1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Put the jack, wheel nut socket and wheel lock key in the
rear storage compartment behind the passenger’s seat.
Make sure the parts are stored properly in the foam
container. Position the jack in the container
so that you
can read the yellow CAUTION label fromthe driver’s
seat. Replace the plastic tray and close the storage
compartment.
NOTICE:
Your Corvette’s radio receiver box is in the rear
storage compartment.
To help avoid damage,
carefully place the jack, socket and wheel lock
key into the foam container in the compartment.
Do not toss or place the items against the radio
receiver box or any wiring.
Compact Spare Tire (If So Equipped)
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the’inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 Wa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you should stop as soon as possible and make sure your spare
tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is made to
perform well at posted speed limits for distances up to
3,000 miles (5 OOO km), so you can finish your trip and
have your full-size tire repaired or replaced where you
want.
Of course, it’s best to replace your spare with a
full-size tire as soon
as you can. Your spare will last
longer and
be in good shape in case you need it again.
When the compact spare is installed, your
vehicle’s handling capabilities will be reduced
during severe maneuvers.
If you drive too fast,
you could lose control
of your vehicle. You or
others could be injured. Don’t drive over
55 mph
(90 km/h) when the compact spare is installed.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels
or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your car and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
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 must use 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 parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. You should turn
your ASR system off. (See “ASR System” in the Index.)
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)),
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. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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_I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Corvette 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. When you hear
-.he brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
I 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.
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.
Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a tire goes flat, you won’t need to stop on the side of
the road to change the tire.
You can just keep on driving.
The shorter the distance you drive and the slower the
speed, the greater the chance that the tire will not have
to be replaced. If you drive on a deflated EMT for
distances of
50 miles (80 km) or less and at speeds of
55 mph (90 km/h) or less, there is a good chance that the
tire can be repaired. The tire can operate effectively with
no air pressure for up to 200 miles (320 km) at speeds
up to
55 mph (90 km/h), but the tire would then have to
be replaced. Also remember: When a tire is filled with
air, it provides a cushion between the road and the
wheel. Because you do not have this cushion when
driving on a deflated tire, try to avoid potholes that
could damage your wheel and require replacement of it.
Some road hazards can damage a
tire beyond repair. This
damage could occur before you’ve driven on the tire in a
deflated condition. Whenever a tire has been damaged, or
if you’ve driven any distance on a deflated
EMT, check
with a Goodyear EMT Service Center to determine
whether the tire can be repaired or should be replaced. To
maintain your vehicle’s extended mobility feature,
all
replacement tires must be Extended Mobility Tires.
See the Goodyear Extended Mobility Tire Owner’s
Manual and Limited Warranty supplied with your
Corvette for additional information.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on
the rear edge of the driver’s door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
For competitive driving or high-speed driving (over
150 mph or 240 km/h), make sure your tires are inflated
to 35 psi
(240 kPa). When you end this type of driving,
reduce the cold inflation pressures (if necessary) to those
listed on the Tire-Loading Information label.
I 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 the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE: (Continued) I
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
If you have a compact spare tire, it should be at
60 psi (420 Wa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Rotation
The tires on your Corvette are directional, asymmetrical
and are different sizes front to rear. Due to this, your
tires should not be rotated. Each tire and wheel should
be used only in the position it is in.
When It’s Time for New Tires
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
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.
0 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.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
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.
A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on your Corvette)
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different sizes (other than
those originally installed on your Corvette) may
also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use
the correct size and type tires on all four wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare
(if you have one). It was developed for use on
your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to
30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may
vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends 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, 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.
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