1995 GMC SIERRA brakes

less traction. It‘s always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to
fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your
reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder
it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper
blades are
in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs
and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even
people walking.
It‘s wise to keep
your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when
they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when
strips
of rubber start to separate from the inserts.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through
some
car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try
to avoid puddles. But
if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
A CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work well in a
quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose
control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash,
apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires
that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen
if the road is wet
enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it
has little or no contact with the road.
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What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
interior.
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
I
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or
if you’re planning to visit there,
here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
“Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can \
work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear
when you go down a steep or long hill.
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1 A CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they
wouldn’t work well. You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
A CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is
dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing
down. They could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle
in gear when you
go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb
the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or .
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive
at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special
problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing
zones, a
falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take
appropriate action.
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be
What’s
the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can
slick and hard to drive
on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow -
drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even
more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability
to make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface
of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahe.ad of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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c
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make
it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that
you get and it keeps
the battery (or batteries) charged. You will need a well-charged battery (or
batteries) to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a higher speed to get
enough heat. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the
way
to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel as long
as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle
is stationary or anchored.
NOTICE:
Using a power winch with the transmission in gear may damage
the transmission. When operating a power winch, always leave
the transmission in NEUTRAL
(N).
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake, or block the wheels to keep
your vehicle
from rolling.
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Power Take-Off (PTO)
NOTICE:
If you have a PTO that will exceed 35 horsepower installed on
your vehicle, it could damage the transfer case or transmission.
When having
a PTO installed on your vehicle, make sure that it
will not exceed 35 horsepower.
Before using a power take-off, refer to the manufacturer’s or installer’s
instructions.
NOTICE:
Using a PTO while operating in one place before the vehicle has
reached normal operating temperature can damage the transfer
case or transmission.
If you will be using the PTO while
operating in one place, drive and warm up the vehicle before
using the PTO.
To engage a power take-off
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL (N).
3. Hold the clutch pedal down and engage the power take-off.
I NOTICE:
Using a PTO for more than four hours without driving your
vehicle can damage the transfer case or transmission.
If using a
PTO for more than four hours without dr$ving your vehicle,
drive your vehicle for
a while to allow the transfer case and
transmission to cool.
If you are going to drive the vehicle, shift the transmission into the gear
you want. Then shift the transfer case into the range you want (if you
have four-wheel drive), apply the regular brakes and release the
parking brake.
4. Release the clutch (and the regular brakes) as you normally would.
When you release the clutch, the power take-off will start.
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Using a Transfer Case Mounted Power Take-Off
(Manual Transmission)
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL (N).
3. Hold the clutch pedal down. If the vehicle will remain in the same
place, shift the transmission into the highest gear.
4. Engage the power take-off.
If you are going to drive the vehicle, shift the trans~nission into the gear
you want, Then shift the transfer case into the range you want, apply
the regular brakes and release the parking brake.
5. Release the clutch (and the regular brakes) as you normally would.
When
you release the clutch, the power take-off will start.
Using a Transfer Case Mounted Power Take-Off
(Automatic Transmission)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL
(N).
Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL (N).
Engage the power take-off.
If
you are going to drive the vehicle, shift the transfer case into the
range
you want. Then apply the regular brakes and release the parking
brake.
Shift the transmission to DRIVE
(3) to start the power take-off.
Release
the regular brakes to drive the vehicle.
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Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch loads from the CWR for your vehicle. Weigh
your vehicle with the trailer hitch attached,
so that you won’t go over the
GVWR or the
GAM.
You’ll get the best performance if you spread out the weight of your load
the right way, and if you choose the correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, see “Trailer Towing” in the Index.
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
General Motors is aware that some vehicle owners may consider having the
pickup box removed and a commercial or recreational body installed.
Before you do
so, first contact the GM Zone Office for your area for
information on such conversions specific to this vehicle. (See \
the “Warranty
and Owner Assistance” booklet for Zone Office.) Owners should be aware
that, as manufactured, there are differences between a chassis cab and a
pickup with the box removed which may affect vehicle safety. The
components necessary to adapt a pickup to permit its safe use with a
specialized body should be installed by a body builder in accordance with
the information available from the Zone Office.
Towing a Trailer
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result\

in costly repairs not covered by your warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice
in this part, and see your GM dealer
for important information about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
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