1995 GMC SIERRA tires

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is to spin your wheels
too fast. The method known as ”rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but you nlust use caution.
A CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can explode and you
or others could be injured. And, the transmission or other par\
ts
of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re stuck, spin th\
e wheels
as little as possible. Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as
the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking
your vehicle to get it out:
First. turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around
your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a
forward gear (or
with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1 ) or
SECOND (2) gear and REVERSE), spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transmission
is in gear. If that doesn’t get you
out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. Or, you can use your
recovery hooks,
if your vehicle has them. If you do need to be towed out.
see “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. If you have a C
3500 HD model, it has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads are needed. The
sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
I A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well. That could lead to an accident. Whe\
n
you hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads could result in
costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly applied. This does not mean something is
wrong with your brakes.
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have wear indicators, but if you
ever hear
a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear brake linings inspected.
Also, the rear brake drum should be removed and inspected each time the
tires are removed for rotation
or changing. When you have the front brakes
replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to normal height, or if
there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake
trouble.
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Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer. These tires are warranted by the tire
manufacturers, and their warranties are delivered
with every new vehicle. If
your spare tire is a different brand than your road tires, you will have
a tire
warranty folder from each
of these manufacturers.
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause overheating as a result of too
much friction. You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as overloaded tires.
The resulting accident could cause serious injury. Check all
tires frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire
pressure should be checked when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut, punctured, or
broken by
a sudden impact, such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your tread is badly
worn, or if your tires have been damaged, replace them.
Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Certification/Tire label which is on the rear edge of the driver‘s door, or
on the incomplete vehicle document in the cab, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires, when they’re cold. “Cold“ tneans your vehicle
has
been sitting for at least three hours or driven no more than a mile.
You can operate some vehicles at reduced inflation pressures only when
you’ll be carrying reduced loads. On those vehicles, the minimum cold
inflation pressures for
a typical reduced load are printed on the “Improved
Ride Tire Pressure” label located on the driver’s door. Weigh the vehicle to
find the load on each tire and see the label for the minimum cold inflation
pressures for that load.
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NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or overinflation is
all right. It’s not.
If’ your tires don’t have enough air
(underinflation)
you can get:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire pressure. Simply looking
at the tires will not tell you the pressure, especially
if you have radial tires
- which may look properly inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10 000 to 13 000 km)
for any signs of unusual wear. If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires
or wheels. See “When it’s Time for New Tires” and “Wheel Replacement”
later in this section for more information.
If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels, also see
“Dual Tire Operation” later in this section.
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The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires
on the vehicle. The first rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled rotation intervals.
FRT
I
II
FRT
If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of the correct rotation
patterns shown here when rotating your tires.
If your vehicle has front tires with different load ranges
or tread designs
(such as all season vs. on/off road) than the rear tires. don‘t rotate your tires
front
to rear.
W v
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels and the load range and tread design for
your front tires
is the same as your rear tires, always use one of the correct
rotation patterns shown here when rotating your tires.
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If your vehicle has dual rear wheels and the load range or tread design for
your front tires is different from your rear tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here when rotating your tires. The dual tires are
rotated as a pair, and the inside rear tires become the outside rear tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure the vent holes in the inner and outer
wheels
on each side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear inflation pressures
as shown on the Certificatioflire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
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When it’s Time for New Tires
You need a new tire if:
Tread Wear
Indicators
One way to tell when
it’s time for new tires
is to check the
treadwear indicators,
which will appear
when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6
mm)
or less of tread
remaining.
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show
cord
or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that can‘t be repaired well
because
of the size or location of the damage.
Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is
replaced, check the wheel
nut torque after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160,
1 600 and 10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque see “Wheel Nut
Torque” in the Index.
The outer tire
on a dual wheel setup generally wears faster than the inner
tire. Your tires will wear more evenly and last longer
if you rotate the tires
periodically. If you’re going to be doing
a lot of driving on high-crown
roads, you can reduce tire wear by adding
5 psi (35 kPa) to the tire pressure
in the outer tires. Be sure to return
to the recommended pressures when no
longer driving under those conditions.
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A CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is badly
underinflated, the tire can overheat. An overheated tire
can lose
air suddenly or catch fire. You or others could be injured. Be
sure all tires (including the spare, if any) are properly inflated.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the
CertificationRire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new a Tire Performance
Criteria Specification (TPC Spec) number on each tire’s sidewall. When you
get new tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way, your
vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed to give proper
endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during
normal service on your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a TPC Spec number,
make sure they are the same. size, load range, speed rating and construction
type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
I A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while driving. If you
mix tires of different sizes or types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on all four wheels.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system developed by the United
States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires
by treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
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