1996 CHEVROLET TRACKER brake

Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
0 Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear.
If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the
ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow.
Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers
safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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2.
3.
4.
5,
Set the parking brake.
If your Geo is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, set your
manual free-wheeling hubs
to FliEE or unlock your
automatic freewheeling hubs.
See “Four-wheel
Drive” in the Index.
Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position, with
a clamping device designed
for towing.
Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed 55 mph (90 km/h), or your Geo could be
badly damaged.
Towing Your Ve- ‘cle from the Front
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has automatic freewheeling hubs
or two-wheel drive, do not tow it on all four
wheels. If you do, your transmission could be
damaged.
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If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with manual
freewheeling
hubs, it can be towed from the front with
all four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
Shift your automatic transmission into
PARK (P), or
your manual transmission into SECOND
(2).
Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
Set the hubs to FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in
the Index.
Release
the parking brake.
Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km) and start
the engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever
in
NEUTRAL (N). Shift your automatic transmission
to DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND (2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine
at medium speed for one minute to circulate the oil in
the transfer case. Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now
you can continue towing your Geo.
NOTICE:
The front wheels transmit shocks during towing.
The steering column may not be strong enough to
withstand the shocks. Always unlock the steering
wheel before towing.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
50 mph (80 kdh), or your Geo could be badly
damaged.
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Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose controlwhen you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes
may not work well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your Geo dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Geo dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the
Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and
fuel
economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety des.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull
a trailer.
Load-pulhg components such as the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to
work harder against the drag of the added’weight. The
engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s
more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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Hitches Trailer Brakes
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and
rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
If you use a step-bumper hitch, your bumper could
be damaged in sharp turns. Make sure you have
ample room when turning to avoid contact between
the trailer and the bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to
the bumper. Always
leave
just enough slack so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. If your
trailer weighs
more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust qd
maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system. will use more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder.
If it does, both systems won’t work
well. You could even lose your brakes.
0 Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi
(20 650 Ea) of pressure? If not, the trailer brake
system must not be used with your vehicle.
0 If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the port
on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to
the rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing
for this. If you do, it will bend and finally break off.
Use steel brake tubing.
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Driving with a Trailer Following Distance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to
know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer., And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at
the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and
any trailer brakes
are still working. Stay
at least twice as
far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a
good deal
longer, you’ll need to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
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Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (included in the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the green arrow’s on your
instrument panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may thlnk drrvers
behind you are seeing your signal when they
are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you have a manual
transmission with FIFTH
(5) gear, you may prefer not to
use FIFTH
(5). Just drive in FOURTH (4) (or, as you
need
to, a lower gear).
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Parking on Hills
You really 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 ybur regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes mtil the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (PI, or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear -- not in
NEUTRAL (N).
6. Release the regular brakes.
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set.
Your vehicle can roll,
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case
is in NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free
to roll,
even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear -- not
in NEUTRAL (N).
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