1996 CHEVROLET EXPRESS tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
I FRT FRT
If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
II
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your 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
Certificationmire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque’’ in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION: I
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make 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 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 you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.) 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.
Some commercial truck
tires may not have
treadwear indicators.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Dual Tire Operation Buying New Tires
To
find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificatioflire label.
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. See “Changing a
Flat Tire” in the Index for more information. 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).
11 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.
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) are properly inflated.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure
to use the same
size and type tires on
all 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.) 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Treadwear Temperature -- A, B, C
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. 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.
6-47

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. Each
new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
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.
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.
I A CAUTION: - -
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 wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
6-48

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
~~
Use tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle.
Tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving
too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame if
you strike a
match or get them
on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes in
a closed space.
When you use anything from a container
to clean your
vehicle, be sure
to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can
all be hazardous -- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual says
you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
6-50

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Alur-inum Wheels (If So Equipped) Sheet Metal Damage
Keep your wheels clean using
a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft
clean towel. A wax
may
then be applied.
The surface
of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface
of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic vehicle wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
I NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe
off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces
on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
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