step bumper hitch, and
your trailer tongue has a V-shaped
foot, your bumper could be damaged
in sharp turns. Check the distance
from the front edge
of the foot to the
middle
of the hitch ball socket. If the
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:enter High-Mounted Stoplight
Hardtop)
i, remove the bulb:
. Remove the side pins.
!. Pull the housing forward.
1. Turn the socket counterclockwise and
pull
it out.
I. Pull the bulb out of the socket.
i. Reverse the steps with a new bulb.
ll TIRE PLACARD
GVWR ~GAWR FRT GAWR RR
I TIRES I
I PRESSURE COLD PSl!kPa I
IJ
Center High-Mounted Stoplight
(Convertible)
To remove the bulb:
1, Remove the two screws and the lens
housing.
pull
it out.
2. Turn the socket counterclockwise and
3. Pull the bulb out of the socket.
4. Reverse the steps with a new bulb.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight
it may properly carry. The
Tire-Loading Information label found
on
the driver’s door lock pillar tells you the
proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures for the
tires on your vehicle.
It also gives you
important information about the number
of people that can be
in your vehicle and
the total weight that
you can carry. This
weight is called the Vehicle Capacity
Weight and includes the weight
of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
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Service and Appearance Care
1
1
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> 7
i
tl
B
tl
F
tl
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r
1
1)
:he other label is the Certification label,
dso found
on the driver’s door lock pillal
t tells you the gross weight capacity of
Tour vehicle, called the
GVWR (Gross
Jehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR
dudes the weight of the vehicle, all
ccupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed
ne GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Ytle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either
he front or rear axle.
ind, if you
do have a heavy load, you
hould spread it out. Don’t carry more
han
400 pounds (1 8 1 kilograms) in your
ear area when four people are in your
wo-wheel drive vehicle.
If you have a
our-wheel drive vehicle, don’t carry
nore than
200 pounds (91 kilograms) in
{our rear area when four people are
in
Tour vehicle.
NOTICE:
I
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because
of over-
loading.
I ~
[f you put things inside your vehicle -
like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else
- they will go as fast as the
vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or if there is a crash, they’ll keep
going.
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upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are: A,
B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces 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.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or
in
combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General Motors
performance standards and have been
approved for use on General Motors
vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric)
tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
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, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your Geo 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.
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Service Station Information
See Page 163
(I I Ill1 n
Cooling System Reservoir Hood Release
Check and add coolant gdy at the coolant See Page 159
recovery tank. The fluid should be at the
“FULL” mark when the engine is warm.
If the engine is cool, the level should be
at the “LOW” mark or
a little higher.
See Page 170 Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
See Page 174 Engine Oil Dipstick
See Page 162
Battery
Engine Oil Fill Cap
The Delco Freedom“ battery needs
no water. See Page 176
See Tire-Loading Information label on the
inside of the rear edge
of the driver’s door.
See Page 181
Spare Tire Pressure Fuel Cap
See Tire-Loading Information label on the Capacity I1 U.S. Gal. (42 L).
inside of the rear edge of the driver‘s door. LJse unleaded gas only, 87 octane or
See Page 181 higher.
See Page 156
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