1995 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO tow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0 There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, 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.
0
0
0
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 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 kdh) and
don’t make starts at
full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or
no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts. 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 Chevrolet Customer
Assistance Center,
P.O. Box 7047, Troy, MI
48007-7047.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Qshawa, Ontario
Ll H 8P7.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle.
The capacity weight 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 subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight 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.
A B
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 trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of the
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 aren’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
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Tire-Loading Information label (found
inside the trunk lid) or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index. Then be sure
you don’t go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are
driving is now
a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can
help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different
turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
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 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating. If
you are towing a trailer, you may want to drive in
DRIVE (D) instead
of OVERDRIVE (0) (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
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and 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 transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine
oil, 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Chevrolet. The usual towing
equipment is:
A. Sling-type Tow Truck
B. Wheel-lift Tow Truck
C. Car Carrier If
your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new
by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When
you mil, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to
see them.
5-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in NEUTRAL
(N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have
your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
55 mph (90 kmh) or
farther than
500 miles (800 km) or your transaxle will
be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on
a dolly.
5-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine F ront Towing Hookup
Attach T-hook chains in
front of the wheels into the
side slots
of the cradle on
both sides.
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