Page 190 of 372

Parking on Hills
Youereally 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. Turn your wheels into the curb
when facing downhill and away from the curb when
facing uphill.
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 shift to PARK
(P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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
0 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 transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine
oil, axle lubricant, belt, 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.
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Page 224 of 372
I I
9.
A CAUTION:
Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
-
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall
off, causing a serious accident.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on tL parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle..In an
emergency, you can use a
cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if ybu need to, to get all the rust or
dirt
off.
10. Put on the spare tire. Put the nuts on by hand.
Make sure the cone-shaped end is toward the
wheel. Tighten each
nut by hand until the wheel is
held against the hub.
If a nut can’t be turned by
hand, use the extension and see your dealer as
soon as possible.
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Page 277 of 372

Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and 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 (straightahead) 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.
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
or corroded. 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
GM 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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Page 278 of 372

If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM original
equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
vehicle model.
~ -.
’
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling
of your
vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you
lose control.
You could have a collision in which . .
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct whee1,’wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
-- I--
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
A
/! CAUTION: ..
I
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how
it’s been used or
how many miles it’s been driven.
It could fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
If you have to
replace
a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
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