1996 CHEVROLET EXPRESS tire pressure

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer
is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let‘s say the road
is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly
an animal -jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your
tires haven’t much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it
is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
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NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles
or standing water, water can come
in through
your engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
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0 Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just
your parking lamps
-- to help make you more
visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and
be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires” in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain
you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower
at night.
When
you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If
you miss your exit, do
not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on
to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer,
not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re
not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to
go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in GM
dealers all across North America. They’ll be ready and
willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things
you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should
you delay your trip a short
time to avoid
a major storm system‘?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
headlamps. 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.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certificationflire label is found on the rear edge
of the driver’s door. The label shows the size of your
original tires and the inflation pressures needed to obtain
the gross weight capacity your vehicle. This is called
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer. If
you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where
to obtain service, see your GM Warranty booklet
for details.
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 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.
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
0 Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationflire 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).
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 junderinflation), you can
get the following:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
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. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.
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.
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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.
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If your vehicle has single rear wheels, 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, 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 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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