1996 CHEVROLET TRACKER tires

We don’t make tires. Your new Geo 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 Geo Warranty booklet
for details.
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used
are dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause tires
0
0
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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.
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
driver’s door lock pillar,
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 (underinflation), you can
get the following:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE:
(Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 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
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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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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(IO OOO ro 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.
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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 schc . [led
rotation intervals.
When rotating
your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation
patterns shown here.
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After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
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.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 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
around the tire.
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
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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.
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.
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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 nom 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 perfol’mance
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.
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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 corning 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
Geo 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.
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
Geo 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
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
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.
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See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
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Used Replacement Wheels
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A CAUTION:
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.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the tires of the drive axle
(four-wheel-drive vehicles can use chains
on
both axles).
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.
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